A great collection of Italian soundtrack performances by the legendary Chet Baker – who used his horn in a way that was similar to the Miles Davis performances for the French new wave scene of the late 50s! All tracks here were written and directed by Piero Umiliano, who also plays piano – and the set features the tracks "I Solti Ignoti", "Tema D'Amore", "Alone In A Crowd", and "Relaxin With Chet" from Big Deal On Madonna Street – plus "Twlight At Los Angeles", "Thinkin Blues", and "Smog" from Smog. CD

A well-done batch of music for the initial season of Japanese TV show Long Vacation – served up with a sense of variety and depth that's a great change from American television music for a program of this nature! Cagnet put the whole thing together, but they've got a good sense of variety throughout – shifting singers and styles of music, and moving between vocal numbers and instrumentals that have a nice mix of beats and soundtrack elements. Titles include "Long Vacation" by Anna McMurphy, "Silent Emotion" by Calin, "Little By Little" by Section S, "To Live & Die" by David, "What Will I Do" by Natalie Burks, and the tunes "Tiny Tale", "Back Ground", and "Short Wave Radio". (Japanese, Soundtracks) CD

A well-done batch of music for the initial season of Japanese TV show Long Vacation – served up with a sense of variety and depth that's a great change from American television music for a program of this nature! Cagnet put the whole thing together, but they've got a good sense of variety throughout – shifting singers and styles of music, and moving between vocal numbers and instrumentals that have a nice mix of beats and soundtrack elements. Titles include "Long Vacation" by Anna McMurphy, "Silent Emotion" by Calin, "Little By Little" by Section S, "To Live & Die" by David, "What Will I Do" by Natalie Burks, and the tunes "Tiny Tale", "Back Ground", and "Short Wave Radio". (Japanese, Soundtracks) LP, Vinyl record album

Classic new wave soundtrack to this late 70s film about wayward kids that starred Matt Dillon and Vincent Spano. Tracks include "Ooh Child" by Valerie Carter; "Hello There", "Surrender", "Downed", and "Speak Now of Forever Hold Your Piece" by Cheap Trick; "Just What I Needed" and "My Best Friend's Girl" by The Cars; and "Teenage Lobotomy" by The Ramones. Very much in the Valley Girl soundtrack spirit. LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite projects from the early years of Chris & Cosey – music done for a video release, but still very much like their own studio records of the time – yet with less vocals, and more sonic elements in the mix – so that the whole thing feels like a rare nugget from the farther reaches of the cold wave years! As with Cabaret Voltaire and some of their other contemporaries, music for videos and films always really seemed to open up different sides of the electronic artists of the period – elements that sometimes brought in a richer sense of feeling, but also a greater sense of freedom too – as they were shifting their sounds for the images, not the confines of a vocal tune. That's definitely the case here – served up on tunes that include "Wellspring Of Life", "The Final Calling", "Dancing Ghosts", "Meeting Mr Evans", "Temple Bar", and "Invisible Spectrum". (Rock, Soundtracks) LP, Vinyl record album

A compelling exploration into the use of the music of Miles Davis in film – one that begins with a famous French soundtrack from the new wave generation, then moves onto vintage Miles tunes that were used in other movies over the years! The core of the record features Davis' score to the 1957 film Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud – one of our favorite-ever Miles Davis albums – and a stunning soundtrack that began a rich legacy of jazz scores in France! Miles recorded this material during late-night post-gig sessions with a great group that includes French players Barney Wilen, Rene Urtreger, and Pierre Michelot, plus American ex-patriot Kenny Clarke. Wilen's playing is fantastic, and it's great to hear him and Miles together on the score's spooky meandering passages. Alongside that body of work, the CD also features Davis songs that were used in a variety of films from the 70s onward – tracks that weren't written for the films, but which had strong use in movies that include Lenny, Kerouac, Tacones Lejanos, Ginger & Rosa, Talented Mr Ripley, and La Flor De Mi Secreto. These titles include "Saeta", "Blue Haze", "Tempus Fugit", "Well You Needn't", "It Never Entered My Mind", "Nature Boy", "Solea", and "Blue In Green". Also features a selection each by Lenny Bruce and Jack Kerouac! (Jazz, Soundtracks) CD

