Two different Jimmy Stewart comedy soundtracks from the 60s – both of them nice! First up is Dear Brigitte – an overlooked 1965 score by George Duning – done with a mix of the playful modes you'd expect from the story, and some of those great deeper dramatic touches that Duning used in more serious soundtracks – a really rich mixing of modes with a sound that's much stronger than we expected! Titles include "On To BBs", "The Captain", "Magical Moment", "Puzzled Cap'n", "Hey Dad", "Is It A Trick", and "She Sank". Next is an even groovier record – a rare non RCA Henry Mancini soundtrack from the early 60s – the score to Mr Hobbs Takes A Vacation, done with all the best mix of jazz and groovy elements we love in classic Mancini! Instrumentation mixes a key electric guitar melody with some lighter touches on woodwinds – really getting the most out of the melody with some shifts in timing and tone, juxtaposed with a few numbers that are even more playful! Titles include "Barn Swallow", "Something For Lauri", "Cream Puff", "Up His Nose", "A Month Off", and "Rudders & Sails". CD features 39 tracks in all – including 7 bonus tracks from the Mancini score! CD

A wonderful album of sad-tinged bossa tunes sung by the enigmatic Ana Lucia – a really great vocalist who gets superb backings here from Oscar Castro Neves and the Zimbo Trio! The style of the album is slightly more emotive than the usual bossa album of the time – with a dreamy approach to the vocals that reminds us of some of our favorite French or Italian singers of the early 60s, all nicely juxtaposed with a mixture of jazz and string arrangements from Castro-Neves, and produced with a light and floating finish. There's kind of a watery brilliance to the whole thing that really matches the look of the cover – and titles include "Amei Tanto", "Andam Dizendo", "Acalanto", "Derradeira Primavera", "Valsa De Euridice", "Homem De Verdade", and "Tem Do". CD

A really special album from our hometown hero Makaya McCraven – a set that's the drummer's debut on Blue Note, and which also has him bringing that label some of the magic that he's been cooking up for International Anthem! If you know Makaya's other records, you'll know that he works in a blend of jazz instrumentation and editing – a style that's much more sophisticated than previous "jazz remix" modes – as McCraven always has live jazz instrumentation at the core, but then uses editing to rework ideas after the performance. Here, the music is a blend of older classics from the Blue Note catalog, juxtaposed with contributions from Joel Ross on vibes, Jeff Parker and Matt Gold on guitar, Greg Ward on alto, Marquis Hill on trumpet, and De'Sean Jones on tenor and flute – a really well-chosen array of players who flesh out Makaya's ideas in a beautiful way. Titles include "Wail Bait", "Frank's Tune", "Slice Of The Top", "Sunset", "Ecaroh", "Black Rhythm Happening", "Monaco", and "Mr Jin". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful and overlooked soundtrack by Morricone – done for a western, but with a tone that's very different than most of his other spaghetti work! The main theme to the film has a very cool and groovy approach – almost in the gentle bossa mode at times, with a slightly jangly theme that reminds us a bit of moments from La Donna Invisible, juxtaposed with some other starker tunes that use mouth-organ, piano, or banjo to create some slight whimsicality. The whole thing's great – with some really cool lost mellow tunes that rank with some of our favorite in this mode by him! There's a total of 18 tracks in all on this version, including a stereo mix of "Rivoluzione??", plus "Chje C'Entriamo Noi?", "Rivoluzione??" and evolving varitions of the title theme. CD

Plenty of exotic themes in this lesser-known Italian western score from the 60s – bits of flute, bits of whistling, and even some vocals from I Cantori Moderni! Mellower moments are nicely juxtaposed with more dramatic ones – underscoring the mix of romance and drama that follows the story of the film. I Cantori appear on more of the former – singing somewhat quietly and sweetly, with a very warm finish – in ways that are a bit different than their other work of the time, and almost sentimental at points. Alessandro Alessandroni handles the whistles and guitar in the work – and Bruno Nicolai handles the larger orchestrations. Titles include "Tema Dolores", "Mulini A Vento", "Viaggio", "Espanto En El Corazon", "Duello", and "Fuga Dall'Ovest". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of western soundtracks from the great Riz Ortolani – music that's not in the usual spirit of his bigger film scores of the 60s! I Tre Spietati begins with the sort of theme that should have been huge – a driving, powerful melody that has the best anthemic modes of the generation, and which appears in instrumental variations through the dozen tracks within – mixed with some more dramatic moments as well – but all with a vibe that's very different than more standard spaghetti western styles. Next up is Requiescant – a beautiful western score with a big, brooding use of guitar – and a sound that's even more robust than usual! About half the tracks feature the guitar strongly – used in a twangy way, unfolding slowly, with lots of echo – very cool, very striking, and almost more powerful than use of the instrument on most other spaghetti western scores of the time! Other numbers are more scene-setting – some brassy trumpet flairs, barroom piano, or harmonica lines on the trail – and overall, the soundtrack features 21 short numbers from the film, with guitar tracks nicely juxtaposed against the others! CD also features two tracks from the film O'Cangaceiro – the excellent percussive "Mulhe Rendra", and the mellower vocal track "Vou Caminhando". CD

