A strange 60s chapter in the career of trumpeter Chet Baker – but one that we sure like a heck of a lot! These sides were recorded as an answer to the big success of Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass over at A&M Records – and for the sessions, Chet's trumpet was backed by jaunty, brassy arrangements penned by Jack Nitzsche. And while it might be easy to dismiss the tunes as copycat sound-a-likes, they're really not – as Nitszche brings in a much fuller groove to most of the numbers than Herb Alpert ever did – more of a sunny LA pop feel that has the whole group really gliding along on bold waves of sound all topped off by Baker's horn – sounding stronger and more confident here than on most of his other recordings of the 60s! There's a definite Latin undercurrent to most of the numbers, but also a fair bit of mainstream pop instrumentation as well – a style that's bolder and not nearly as compressed as the A&M approach to Tijuana – and one that explodes with some youthful LA energies! 10 numbers in all, including "Flowers On The Wall", "Mexico", "Hot Toddy", "El Paso", "Come A Little Bit Closer", "Speedy Gonzales", "Cuando Calienta El Sol", and "24 Hours To Tulsa". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best of Charlie Byrd's pop bossa recordings for Columbia – featuring a small group that includes flute, bass, and drums behind Charlie's acoustic guitar. The album includes a stellar reading of "Canto De Ossanha", done as "Let Go", and featuring a breezy approach to the track that's just great. Other tracks include "Blues 13", "Esperando O Sol", "Bird of Paradise", and "Lonely Princess". (Jazz, Now Sound) LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Dreamy sounds from Luiz Arcaraz – a mixture of Latin rhythms, orchestrations, and his own solos. (Latin, Now Sound) LP, Vinyl record album