A great overview of the early soundtrack work of Georges Delerue – one of the first great composers to emerge from the French new wave/nouvelle vague generation – and an artist whose music was often a key part of those films! Some of the new wave cinema used music by jazz artists and combos – and while Delerue often worked in larger instrumental settings, he certainly borrowed plenty from that spirit – as there's often some nice touches of jazz here, amidst fuller orchestrations – a contrast between a single lead instrument and the rest of the group – in ways that also hint towards greater cinematic changes to come. The set features work from films directed by Francois Truffaut, Alain Resnais, Edouard Molinaro, Pierre Kast, Georges Lautner, Claoude Boissol, and Philippe De Broca – music from the movies Hiroshima Mon Amour, Marche Ou Creve, Le Bel Age, Les Jeux De L'Amour, Tirez Sur Le Pianiste, Jules Et Jim, Jusqu'Au Bout Du Monde, Les 3 Etc Du Colonel, Le Bonheur Est Pour Demain, and Une Aussie Longue Absence. CD

Kind of a painful movie, but a pretty sweet soundtrack! The set features a number of new works produced by Deodato, very much in the spirit of his Inutil Paisagem 60s bossa recordings – with wonderfully complex airy melodies, and a touch so light you can't believe there's actually a conscious act behind the music. The new titles feature vocals by Barbara Mendes and Carol Rogers – and include "Samba De Uma Nota So", "Mary Ann's Theme", "Suddenly", "Soul Mates", "Amor Em Paz", and "Juan's Theme". Most of the rest of the CD features older work from Jobim's years at Verve and CTI – including the tracks "Wave", "Aguas De Marco", "Chega De Saudade", and "Inutil Paisagem". Also features a semi-painful duet between Jobim and Sting – ouch! (Brazil, Soundtracks) CD

One of the greatest moments ever from Willie Hutch – and one of the greatest blacksploitation soundtracks too! Willie really knocks it out of the park with this one – and sounds funkier and heavier than on all of his other studio albums – with a deep sound that really matches the legendary spirit of the film – which itself was one of the more gritty, down to earth movies of the genre! The film's virtually a handbook for junior grade hoods – one that had surprising pull over the years, especially with the first wave of 90s gangsta hip hop – and the record's filled with classics that have gotten plenty of play over the years because of that influence, but which sound even better here in their original context. Titles include "Brothers Gonna Work It Out", "Vampin", "Mack Man", "I Choose You", "Theme Of The Mack", "Mack's Stroll/The Getaway", and "Slick". (Soul, Soundtracks) CD

A mindblowing collection of work from one of our favorite film composers ever – and a package that showcases as much jazz and vocal material as it does his work for cinema! The design is wonderful – a big-styled package with a huge volume of notes and photos – served up with 20 CDs that each focus on a different theme, many of which are presented in full album reissues of material from Michel Legrand's long and storied career – alongside other work that's always been hard to find on CD! CD1 features early jazz records Legrand Jazz and Plays Richard Rodgers. CD2 and CD3 feature vocal material – the albums Michel Legrand Chante, Serenades Du Xxeme Siecle, Les Moulins De Mon Coeur, and Michel Legrand (1981). CD 4 features nouvelle vague/new wave film work. CD5 features work with director Jacques Demy, including some unusual moments. CD6 is a tribute to Steve McQueen – soundtrack work from Thomas Crown Affair, Le Mans, and The Hunter. CD7 features albums with Stan Getz and Bud Shank. CD8 features 22 vocal songs by French performers. CD9 features 19 tracks by international performers. CD10 features rare work for stage musicals, including the long Monte Cristo soundtrack. CD11 features work for animated films – including Il Etait Une Fois L'Espace, Michel's Bird, and Oum Le Dauphin Blanc. CD12 features a tribute to Alain Delon – the soundtracks for Cercle Rouge and La Piscine, plus a vocal track sung by Delon. CD13 features work for director Jean Paul Rappenau – soundtracks for Le Sauvage, Les Maries De L'An II, and La Vie De Chateau. CD14 features full album collaborations with Phil Woods and Sarah Vaughan. CD15 features collaborations with Stephane Grappelli. CD16 features concert performances – the albums Legrand Cinema and Legrand Concert, plus bonus tracks. CD17 features orchestral works from recent years. CD18 and CD19 feature some material from rare or previously unreleased soundtracks. And CD20 features rare and unusual material – including work for Radio Luxembourg, some jazzy bits, and even a commercial for Heineken! CD

