Bad Bossa Nova is right – as Gene Ammons really hits a great groove here – one that's not exactly bossa, but which has lots of Latin and tropical touches! The session makes great use of 2 guitars at the same time – using that of Kenny Burrell for soulful rhythm, but also adding in Bucky Pizzarelli for some nice acoustic embellishments – in a mode that's similar to the soul jazz-com-bossa style used on records like Ike Quebec's Soul Samba or Charlie Rouse's Bossa Nova Bacchanal. The overall rhythms are a bit more complicated, and a bit more soul jazz based than those sets – with Hank Jones on piano, Oliver Jackson on percussion, and Al Hayes adding in some sweet extra bongo! Titles include the classic "Ca'Purange" – plus "Anna", "Yellow Bird", "Cae Cae", and "Moito Mato Grosso". Also issued under the title Jungle Soul! (Ca' Purange). LP, Vinyl record album

A far reaching late 70s set from Gato Barbieri – a record that blends fusiony jazz funk, lush stings, and Latin rhythms and fluid solos on a varied batch of tunes! One of the more interesting things about the production is that those varied approaches often come into play within the same tunes – with clean, lean fusiony bass and percussion underneath swelling string accents, showing Barbieri was unafraid to intermingle myriad influences at the time. Titles include a take on Caetano Veloso's "Odara", plus "Poinciana (Song Of The Tree)", "Latin Lady" (which guest Carlos Santana trading solos with Gato over tropical jazz funk backing), "She Is Michelle", "Where Is The Love", "Evil Eyes" and "Bolero". LP, Vinyl record album

A jazz record, but one with a vibe that's all its down – and a sound that definitely echoes some of the tropical elements hinted at in the title and on the cover! Laurent Bardainne is a saxophonist who blows with a really rich sound – nicely soulful, and with a raspy, laidback quality that's really seductive – set up here amidst a mix of acoustic and electric elements, including great percussion, occasional keyboards, and just the right electric basslines to trip things along in a sweet midtempo groove! The mix of jazz soloing and nods to global elements takes us back to similar French albums of the 80s – and most of the set is instrumental, although there are occasional vocals from guests, next to great use of outside sound recordings too. Titles include "Singing", "Eden", "We Try", "Serpent Kaa", "Gobules Rouges", "Dance For Eternity", "Welcome", and "Meilleur". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the many things we love about keyboardist Greg Foat is that he's never willing to sit still – that he's always on the move into some new dimension of his music – so much so that it's very difficult to ever compare one of his records with another! This set's got a very keyboard-heavy approach – recorded with just drums from Morgan Simpson of Black Midi – and a style that's like some of the best tracks from that moment when the sound library scene went more electric at the end of the 70s – although in a way that still stretches out with the enigmatic depths of some of Foat's more ambitious projects! The album's full of wonderfully spacey lines and laidback grooves – on titles that include "Underwater Fantasy", "Tropical Love", "Arctic Cavern", "The Investigation", "Green Odyssey", "Riding Into Battel", "Subterranean Lake", and "World Of Tiers". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime live set from British trumpeter Matthew Halsall – a set that maybe sounds even more organic and spiritual than some of his already-amazing work in the studio! There's a great sense of majesty here – as Halsall leads a wonderfully cohesive lineup that stretches out on long tracks that seem to get even more out of the space of the concert venue than they might in a smaller recording room. The group features Matt Cliffe on tenor and flute, Liviu Gheorghe on piano, Gavin Barras on bass, Alan Taylor on drums, Jack McCarthy on percussion, and Maddie Herbert on some especially nice use of harp – understated, and never dominating the music, but a really crucial part of the album's sound! Titles include "Canopy & Stars", "Mindfulness Meditations", "Joyful Spirits Of The Universe", "Harmony With Nature", "Tropical Landscapes", and "Salute To The Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

A mellow mainstream fusion classic from the 70s – one that paired the gentle guitar of Earl Klugh with the sweet keyboards of Bob James – in a set that's filled with plenty of warm and laidback touches! The mode here takes off some of the darker edges from James' earlier sound, and softens it nicely with Klugh's colorful approach to the guitar – a slightly tropical mode at times, and one that dances breezily along with help from Ralph MacDonald, Ron Carter, Harvey Mason, and Gary King. Titles include the lovely "Mallorca", plus "I'll Never See You Smile Again", "Kari", "The Afterglow", "Love Lips", and "Winding River". LP, Vinyl record album

Great later blowing from John Klemmer – clear, clean, and extremely well-focused – with nary a dull moment throughout! The album's a mostly acoustic one – save for some keyboards from Milcho Leviev – and the sound is tremendous, very much in keeping with the farther-reaching modes that Klemmer was exploring at the start of the 70s – imaginative, always-creative solos that really take off in the freedoms of the post-Coltrane years, yet which always stay focused and soulful throughout. Other players include Oscar Castro Neves on guitar, Ray Armando on percussion, and Roy McCurdy on drums – and tracks include "Tropical Snowflakes", "Love Affair", "Paradise", "Arabesque", "Touch", and "Summertime". LP, Vinyl record album

Page Morton's floating in a sea of red on the cover of this rare album – and the music has her swimming in a similarly watery style too! Arrangements are handled by Leo Addeo – who you might know from late 50s tropical and exotica sides – and although his approach here is more in keeping with a vocal session, he also still shows his great ear for those languidly seeping tones around the corners of the edges – a feel of flow that draws us in even before Page's vocals pick up the lyrics! There's a bit of organ used at times to emphasize this approach, and some occasional other exotic instrumentation too – on titles that include "Bill", "Don't Blame Me", "That Old Feeling", "May You Always", "Until The Real Thing Comes Along", and "Paradise". (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A great obscure session by the legendary Cuban arranger/bandleander Chico O'Farrill! The material is similar to some of the stuff that O'Farrill recorded for Verve in the early 50's – with lots of tight ensemble playing, and jazzy tinges set amdist Afro Cuban arrangements. Lots of the tracks are originals, and all the arrangements are by O'Farrill. Titles include "Tropical Jazz", "Mambotanga", "Hey Lolita", and "Adios Panama". (Latin, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful step forward for drummer Max Roach – working here in very creative company with saxophonist Anthony Braxton! Although Roach could have easily rested on his laurels as a famous bop drummer – and have spent endless years touring on highly-paid revival/reunion tours – he was a true creative giant who never stopped expanding his talents, especially during the late 70s, when he was matching up with some of the greats of the avant garde. This album is a perfect example of that commitment to modernism, as Roach duets with Anthony Braxton on a set of 7 fantastic tracks that stand apart from individual work by either artist – more loose and open than earlier Roach work, but a bit more inside than some of Braxton's – with fresh results from both players that never fail to delight! Titles include "Dance Griot", "Birth", "Tropical Forest", and "Spirit Possession". LP, Vinyl record album