One of the best non-Saturn Sun Ra albums of the 60s – material recorded live on a tour of New York colleges in 1966, and very much in a spirit that captures the Arkestra at their best! Longer tracks are juxtaposed nicely with shorter ones – in a way that has the group running very outside one minute, yet stepping soulfully back to the center the next – never schizophrenicly, but in a mode that really displays the full range of energy pulsing in the group. Interesting instrumentation on the set includes Ra on clavoline, plus Carl Nimrod on the beautiful-sounding "sun horn" – and other players include Marshall Allen on alto, John Gilmore on tenor, Pat Patrick on baritone, and James Jacson on log drum and flute. Titles include "Dancing Shadows", "Next Stop Mars", "Outerspaceways", "Shadow World", and "Sun Ra and His Band From Outer Space". CD

A really compelling set from trombonist Roswell Rudd – one of our favorite players of the 60s avant garde, and an artist who's started to grow tremendously since coming out of his recent retirement! The set is a brilliant criss-crossing of styles – as Rudd's working here with Mali-based musicians led by kora player Toumani Diabate, in a set of post-colonial world jazz that recalls some of the best Paris-based experiments in the genre during the 70s. Rudd's tone is darkly evocative – juxtaposed nicely against the percussion and stringed instruments of the ensemble – and the album makes for a really striking new chapter in his long career! Titles include "Hank", "Johanna", "Malijam", "Sena Et Mariam", "Bamako", "Rosmani", and "Jakie-ing". CD

A wicked little record, and one that lives up to its Space Invaders theme right from the start – thanks to a host of sweet electronic touches from Scientist, over a set of killer head-nodding dubs from Roots Radics! The group themselves are in totally top form – massive bass from Flabba Holt and drums from Style and Santa – topped with wicked guitar licks, and some sweet organ lines from Winston Wright – but it's clearly Scientist who's the star of the show, for the way he cooks the elements together and comes up with a sound that more than does justice to the extra-cool cover! Familiar elements are nicely abstracted, and juxtaposed with clever shifts in the studio – all to create massive dubs that include "Beam Down", "Red Shift", "Time Warp", "Cloning Process", "Pulsar", "Laser Attack", "Dematerialize", "Fission", "Super Nova Explosion", and "Quasar". 2LP version features bonus vocal tracks – by Wayne Wade, Wailing Souls, Sammy Dread, Linval Thompson, and Johnny Osbourne! LP, Vinyl record album

Three albums from this great guitarist! Common Cause is a spare trio outing from guitarist Attilla Zoller, done with support from Ron Carter on bass and Joe Chambers on drums – and in a groove that nicely slips from mellow straight material one moment to more adventurous tunes the next! The straighter work is oddly some of the most appealing here – and is a refreshing change to some of Zoller's more experimental (but still great) work from the period – a great illustration of his strong tone on a simple line, in a way that we don't often get to hear on record. Straight numbers include "Lady Love" and "Kaybee" – juxtaposed with the more "out" "Tshitar", and the soaring number "Meet". Dream Bells is a hell of an album from guitarist Attila Zoller – one that's just a trio date, but which almost seems to have a fuller feel than some of his records from the time! The rhythms are wonderful – this warm, round bass from Frank Luther, whose tones alone really create a soulful energy on the record – and drummer Sonny Brown's got this nicely skittish tone that percolates even the mellow moments in this really great way – leaving Zoller to solo spaciously over the top with a sublime tone, and maybe a slightly deeper sense of soul than usual. Titles include "Dream Bells", "Seascape", "In Your Own Sweet Way", and "Sudden Romance". Overcome is beautiful live work from guitarist Attila Zoller – stretching out here on long, spacious tracks that are maybe even more majestic an example of his tone than some of his studio work of the time! The group is a quartet – with Kirk Lightsey on piano, Michael Formanek on bass, and Daniel Humair on drums – nicely subtle players at all the right moments, on titles that include "Overcome", "Starry Night", "Lullabye", and "Lev Blues". CD

A spare trio outing from guitarist Attilla Zoller, done with support from Ron Carter on bass and Joe Chambers on drums – and in a groove that nicely slips from mellow straight material one moment to more adventurous tunes the next! The straighter work is oddly some of the most appealing here – and is a refreshing change to some of Zoller's more experimental (but still great) work from the period – a great illustration of his strong tone on a simple line, in a way that we don't often get to hear on record. Straight numbers include "Lady Love" and "Kaybee" – juxtaposed with the more "out" "Tshitar", and the soaring number "Meet". CD

One of the best non-Saturn Sun Ra albums of the 60s – material recorded live on a tour of New York colleges in 1966, and very much in a spirit that captures the Arkestra at their best! Longer tracks are juxtaposed nicely with shorter ones – in a way that has the group running very outside one minute, yet stepping soulfully back to the center the next – never schizophrenicly, but in a mode that really displays the full range of energy pulsing in the group. Interesting instrumentation on the set includes Ra on clavoline, plus Carl Nimrod on the beautiful-sounding "sun horn" – and other players include Marshall Allen on alto, John Gilmore on tenor, Pat Patrick on baritone, and James Jacson on log drum and flute. Titles include "Dancing Shadows", "Next Stop Mars", "Outerspaceways", "Shadow World", and "Sun Ra and His Band From Outer Space". CD

