An overlooked Morricone gem from the early 70s – a soundtrack that's both romantic and eerie – and which effortlessly steps between the two styles! The main theme of the film floats on air beautifully – one of those lighter than light Morricone works that stand out from the rest of his best soundtracks of the time – presented here in a unique 18 minute version that works as a magnificent suite that really dominates the set. That track's followed by the much darker, and equally long, "La Citta" – a tense number that features a fair bit of atonal strings that recall Morricone's bleaker horror movies. Given that the title translates as "two seasons of life", it's a fair guess that the juxtaposition here is intentional. Great stuff, great sound, and with lots of haunting vocals from Edda Dell'Orso! CD also features a number of shorter tracks – for a total of 12 titles in all. CD

An amazing soundtrack from Ennio Morricone – deeply sophisticated sounds, originally done for a very schlocky movie! To be fair, the movie's quite compelling in its own way – a Sam Fuller film about a racist dog – but Morricone's score is something completely different entirely, a warmly melodic batch of music that easily rivals some of his best mellow classics of the Italian scene of the early 70s, as well as some of his more famous work of the decade to come. There's these sweet-stepping string passages that are very light, and blended with a haunting bit of piano or woodwind – occasionally set off by some darker, more atonal moments – but often going back to the warmth in ways you wouldn't expect from the story. Plus, there's this undercurrent of majesty that's really amazing – which really comes out strongly in this expanded Film Score presentation of the material – a whopping 34 tracks ina ll, with titles that include "Chasing Rabbit", "Walking Dog", "Dog's Escape", "Death Of A Dog/End Credits", "The Girl & Her Problems", "Cured Canine", and bonus cuts that include "Inside The Church", "After The Murder (alt)", and "Second Theme The Girl & The Dog". CD

A surprisingly obscure soundtrack from Ennio Morricone – especially given that it was recorded at a time that's been quite well documented on record over the years! Yet the music here is also a bit different than the usual Morricone modes – just a handful of tracks, but longer too – penned by the maestro, conducted by Bruno Nicolai, and featuring some superb tenor solos by Gato Barbieri – very young at this point, and blowing with a soulfully modern edge that's wonderful, and completely evocative! Two tracks are especially long – both versions of "L'Harem Primo", with excellent work by Barbieri – and other titles include two takes on "Sei Corde", plus "L'Harem Secondo", with another great solo! CD also features an unusual bonus track – "Fermateli (boutique scene source music)" – from the film Menage All'Italiana – appearing here, we think, for the first time. A very groovy number! CD

A film divided up into four different parts – three of which receive some great scoring from Ennio Morricone! The music is a bit overlooked in the Morricone canon – but stands out with some of the stronger elements he brought to his music of the period – especially that understated way of using larger arrangements in more compressed qualities, often hovering below a sonic range in some spots – but augmented by stronger flourishes in others! One big highlight is the 34 minute "I Cane Blue" suite – alongside shorter tracks that include "La Neve Sul Fuocco", "Specialmente La Fisarmonica", and "La Domenica Specialmente". Andrea Guerra scored the remaining tracks, which are from the fourth section of the film – and these have a moody vibe that's not unlike Morricone – with titles that include "Le Chiese Di Legno" and "I Tamburi Della Luna". CD

An amazing record – one that stands as one of Chico Buarque's greatest from the 70s! The set was recorded in Italy in 1970 – and features Chico singing lead vocals over backings handled by Ennio Morricone – all in a style that's a perfect blend of MPB with the best elements of the Italian scene of the time! The songs are all originals written by Chico – and have a light and dreamy samba/bossa feel, one that's inflected by the off-beat orchestral style of Morricone, and supported by vocals from I Cantori Moderni. The feel is halfway between Chico's work on RGE and some of the dreamier Morricone soundtracks of the time – and it's a wonderful thing to have a strong male lead vocal over backings from Morricone – a really rare thing for the time, with results that are tremendous. Titles include "Rotativa", "Samba E Amore", "Nicanor", "Tu Sei Una Di Noi", "In Te", "Ed Ora Dico Sul Serio", and "Quete E Quelle". CD

