Exactly the kind of record that makes us love sound library records so much – and definitely the sort that sets the style apart from anything else we can think of! Both Sandro Brugnolini and Giorgio Carnini turn in some great work here – a mindblowing mix of modes over the space of ten short tracks – some tunes a cascading array of instrumentation, in a hip groove that's neither American jazz or soundtrack funk, but a special space of its own! Other tunes use an electronic approach that's years ahead of its time – as groovy as 60s analogue, but a lot darker, too – in ways that the rest of the world might not touch until the German new wave. The balance is almost even between swinging groovers and darker electronic cuts – and titles include "Grinta", "Azione CIA", "Scalo Clandestino", "Alambicco Cibernetico", "Strutture Generative", "Omicido Bianco", and "CIA Massacre". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic set of Fender Rhodes from the Italian scene of the 70s – not a record that got the kind of mainstream play as American classics by Bob James and Ramsey Lewis – but a set that definitely shares their spirit! Cabildos Three were a studio group as much as a jazz combo – a trio with Cabildo on Fender Rhodes, working alongside tight bass and percussion – on jazzy tunes that were originally only done as a sound library session, but which have attained legendary status when pulled together in this full length album. The whole thing is every bit as great as the words "Fender Rhodes", "Italy", and "percussion" might suggest – and titles include "Castenada Drive", "Yuxtaposicion", "Collection Samba", "Two Types Of Complexion", "Jesus Maria District", "African Penta Song", and "Akorin". (Jazz, Sound Library) CD

America's never sounded better than in the hands of Italian sound library talent Daniela Casa – who does a great job here of serving up all these cool tracks that would have been right at home in a film set during the 70s! The music is a mix of themes that evoke different slices of the American experience – almost all of them with keyboards, and most with a nice current of funk as well – plenty of action elements that resonate nicely with the best Italian soundtracks of the crime/cop variety from the same stretch in time! Titles include "Icarus", "Big Sur", "Spiralys", "Beta Lady", "NYC 42nd", "Fix", "Third World Tango", "Puertorico Slum", "Soft Bird", and "Kentucky Fried Chicken". CD

A really wild little funky record – one that's got very obscure origins on the Argentine scene of the 70s, and which serves up an unusual blend of soul, funk, and sound library modes! The tunes have plenty of wicked basslines, heavy drums, and riffing guitar – all of which draw inspiration from American funk of the time – yet there's also weird use of processed vocals, sound samples, moogy keyboards, and other elements that continue to keep things interesting – sometimes with this fake urban vibe that can feature spoken parts that are really cool – augmented even more on a few funky edits that are added to the original album. Titles include "Inspector Jones", "4:00 In The Morning", "Bermilyia Avenue", "Arroz Con Leche", and "Adults Edit" – plus "Inspector Jones (John is missing edit)", "Adults Only (juicy edit)", "Bermilyia Avenue (light touches edit)", and "Arroz Con Leche (stripped extended edit)". CD

A really wild little funky record – one that's got very obscure origins on the Argentine scene of the 70s, and which serves up an unusual blend of soul, funk, and sound library modes! The tunes have plenty of wicked basslines, heavy drums, and riffing guitar – all of which draw inspiration from American funk of the time – yet there's also weird use of processed vocals, sound samples, moogy keyboards, and other elements that continue to keep things interesting – sometimes with this fake urban vibe that can feature spoken parts that are really cool – augmented even more on a few funky edits that are added to the original album. Titles include "Inspector Jones", "4:00 In The Morning", "Bermilyia Avenue", "Arroz Con Leche", and "Adults Edit" – plus "Inspector Jones (John is missing edit)", "Adults Only (juicy edit)", "Bermilyia Avenue (light touches edit)", and "Arroz Con Leche (stripped extended edit)". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing sounds from Gino Marinacci – a 70s Italian jazz flute player, and one who's got a vibe that's very different than most of his American contemporaries! Gino really likes to go for a cool compressed tone on his instrument – often creating these warm waves of sound that are balanced by the arrangements in a great way – sometimes paired with additional flute from Alfio Gagliani, as both artists shift between variations on the instrument – in a lineup that has electric piano and organ from Antonello Vannucchi, soprano and alto from Quarto Maroni, tenor from Livio Cervellieri and Sal Genovese, and some especially great work from the legendary trombonist Dino Piana – whose own sense of compression is a great balance with the flutes! The instrumentation also includes electric bass and guitar, which with the keyboards make for a great 70s vibe – a sound that's very soulful, but with qualities that are nicely different from American work on labels like CTI. Titles include "Life", "Guardrail", "Space", "Atom Flowers", "Walking Moon", "Actors Flute Studio", "Meeing", and "Sonatina In Beat". (Jazz, Sound Library) CD

Soaring Polish instrumentals from the 70s – sound library work, but very aware of the disco changes taking place in the American mainstream of the time – all of which makes for tunes that often have a sort of funky cop/crime soundtrack vibe overall! The group have clearly heard some of the best records from Rhythm Heritage at the time, and craft their own take on the blend of clubby rhythms and larger orchestrations – with a solo guitar line on one track, a tenor on another, or well-done keyboard line on one more – all of which makes for a record that's funkier and groovier than you might expect! Titles include "Kaczor Globtrotter", "Ko Jo", "Theme From Rosemary's Baby", "Stereo Track", "Boutique", and "Tranzytem Przez Zycie". CD features three bonus tracks too! CD

