A really burning live set from Argentine tenorist Chivo Borraro – a set that features very extended performances that capture Borraro and his group at their most modern! Chivo burns here in a way you don't always hear on other sessions – very relaxed and opening up in the comfortable confines of the Cricket night club in Buenos Aries – with help from Fernando Gelbard on piano, Jorge Lopez Luis on bass, and Pocho Lapouble on drums – keeping things swinging, but in a loose way that really lets the leader go where he wants! The extended format and bold energy put the record in territory that's similar to, but more avant than, some of the Dexter Gordon live sets coming from the European scene of the time – and titles include "Africa", "Minor Key", "Blues Con Amague" and "Lover Man". CD

A magical meeting of two tremendous talents – saxophonist Gerry Mulligan and bandoneon player Astor Piazzolla – heard here in a rare Italian recording from the 70s! The album's a really unique effort for both musicians – a bit more pensive and thoughtful than some of Piazzolla's usual work from the 70s, and much less jazz-based than Mulligan's other records – more in a soundtrack mode, and one that seems to have echoes of Gato Barbieri's score to Last Tango In Paris! Like that great record, this one mixes Argentine styles with freer, more fluid ones – updating roots with a 70s sense of sophistication, and really letting Gerry Mulligan take off in long, open-ended solos that are among some of his best work of the decade. Other instrumentation includes marimba, guitar, keyboards, and percussion from Tullio De Piscopo – plus a bit of strings as well – and titles include "Hace Viente Anos", "Deux Xango", "Viente Anos Despues", "Reunion Cumbre", "Reminiscencia", and "Anos De Soledad". CD

An early gem from keyboardist Carlos Franzetti – a mid 70s session done with a really ambitious sound, and easily one of Franzetti's most righteous recordings ever! At the time of the set, Carlos was fresh on the New York scene from years in his native Argentina – but he's working here with a host of American players to craft a record of boundless soul and imagination – in a style that mixes free solo work on keyboards and saxes with added strings on many tracks, and a few choice vocals that really expand the set. There's a sound here that almost reminds us of the mix of modes used by another Argentinian, Gato Barbieri, in some of his best work of the period – but Franzetti's approach is much more in a spiritual soul jazz mode than Gato's, yet it shares a similar optimism and ability to freely combine styles. Players on the session include Omar Clay on drums, Marvin Blackman on soprano and tenor sax, Kenny Rogers on flute, and Ray Mantilla on congas – and voices are by Mel Dancy and Gayle Dixon Clay. Titles include "Southamelodic", "In The Dawn Of Time", "Prime Element", "Lola", "Aldebaran", "Norma Jean", "Shave & Haircut", and "Alborada". Originally only out on the Argentinian Trova label – beautifully presented here! CD

One of the coolest 70s albums we've ever heard from the always-cool Jorge Lopez Ruiz – a set that expands out from his earlier jazz work with a flurry of wonderful sounds and styles, set up in a much more ambitious vibe overall! Yet despite the sophistication of the setting, the work is also pretty darn groovy too – lots of funky jazz touches next to more modern inflections – with a larger lineup that includes later ECM great Dino Saluzzi on bandoneon, Donna Caroll on cool wordless vocals, and other musicians on electric piano, percussion, guitar, trumpet, soprano sax, and violin! With the latter instrument and the bandoneon, Ruiz is giving a nod to the modern tango world of Astor Piazzolla, yet coming across with some European cinematic modes as well – all in a well-done set that's completely compelling all the way through. Titles include "El Grito Del Hombre", "La Alegria Del Hombre", "El Ruego Del Hombre", "La Nostalgia Del Hombre", and "El Adios Del Hombre". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest records we've ever heard from this legendary Argentine pianist – a set that has Jorge Lopez Ruiz playing lots of Fender Rhodes, and mixing it in with both rootsy Latin percussion and a number of other keyboards too! The set's almost a South American version of some of Herbie Hancock's work with the Headhunters – with more traditional percussion passages in the mix, but blended with sounds that include Arp and mini-moog too – which gives the whole thing a criss-crossing vibe that alternates from the surface of the planet to the deeper ranges of the cosmos! Ruiz is wonderful throughout – often very spacious, in a thoughtful way that only makes each note have more power – and titles include "La Hora De La Sed Maldita", "Eterna Prescencia", "Mira Tu", "El Viaje De Dumpty", "Balewada", and "Para Nostros Solamente". CD