A lost 70s score from Ennio Morricone – penned for a period piece set in 19th Century Italy, and done with a driving, dramatic sort of feel! Some of the numbers here have that subdued orchestral mode that Morricone used at his most subtle moments – a style that's not as crazy as some of his other work from earlier years, but which still comes across with some nice dark edges – especially in the mellower moments. Other numbers feature violin solo work, or chorus vocals from I Cantori Moderni – not used that often, but enough to provide some nice variety in the album. Titles include "Te Deu Laudamus", "Rabbia E Tarantella", "Allonsanfan", "Tradimento", "Frammenti Di Sonata", and "Ritorno A Casa". CD

Our favorite side of the genius of Ennio Morricone – and a really wonderful collection that completely illustrates why we love Morricone so much! In the mainstream world, Morricone's best known for his famous scores for spaghetti westerns and horror films – both of which have a trademark sound that's pretty well known to audiences at large. But during the same period he was penning soundtracks for those genres, Morricone was also working in a style that was even more completely his own – a gentle, mellow, easy-grooving mode that was inspired by jazz, bossa nova, and easy instrumentation – yet which emerged with qualities that were completely unique, and which still stand today as some of the most inventive work of its generation! There's a simple, economical approach here that's really mindblowing – rhythms that flow slowly like fog escaping from a riverbank, notes that fall in slight spare patterns like drops of rain from a leaf after a storm, and gently cascading waves of sound that float and shimmer in the mix – rising as carefully as the sun to give the music a wonderfully redemptive spirit. The tracks on the set are carefully chosen from films that include Scusi Faciamo L'Amore, Verushka, La Donna Invisible, Le Foto Proibite, and Il Gatto A Nove Code – and we can honestly say that the set is a perfect introduction to the Morricone that we love more than anyone else! CD

A beautifully mellow soundtrack from Ennio Morricone – and in ways that are a bit different than some of his more familiar scores from the time! The instrumentation here is heavy on strings, often with lighter woodwinds in the front – and all tunes have a slow-building melody that's really lovely – somewhat sweeter than the usual Morricone instrumental, but still with a haunting quality overall. Edda Dell'Orso sings wordless vocals on half of the album's tracks – further helping develop this compelling little tune – and the whole thing moves along at a pace that's even gentler than La Donna Invisible! CD features 11 tracks in all – including "Incontro", "Titoli E Finale", and nine varations on "Il Maestro E Margherita". CD

An expanded version of this dark little soundtrack – a mid 70s thriller scored in the best dramatic tradition of Morricone's work! The mood shifts easily from track to track – with some spare tunes that focus on a single instrument, like oboe or off-tune piano, and others that push fuller orchestrations with a bit more force – and even a bit of wonderful wordless vocals from Edda Dell'Orso! Overall, things stay pretty dark, but as usual with this sort of score, there's some occasional tunes that burst out with a bit of hope and light – like the wonderful tune "Ipocrisia", very much in the best Mondo Morricone mode! Other tracks include "Radio E TV", "L'Errore", "Paurosamente Sinistra", "Ambigua E Pervsersa", "Pioggia Sui Tetti", and "Bellezza Pericolosa". CD features 6 bonus tracks! CD

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Slinky genius from Ennio Morricone – an early soundtrack penned for an Italian sex comedy that starred Uno Tognazzi, and one that's filled with plenty of playful instrumental touches! The tunes here are often a bit less upbeat than you'd expect for such a film – done with a Morricone sense of spareness and isolated instrumentation – in a way that almost creates more of a "mood" feel than a sex one, but which also shows the key work done during this generation to liberate film music from overdone romantic styles of earlier years! The record features a few tracks with vocals – "In Fondo Ai Miei Occhi" and "Un Fiore E Nato, sung by Anna Moffo, and "Ho Messo Gli Occhi Su Di Te", sung by Dino – and other titles include "Giallo E Arancione", "La Moglie Tardona", "Fermateli", and "Menage All'Italiana". CD