One of our favorite records ever from the great Sven Libaek – an artist who's possibly best known for his underwater soundtrack work of the 70s, but who shines equally well here on a 60s album that has him hitting the top of the waves! The music was written for a surf film in 1966, but has a vibe that's much richer than that – some vibes-heavy tracks that showcase Sven's background in jazz, and which tie nicely to some of the Bruce Brown jazz/surf soundtracks of the early 60s LA scene – mixed with other numbers that have more of an Aussie vibe, in that light wrapping of rhythmic currents and lyrical instrumentation! The vibes alone are worth the price of admission – and titles include "Bikini Girls", "The Lost City", "In The Wave", "To Ride A White Horse", "Turistas Turistas", "Bush Fire", "Break Of Dawn", and "Fun & Games". LP, Vinyl record album

A great Japanese jazz soundtrack from the late 60s – as full of feeling and creative inspiration as some of the best French jazz scores of the New Wave! The tunes here mostly stand out as strong jazz numbers on their own – although there are a few shorter, more introspective or scene-setting passages – and although the players and notes are all in Japanese, we can tell you that the music's mostly in a small combo mode, with strong solos on tenor, trumpet, and piano throughout! The release is part of the excellent Cine Jazz series from Disk Union – and it's every bit as wonderful as some of the other reissues they've done. (Jazz, Soundtracks) CD

A huge amount of music, and the first-ever collection to really do justice to the huge amount of vocal material recorded by the lovely Jeanne Moreau – a figure that most folks know as an actress on screen, famous for her work in French film starting in the new wave generation! Moreau sang a famous song in an early film by Truffaut – but shortly after that, she began a legacy of really interesting, well-done albums that created as surprisingly strong legacy away from the screen – music that's included here in a complete collection of her work, then mixed with lots of other rare music too! The core of the set features seven full albums, all with a lot of bonus tracks – her two albums of songs by Cyrus Bassiak, plus Les Chansons De Clarisse, Jeanne Chante Jeanne, Chante Norge, her 1994 album of songs by Satie and Poulenc, and her 2010 duet with Etienne Daho! Then, there are three more albums of additional material – one of 25 songs from films, plus two more CDs that offer up La Voix De Jeanne Moreau. Then, the set also features two more DVDs, which feature television performances from the late 50s onward – most of which we've never seen. The whole thing comes in a massive book-style package, with 48 pages of notes and images – and a whopping 203 songs in all, including lots of unissued work too. (French, Soundtracks) CD

A strange spacey soundtrack from mid 80s Spain – one composed for a daytime TV show, but with a weird electronic vibe that must have shocked the kids who were watching at the time! The music has some echoes of the cooler side of the German new wave – not the darkness of the cold wave side, but maybe the mix of playfulness and experimentation you'd hear from Pyrolator or Der Plan – both of whom would be a good comparison the spirit of the songs on this set! Most tunes are instrumental, but still pretty darn catchy – and when there's vocals, they're usually processed in the best 80s electro way. Titles include "Una Dia Especial", "Tema De Kiu", "El Mon De Kiu", "Un Dia Boig", "Beat De Beth", "Ball De Beth", "Quan Jo Sigui Una Estrella", and "Tema De La Lluno". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite 60s surf soundtracks ever – an amazing blend of Stu Phillips orchestrations with some key vocal moments from the trio of Dino Desi & Billy! The album's got a wonderful theme – "Thru Spray Colored Glasses" – sung initially by the trio, then served up by Stu in a number of variations that change with the different exotic locales of the film – India, Hong Kong, Hawaii, and Morocco – all referenced slightly in the instrumentation, but in ways that always retain Phillips' grooviest inspirations! Strings blend with bits of harpsichord, vibes, voices, Spanish guitar, and these "watery" woodwinds that almost remind us of Australian jazz in the same period – and titles include "Thru Spray Colored Glasses", "Big Wave Bay", "Incinerator", "Ranee Express", "Nazare", and "Cascis". LP, Vinyl record album