That's a pretty dramatic image on the cover, and Brit maestro Alan Tew follows it up with just the right sort of tunes you might expect – many of which are thematic tracks titled "The Detectives", and which would be right at home in some kind of cool 70s cop/crime TV show! As with the best cop show themes of the time, the album mixes funky rhythms with sweet keyboards and all sorts of jazzy instrumentation – keeping things very much in the territory of American work for famous television shows of the time, but also adding in some of the best Brit sound library funk styles too. There's some great moogy bits on the record, mixed in with the funk – and the set features a whopping 28 tracks in all – lots of "The Detectives" variations, plus "Snout", "The Build Up", "Bust Up", "Burn", "Headlights", and "The Big One". LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than just the usual collection of famous British TV themes from the 60s – as this set offers up some great rare nuggets, unusual versions, and some obscure tracks that are all pretty darn fresh to our American years! As you well know if you're a fan of anything pop culture from this generation, British TV was way hipper than most of the American small screen in the 60s – from the stories, to the settings, to the wonderfully cool themes and backing music that supported the show – often a cool hybrid of postwar Soho jazz modes and lots of the best soundtrack/sound library styles that were evolving in the hands of an elite few on the London scene. Some of the best and grooviest of that generation are presented here – in an overstuffed collection that includes "Gurney Slade" by Max Harris, "Danger Man" by Red Price Combo, "The Avenger" by Johnny Dankworth, "Tuesday Rendezvous" by Bert Weedon, "Face To Face" by Frank Chacksfield, "Comedy Playhouse" by Ron Grainer, "What The Papers Say" by London Philharmonic, "Monty Python's Flying Circus" by Eastman Wind Ensemble, "The Saint" by Les Reed, "Fireball" by Don Spencer, "Z Cars" by Johnny Keating, and a number of tracks from The Prisoner too! (Soundtracks, Sound Library) CD

Fantastic funk from the Belgian scene of the 70s – a really mad mix of sounds and styles, and a really revelatory set overall! Few people might use the words "Belgium" and "funk" in the same sentence – but that may well change after this sweet set gets a few spins – as the whole thing's a stunning array of groovers that not only match the best jazz, funk, and sound library tracks from other European scenes in the 70s – they also do a great job of taking on the best America had to offer too! Belgium was no stranger to soul and funk – given its fervent 60s soul collectors scene, and the nation's role as a crossroads in Europe – which left it open to plenty of influence from visiting musicians, including American artists as well. You can definitely hear all that coming into play here – as the work is nicely fresh, and very free of overdone cliches or easy references – as these guys all take the best bits that might have influenced them, and jumbled them up into something really new. The scope of sounds is wonderful – and titles include "Funky Tramway" by Mad Unity, "Sunshine Star" by Open Sky Unit, "Gimme Some More Of That" by Plus, "Funky" by Andre Brasseur, "Avenue Louise" by Black Blood, "Music & Co" by Les Helions, "Balek" by Placebo, "Librium" by Chicken Curry & His Pop Percussion Orchestra, "Top Less" by Alex Scorier, "Stories" by Chakachas, "Ostinato Bass" by Rene Costy, "Memories" by Amadeo, "Viva Boma" by Cos, "Pop In Three" by The Rapture, "Smoke" by Leo Cavallo, "Marakesh" by Hein Huysmans Kwintet, "One For You" by Doug Lucas, "Put Everything Together" by Plus, "Lord Funk" by Super Funk Special, and "Humpty Dumpty" by Placebo. (Funky Compilations, Sound Library) CD

Fantastic funk from the Belgian scene of the 70s – a really mad mix of sounds and styles, and a really revelatory set overall! Few people might use the words "Belgium" and "funk" in the same sentence – but that may well change after this sweet set gets a few spins – as the whole thing's a stunning array of groovers that not only match the best jazz, funk, and sound library tracks from other European scenes in the 70s – they also do a great job of taking on the best America had to offer too! Belgium was no stranger to soul and funk – given its fervent 60s soul collectors scene, and the nation's role as a crossroads in Europe – which left it open to plenty of influence from visiting musicians, including American artists as well. You can definitely hear all that coming into play here – as the work is nicely fresh, and very free of overdone cliches or easy references – as these guys all take the best bits that might have influenced them, and jumbled them up into something really new. The scope of sounds is wonderful – and titles include "Funky Tramway" by Mad Unity, "Sunshine Star" by Open Sky Unit, "Gimme Some More Of That" by Plus, "Funky" by Andre Brasseur, "Avenue Louise" by Black Blood, "Music & Co" by Les Helions, "Balek" by Placebo, "Librium" by Chicken Curry & His Pop Percussion Orchestra, "Top Less" by Alex Scorier, "Stories" by Chakachas, and "Ostinato Bass" by Rene Costy. (Funky Compilations, Sound Library) LP, Vinyl record album