We're not sure why Ennio Morricone is making the "shush" sound at us on the cover – as the set's such a wonderful celebration of his music, it makes us want to cheer! The performance here is all new – and features Morricone conducting the Czech National Symphony in a selection of tunes from his classic film scores – in a celebration of his 60 years of giving the planet some of the most beautiful music ever written! The orchestrations are great, and really live up to the spirit of the songs – and there's a recording quality here that's different than some of the other live Morricone albums, which can sometimes flatten the music, and not have that sense of separation and isolation that make the maestro's compositions so great. Titles include "Chi Mai", "Bestiality", "La Califfa", "Death Theme", "Deborah's Theme", "Metti Una A Sera A Cena", "Croce D'Amore", "The Fortress", and "The Man With The Harmonica". CD

A really unique little record – one that's a revelation both to lovers of the music of Ennio Morricone, and fans of the sci-fi TV classic Space 1999! The program was famously scored by Barry Gray – in a sweet 70s variation of the best Brit TV modes – but here, the music is provided by Ennio Morricone – who created his own music for a special cinematic release in Italy – sounds that didn't get any global circulation at the time, and which are quite unknown to longtime devotees of the program, too! Morricone's music is extremely moody – an unusual blend of avant jazz, electronics, and other offbeat touches that are lifted from his horror work, but then abstracted in a very different way – and used here in some of his most striking sounds since his performances with the Gruppo D'Improvvisazione Nuova. CD features 70 minutes of music in all – a great discovery – and titles include "Eletronica #1", "Parallasse", "Suoni Di Una Nuova Civilita", "Interposione", "Studio", "Follia Nello Spazio", "Fasi", and "Elettronica #4". CD

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Director Quentin Tarantino has drawn plenty of inspiration from the music of Ennio Morricone over the years – either using short passages of older Morricone music in his films, or evoking the substance and style of the maestro in the way he uses sounds from other sources too! So it's only fitting that this time around, the pair are finally brought together fully – as Morricone turns out one of his best soundtracks in years for Tarantino's Hateful Eight – a brooding, suspenseful tale that owes plenty to the western generation that first sprung Morricone to global fame! Yet as with most of Ennio's best work, the style here is something that goes far beyond expectation – orchestrations that take on a style completely their own – with instrumental elements that have stronger focus amidst the larger charts, and a sense of mood and color here that's completely sublime. The record is mostly music from Morricone – written for the film – and features a few passages of dialogue from the movie, plus just a few additional tracks by The White Stripes, Roy Orbison, and David Hess. Yet it's more than fair to think of this as a complete score by Morricone – very different than the usual compilation-style soundtracks we've had before from Tarantino. CD

A lesser-known Morricone soundtrack – written for an obscure western, but right up there with some of the maestro's best for much bigger movies! A number of tunes have that spooky "whistler" style of writing that we love from Morricone – spare whistling over darker orchestrations – in ways that create some spare and wonderful passages that are especially great! Other tracks are a bit fuller, and more dramatic – the bolder western modes of the 60s – and the set also features two vocal numbers, sung by I Cantori Moderni – that wonderful vocal group that shows up on some of our favorites from the time. Titles include "Paco", "Ricciolo", "Liberta", "Estasi", "Bamba Vivace", "Fiesta", and "Il Mercenario" – and the CD's got 16 tracks in all. CD