A really compelling set from trombonist Roswell Rudd – one of our favorite players of the 60s avant garde, and an artist who's started to grow tremendously since coming out of his recent retirement! The set is a brilliant criss-crossing of styles – as Rudd's working here with Mali-based musicians led by kora player Toumani Diabate, in a set of post-colonial world jazz that recalls some of the best Paris-based experiments in the genre during the 70s. Rudd's tone is darkly evocative – juxtaposed nicely against the percussion and stringed instruments of the ensemble – and the album makes for a really striking new chapter in his long career! Titles include "Hank", "Johanna", "Malijam", "Sena Et Mariam", "Bamako", "Rosmani", and "Jakie-ing". CD

The Aldrich feeling is certainly in place here – that beautiful twin-piano approach that almost has Ronnie's keys "answering" themselves as they move from speaker to speaker on the record! The orchestrations here are light and often a bit groovy – not the hippest of 60s easy, but certainly hipper than Aldrich sometimes got – and the recording quality of the session is really wonderful, with fluid notes on the Steinway floating out and drifting in the air, really making the best use of stereo in the way things are juxtaposed from track to track! Titles include "Moonglow", "My Favorite Things", "Magic Moments", "The Sweetest Sounds", "If Ever I Should Leave You", "If The Rain's Got To Fall",a nd "Spanish Harlem". LP, Vinyl record album

An expanded version of the material that originally appeared on the Nothing Is album – stretched out here into a 2CD set that features loads of extra unreleased cuts from the recordings! The core album is one of the best non-Saturn Sun Ra albums of the 60s – material recorded live on a tour of New York colleges in 1966, and very much in a spirit that captures the Arkestra at their best! Longer tracks are juxtaposed nicely with shorter ones – in a way that has the group running very outside one minute, yet stepping soulfully back to the center the next – never schizophrenicly, but in a mode that really displays the full range of energy pulsing in the group. Interesting instrumentation on the set includes Ra on clavoline, plus Carl Nimrod on the beautiful-sounding "sun horn" – and other players include Marshall Allen on alto, John Gilmore on tenor, Pat Patrick on baritone, and James Jacson on log drum and flute. This 2CD version features both a first and second set, with even a bit of material from a soundcheck, too – a total of 25 titles that include "Theme Of The Star Gazers #2", "Is Is Eternal", "The Exotic Forest #2", "Space Aura", "Velvet", "Dancing Shadows", "Next Stop Mars", "Outerspaceways", "Shadow World", and "Sun Ra and His Band From Outer Space". CD

wicked little record, and one that lives up to its Space Invaders theme right from the start – thanks to a host of sweet electronic touches from Scientist, over a set of killer head-nodding dubs from Roots Radics! The group themselves are in totally top form – massive bass from Flabba Holt and drums from Style and Santa – topped with wicked guitar licks, and some sweet organ lines from Winston Wright – but it's clearly Scientist who's the star of the show, for the way he cooks the elements together and comes up with a sound that more than does justice to the extra-cool cover! Familiar elements are nicely abstracted, and juxtaposed with clever shifts in the studio – all to create massive dubs that include "Beam Down", "Red Shift", "Time Warp", "Cloning Process", "Pulsar", "Laser Attack", "Dematerialize", "Fission", "Super Nova Explosion", and "Quasar". 2CD version features bonus vocal tracks – by Wayne Wade, Wailing Souls, Sammy Dread, Linval Thompson, and Johnny Osbourne! CD

A beautiful album of bossa tunes – recorded in Italy by the team of Toquinho and Vinicius De Moraes, with vocals by the lovely Ornelia Vanoni – an Italian singer who holds the sort of place usually reserved for Brazilian vocalists on other projects by the pair! Vanoni's presence on the record gives it a soft Italian edge, and the usual bossa arrangements are expanded by a larger group with a fuller sound. Vinicius' rough vocals are often juxtaposed with Ornelia's in a great style – and the record's filled with lots of nice tunes like "Samba In Preludio", "La Voglia La Pazzia", "Samba Della Rosa", "Semaforo Rosso", and "Io So Che Ti Amero". LP, Vinyl record album

Really unique recordings from the Sun Ra Arkestra – material recorded in Egypt in 1983 – juxtaposed with sessions from percussionist Salah Ragab and the Cairo Jazz Band! The work here has much more of a "jazz meets world" sound than some of Ra's other recordings – and most tracks are extremely melodic and rhythmic – in a way that mixes Eastern instrumentation and themes with some of the more familiar Arkestra modes – a sound that takes the Sun Ra groove one step further, and which sounds totally sublime! Highlights include the groover "Egypt Strut", the flute-heavy "Oriental Mood", and beautiful "Dawn". Really great stuff – and a key glimpse at this rare slice of Ra's career! LP, Vinyl record album