A great demonstration of the incredible keyboard skills of Argentine pianist Enrique Villegas – an artist who issued a few albums here in the US, but had a much longer recorded legacy back home! This mid 60s date is one of Enrique's classics – and shows his amazing command of the keys, with a mixture of fluid lyricism and richer rhythmic currents – almost like Erroll Garner matched with Oscar Peterson, but handled with a special flavor that's very much his own! The romping left hand side of Enrique's style is greatly encouraged here by the work of Jorge Lopez Ruiz on bass and Eduardo Casalla on drums – and titles include "Hindustan", "Shadow Waltz", "Moonlight & Shadows", and the long "Tributo A Duke Ellington". CD features four bonus tracks by the same trio, recorded later – "Don't Blame Me", "Stormy Weather", "The Man I Love", and an "Improvisation" track. CD

The music of Jerome Kern is explored here in territory that's nicely far from the original – really open, fluid trio instrumentals from Enrique Villegas – who's very much at the height of his more modern, open style here! The tunes are familiar, but really pulled apart as well – as Villegas makes them his own through inventive arrangements and a very freewheeling approach to the piano – much less structured than his earlier work, and given equally open support from Oscar Alem on bass and Osvaldo Lopez on drums! Titles include the side-long "Temas De La Comedia Musical Showboat" – plus "Dearly Beloved", "The Way You Look Tonight", "A Fine Romance", and "Long Ago & Far Away". CD

A very cool split album from pianist Enrique Villegas – and one that's nicely different than some of his other records from the time! Side one features a long tribute to Thelonious Monk – a blended medley of "Bemsha Swing", "Round Midnight", and "Blue Monk – played with a trio that includes the great Jorge Lopez Ruiz on bass and Eduardo Casalla on drums – followed by other tracks on side two that have a very Monkish approach – nicely angular, and with a vibe that shows just how much Villegas learned from Monk, but maybe filled in with more of the expansive notes he brings to his own music too. These tracks include "It Might As Well Be Spring", "St Thomas", "Charmaine", and "It's Only A Paper Moon". CD

The piano of Argentine jazz legend Enrique Villegas gets some great accompaniment here from Ellington sidemen Paul Gonsalves on tenor and Willie Cook on trumpet! Villegas normally recorded in trio modes, or more intimate settings – and it's great to hear him here with a more swinging style, one that really gets great solo work out of the Ellingtonians too – very similar to some of the other non-Duke sessions that Gonsalves was able to cut on a variety of scenes around the world in the 60s! Other players include Alfredo Remus on bass and Eduardo Casalla on drums – and titles include "Perdido", "Blues For BA", "St Louis Blues", "I Can't Get Started", and "Just Friends". CD features three bonus tracks too "Blues En Do", "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen", and "Lullaby Of The Leaves". CD

A magical meeting of two tremendous talents – saxophonist Gerry Mulligan and bandoneon player Astor Piazzolla – heard here in a rare Italian recording from the 70s! The album's a really unique effort for both musicians – a bit more pensive and thoughtful than some of Piazzolla's usual work from the 70s, and much less jazz-based than Mulligan's other records – more in a soundtrack mode, and one that seems to have echoes of Gato Barbieri's score to Last Tango In Paris! Like that great record, this one mixes Argentine styles with freer, more fluid ones – updating roots with a 70s sense of sophistication, and really letting Gerry Mulligan take off in long, open-ended solos that are among some of his best work of the decade. Other instrumentation includes marimba, guitar, keyboards, and percussion from Tullio De Piscopo – plus a bit of strings as well – and titles include "Hace Viente Anos", "Deux Xango", "Viente Anos Despues", "Reunion Cumbre", "Reminiscencia", and "Anos De Soledad". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool album from the Italian branch of RCA Records – and a set that features a host of artists from other nations who briefly stopped over in Italy, and recorded some of these gems for the label! There's a core energy to the set, which balances contributions from a few key artists, mostly from America – and for jazz fans alone, the set is noteworthy for two tracks that have trumpeter Chet Baker blowing with orchestrations from a young Ennio Morricone – "So Che Ti Perdero" and "Il Mio Domani"! And there's plenty of other great bits too – singer Helen Merrill working with maestro Armando Trovajoli on "Nessuno Al Mondo" and "Estate" – plus Perez Prado on "Guaglione" and "Arrivederci Roma", Antonio Prieto on "Papa" and "Baciami", and even some very cool cuts from young poppers Paul Anka and Neil Sedaka. LP, Vinyl record album

A rare treat from the legendary Clarke-Boland Big Band – a sublime set of Italian soundtrack numbers first recorded in 1968! The set was cut at the height of the Italian soundtrack golden age, in Italy, where the group had been working and recording heavily – making for a perfect fit of styles: the sweet and groovy compositions of talents like Nino Rota, Armando Trovajoli, Piero Piccioni, and others, handled with the fire and energy that had become the trademark of the Clarke-Boland ensemble! The set grooves very nicely – with hard-swinging versions of tracks that include "More", "Seven Golden Men", "Your Smile", "Saxology", "La Hora De La Verdad", "Canto D'Amore", and "Questi Vent Anni Miei". CD