A fantastic collection of songs originally penned by soundtrack genius Ennio Morricone – served up here in a host of vocal versions that really show how many different artists and styles he influenced over the years! Some of the cuts here are expected Italian pop singles – vocal variations of Morricone themes in Italian – but as the set moves on, there's a really groovy range of different sounds from all over the world – some with a relation to the soundtrack/sound library scene, but lots more by a variety of artists inspired by the genius of the maestro. As with other sets like this on Ace Records, the package features detailed notes – helping put all the music in context – and the 21 track set list is full of surprises, mostly with songs from the golden late 60s/early 70s era, mixed with some stunning gems from later years. Titles include "Questi Vent'Anni Miei" by Catherine Spaak, "Una Stanza Vuota" by Lisa Gastoni, "Hurry To Me" by Amii Stewart, "La Ballata Di Hank McCain" by Jackie Lynton, "Ballad Of Sacco & Vanzetti" by Scott Walker, "Ricordare" by Gerard Depardieu, "It Couldn't Happen Here" by Pet Shop Boys, "Il Tempo Sa" by Romina Arena, "Amalia Por Amor" by Hayley Westenra, "A Brisa Do Coracao" by Dulces POntes, and "Canzione Basilica" by Fausto Cigliano. CD

The biggest set we've ever seen dedicated to the talents of singer Edda Dell'Orso – the famous female vocalist who sang haunting wordless lines on some of the best soundtracks by Ennio Morricone! This 2CD package brings together 35 of Edda's classics with Morricone – tunes pulled from westerns, thrillers, erotic films, and more – all showcasing the unique Dell'Orso style – an approach that was often more like an instrument than a voice, and an undeniable element that made the music of Morricone so great. Titles include "Giu La Testa", "Deborah's Theme", "Lontano", "L'Incontro", "Dal Mare", "Il Ladrone", "La Cugina", "Venuta Dal Mare", "Le Train", "Dove Van In Vacanza", "Oceano", "Canzone Lontana", "Mariangela E La Seduizone", "Alla Serenita", "Valzer", and "Le Donne Al Fiume". Also includes "Ennio Talks About Edda"! CD

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A fantastic collection of songs originally penned by soundtrack genius Ennio Morricone – served up here in a host of vocal versions that really show how many different artists and styles he influenced over the years! Some of the cuts here are expected Italian pop singles – vocal variations of Morricone themes in Italian – but as the set moves on, there's a really groovy range of different sounds from all over the world – some with a relation to the soundtrack/sound library scene, but lots more by a variety of artists inspired by the genius of the maestro. As with other sets like this on Ace Records, the package features detailed notes – helping put all the music in context – and the 21 track set list is full of surprises, mostly with songs from the golden late 60s/early 70s era, mixed with some stunning gems from later years. Titles include "Questi Vent'Anni Miei" by Catherine Spaak, "Una Stanza Vuota" by Lisa Gastoni, "Hurry To Me" by Amii Stewart, "La Ballata Di Hank McCain" by Jackie Lynton, "Ballad Of Sacco & Vanzetti" by Scott Walker, "Ricordare" by Gerard Depardieu, "It Couldn't Happen Here" by Pet Shop Boys, "Il Tempo Sa" by Romina Arena, "Amalia Por Amor" by Hayley Westenra, "A Brisa Do Coracao" by Dulces POntes, and "Canzione Basilica" by Fausto Cigliano. CD

A groundbreaking album, put together by Zorn and a group of downtown New York hipsters, as a fitting hommage to the genius of Ennio Morricone! The track list sticks to mostly the bigger known numbers, and the album's got a darkness that we'd actually say was a bit out of place, considering the choice of tracks – but the groups formed by Zorn do a pretty good job of breathing new life into some of the tracks, and the album was a key moment in the recognition of Morricone as one of the century's greatest composers. Players include Robert Quine, Tim Berne, Arto Lindsay, Jim Staley, Bill Frisell, Christian Marclay, Anton Fier, and even Big John Patton. Titles include "Erotico", "Once Upon A Time In The West", "Giu La Testa", "Battle Of Algiers", and "The Big Gundown". Plus, this Anniversary Edition comes with a pile of bonus tracks – including "The Sicilian Clan", "The Ballad Of Hank McCain", and "Soegliatti & Uccidi". CD