A very early soundtrack from maestro Piero Piccioni – and one that's overflowing with jazzy touches too! The music here is for a film about youth – as you'd guess from the cover – but the score has a richer, more mature quality – with lots of those great modern jazz elements that were brewing up on the scene in Rome right at the end of the 60s, crafted by Piero perfectly into these shorter themes for the film! There's definitely some elements that remind us of the jazz soundtracks used by French directors of the new wave – but there's also a lot more Italian touches, particularly in the way that scene had embraced the California cool of the 50s, but opened it up to new tonal possibilities on their own. Sadly, the musicians aren't listed – but we're betting they're all top-shelf talents, maybe from the Basso/Valdambrini scene – and in addition to the 15 tracks of the original soundtrack, the CD features 17 more bonus titles! CD

An excellent jazz soundtrack from Piero Piccioni – captured at a great early point in his film career, when he was still mixing in lots of elements from his work in jazz as well! The style here echoes some of the French jazz soundtracks of the new wave – and the tunes often sport breakout solos with plenty of fire – tenor, trumpet, and lots of piano – the latter of which has an especially great feel on some of the more mellow, moody tunes. Rhythms are great too – sometimes slow and loose, sometimes more vibrant and boppish – and together, the tunes work together to offer up a vibrant version of the movie that's almost as striking as the images on the screen! CD features a total of 26 tracks in all – over 70 minutes of music, including a number of unreleased tracks. CD

A stunning jazz soundtrack from Piero Piccioni – much more like some of the classic French new wave jazz scores of the late 50s than some of his groovy, mod sounds to come later in the 60s! The instrumentation here is a beautiful mix of piano, bass, vibes, and some occasional stronger horns – used mostly on tracks that are short, but extremely haunting – very evocative, with lots of echoes of American crime jazz, but served up with the more subtle, more tonally rich qualities we love in the early years of Piccioni – stepping here directly from his roots in the Italian jazz scene, and delivering superb sounds throughout! This CD marks the first time the music has ever been issued – as there was an original 45rpm EP scheduled in the 60s, but never issued – and that is presented here with a huge amount of bonus tracks – 31 numbers in all that make for a fantastic soundscape in jazz. CD

Killer funk from the Italian scene of the 70s – work by the Pulsar Music Ltd combo, originally used as the soundtrack for the crime classic Milano Violenta! Italian crime films were really hitting their height at the time – documenting the new wave of terror that was hitting the cities in the 70s – and music like this perfectly set the scene, with a sharp mix of funk, jazz, and other urban elements – all served up in a non-stop barrage of totally great cuts, of the sort that you'd only find sparsely on American soundtracks of the period. Music is composed by Italian jazz great Enrico Pieranunzi with Silvano Chimenti – and titles include "Leyla Theme", "Running", "Walking At Sunrise", "Six In", "Swinging Day", "Blue Funk", "Dreamland", and "Cat Theme". (Sound Library, Soundtracks) LP, Vinyl record album

Moogy magic from the legendary Piero Umiliani – a wicked track that begins with lots of cool electronics, stripped down into an early drum machine rhythm – and delivered with more space energy than you'd expect from the "blues" in the title! "Gadget" is a cool quirky bit of electronics – almost like a robot creating dance music with a moog and an acoustic bass – and "Automa" has a cold feel that's somewhere between early Sheffield electronica and the sound of the German new wave! (Funky 45's, Soundtracks) 7-inch, Vinyl record