A tribute both to the genius of Ennio Morricone – and to the five years of music created by the Cineploit label – served up in a style that's a wonderful combination of both worlds! The sound is more in the small combo mode that Cineploit gives us on its records – not the full strings or orchestrations of Morricone's soundtracks, but more fuzz guitar and keyboards – mixed with other sonic elements and some occasional bits of funk! Aesthetically, the music has more of a post-Goblin or John Carpenter sound than the golden Morricone era of the 60s and 70s – and titles include "Pazuzu" by Zoltan, "The Thing" by Videogram, "Revolver" by Leonard/Wank, "Strana Bambina" by Luigi Porto, "Matto Caldo Girotondo" by Orgasmo Sonore, "Stress Infinito" by Rashomon, "La Lucertola" by Oscillotron, and "Die Ballade Von Prafekt Mori" by Thelema. CD

A trio of albums from this great trumpeter – packaged together in a nicely-priced set! Sol is a beautiful session from Italian trumpeter Fabrizo Bosso and saxophonist Javier Girotto – one that's filled with all the Latin Moods promised in the title! The set steps nicely off some of Bosso's other recent work for Blue Note – with a sound that's evocative, but also pretty lively too – especially given the small combo setting for the date! Bosso's trumpet and flugelhorn come into great play with Girotto's soprano and baritone sax lines – dancing beautifully over some rhythmic backings shaded in with keyboards, piano, and electric bass. The large booklet features some poetic prose that really set the scene for each tune – and although there's a bit of vocals on the record, most numbers are instrumental. Titles include "Volver", "Matias", "Pescao Blanco", "Wide Green Eyes", "Ochenta", "El Cacerolazo", "African Friends", and "Penny". You've Changed is a set that has the leader's warmly-crafted solos stepping out over some larger string arrangements from Paolo Silvestri! The music is great – fresher than you might expect, and not the usual batch of overplayed standards – given that Bosso mixes in music by folks like Ivan Lins, Marcos Valle, and Ennio Morricone – as well as some tunes of his own. The set features guest vocals from Dianne Reeves on one track, and soprano sax from Stefano Di Battista on two others – and titles include "Summer Samba", "Rio De Majo", "Estatew", "Joyful Day", "Nuovo Cinema Paradiso", and "Senza Fine". Purple is a set that has Fabrizio Bosso working with his Spiritual Trio – a group that features lots of Hammond organ, and plenty of tight drums! The "spiritual" in their name is a reference to an American gospel and soul tradition – one that's given plenty of play here, as most numbers are old spiritual standards from the church, reworked by Bosso into jazz instrumentals! Given the heavy use of organ, the approach is a bit like some of the Lou Bennett albums on the European scene of the 60s – with maybe a nod to the Donald Byrd albums of a spiritual nature for Blue Note. But there's also some very personal elements here too – either unusual instrumental inflections or production techniques, or some other aspects that show a greatly evolved understanding of this mode in jazz. Titles include "This Little Light Of Mine", "Purple", "A Little 3/4 For God & Co", "Dreams Come True", "Wishy Washy", "Total Praise", "A Change Is Gonna Come", and "Wade In The Water". CD

A rare one from Italian experimental pioneers Gruppo D'Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza – led by Franco Evangelisti and featuring the great Ennio Morricone on trumpet, who might feel a little bit liberated from the conventions of film soundtrack compositions in this setting, and is making some of the most freely creative music of his career! The sound is improv-based and always compelling, ranging from tense interplay between noisy percussion and Morricone's playful trumpet, to sparer, eerie atmospheric bits, to freeform exploration that clearly influenced many of the avant garde musicians to come. Other players include Walter Branchi, Mario Bertoncini, John Heinemann and Egisto Macchi – and the titles include "Collage 5", "Percussione per Tutti", "Mirage" and "Macroforma". CD