A spooky little soundtrack, with some slight erotic moments as well – all scored for a schlocky Italian film starring an ex-patriot Farley Granger! The story centers around an investigation of an earlier rape and murder – and the music does a good deal to underscore the mix of sexual tension and drama in the film – often using spare stepping basslines that move very slowly on the bottom of the tunes, while eerie keyboards, guitar, and weirder effects drift lightly over the top. A few numbers have a slightly warmer feel, in keeping with more erotic moments in early 70s Italian cinema – and there's also a bit of wordless vocals that float through some of the tunes, often with a theremin-like quality. LP features 15 tracks from the film! LP, Vinyl record album

As the notes say, "this album is a series of aural and spatial fantasies evoking the spirit of American patriotic music" – and the whole thing's recorded on electronic keyboards. Given that this one's on Takoma, you can guess the kind of hippy-dippy folksist influence it might have, which gives the electronic music tracks an even weirder edge. Maybe this is the kind of thing that Ives might have recorded, had he been alive in the 60s! With work by Byrd himself, plus Sousa, Cohan, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

One of Chet Baker's most classic albums of the 50s – a record that features both vocals and strong trumpet solos – all from a time when Baker was one of the hottest things going in jazz! The album's different from records from previous years, in that it moves Baker from LA to New York – where he works with a great quartet that features Kenny Drew on piano, George Morrow or Sam Jones on bass, and Philly Joe Jones or Danny Richmond on drums – all players who have a slightly different approach than some of Baker's compatriots on Pacific Jazz sessions, which also seems to bring out a bit more bite in Chet too. Tracks are still shortish, with those breathy Baker vocals we love so much, balanced with really well-crafted trumpet solos – and titles include "It Could Happen To You", "Do It The Hard Way", "Old Devil Moon", "Dancing On The Ceiling", and "The More I See You". LP, Vinyl record album

A gem of a session from the European expatriot scene of the postwar years – not really a tribute to Cannonball Adderley, but a rare meeting of Bud Powell and Don Byas in the studio, produced by Cannonball in Paris in 1961! The record has a tremendous amount of fire and focus – especially on the part of Powell, who could sometimes falter in a European setting – and although Byas' horn might seem a contrasting choice for Bud, he really burns with a lot of energy here – arcing, soaring, and turning with lines that show that his talents hadn't dimmed at all out of the American limelight. As always with his few productions from the time, Cannonball shows a great deal of sensitivity and patience with the players – probably a key factor of the success of the set. Also noteworthy is the rest of the group – which includes Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, Pierre Michelot on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. Titles include "Jeannine", "Just One Of Those Things", "All The Things You Are", "I Remember Clifford", and "Jackie My Little Cat". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite a different album than usual for John Coltrane, but a classic one too – and a set that has the great one exploring his ideas in a set of longer tracks recorded with an expanded jazz orchestra! The format's hardly the mainstream big band of the time – as Coltrane's filled the group with very hip players – including Booker Little, Freddie Hubbard, Julian Priester, and Eric Dolphy – in addition to usual compatriots who include McCoy Tyner, Reggie Workman, and Elvin Jones. The tunes have a soaring, modal sort of pulse – one that's filled with color and light from the addition of the other horn players, but which still has plenty of space for extended, exploratory solos. Coltrane plays both tenor and soprano sax – and titles include the legendary 16 minute track "Africa", a classic reading of "Greensleeves", redone here as a modal searching spiritual track, and "Blues Minor". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent late 50s work by Milt Jackson for Atlantic! Bags & Flutes is very much in the style of Milt's classic Savoy sides from the preceding couple of years – mixing together his jazzy vibes with light lilting solos on flute, either by Bobby Jaspar or Frank Wess, Milt's old compatriot from the Savoy sessions. Piano is by Tommy Flanagan or Hank Jones, and Kenny Burrell plays guitar on the whole album. Tracks include "Ghana", "Connie's Blues", "Sandy", "I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over" and "Bag's New Groove". LP, Vinyl record album

It certainly was time – time for Jackie McLean to break out of his older bop mode, and hit a whole new level of playing with a tight group of "new thing" compatriots like Herbie Hancock on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Charles Tolliver on trumpet! The record isn't as totally "out there" as some of his other ones from this period, but it's a seminal release in Jackie's modernist period – and it's one of the hardest to find from the era. Filled with warmly wonderful original compositions like "Revillot", "Snuff", "Truth", and "Das Dat" – the record is unpacked and remodeled nicely by the trio of young players, aided by Jackie's moody alto, and given a great spin by Roy Haynes on drums. Striking cover, too – with a huge field of exclamation points! LP, Vinyl record album

One of Horace Silver's greatest records ever – and the album that always makes us remember how many of his tunes are now etched in the memory of modern jazz! The album's got a slightly exotic bent that you might guess from the title – a furthering of the sound that Silver first started on his own after breaking with Art Blakey – a hint of more cosmic modes to come in soul jazz, yet still served up here with more of the punch you might expect from 60s Blue Note. The group is great – with Blue Mitchell on trumpet and Junior Cook on tenor – both super-tight at the start of the tunes, then breaking off into deeply personal territory on their solos. Rhythm is from Gene Taylor on bass and John Harris on drums – the latter a lesser-known compatriot of Silver, but one with a nicely loose sensibility that really adds a lot to the record. The writing is great – and titles include "Sayanara Blues", "Tokyo Blues", "Ah So", "Cherry Blossom", and "Too Much Sake". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio treasure from the incredible Sonny Clark – a rare non-Blue Note date from the late 50s, and a wonderful illustration of his powers on the piano! The setting is spare, but the sound is never sleepy – as Sonny's working here with Max Roach on drums and George Duvivier on bass – both of whom make for very lively compatriots in the trio – and help Sonny hit some fiercely flowing lines on piano! And apart from Sonny's great playing, the album's also a great showcase for his writing skills too, as nearly never tune's an original – with titles that include "Nica", "Sonia", "My Conception", "Minor Meeting", and "Blues Mambo". Also features a version of "Sonny's Crib" – mis-labeled here as "Sonny's Crip"! LP, Vinyl record album

A great one – and the kind of European jazz album that kicks like a Clarke/Boland Big Band album! Hans Koller directs a large-scale swinging big band of some of the best European and American expatriot players of the time – like Sahib Shihab, Benny Bailey, Donald Byrd, Johnny Griffin, and Albert Mangelsdorff – and the set screams with intense solos, and a tight groove that pushes past any of the cliches you could imagine for a set like this. One of the things that makes the session great is some groovy organ, played by Infried Hoffman, the German player who was in Klaus Doldinger's early group. Doldinger's also on here, and his sound is way better than on his 70's work. Titles include "Hip Hit", "Revelation", "Conversation", "Knodel-Waltzer", and "Blazy Bones Revisited". LP, Vinyl record album

Percussionist Sabu Martinez is one of the all-time greats of Latin music – and this record is probably the rarest he ever cut! The album came out of Sweden, where Sabu was residing during the 70s – enjoying some success as an expatriot jazz player in the European scene. The album mixes Latin grooves and hard funk in a way that's rarely been duplicated, and which has ensured Sabu a place in the funk hall of fame for all time! Breakbeat fanatics have always sought out the album for the cuts "All Camels Hump" and "My Cristina" – but the whole thing's a stunning batch of hard percussion grooves, and it's well worth its rare reputation! Other tracks include "Para Ti, Tito Rodriguez", "Martin Cohen Loves Latin Percussion", "My Son Johnny & Me", and "Wounded Knee". LP, Vinyl record album

Dick Gregory at his most righteous – recorded live at the Bronx Community College, and speaking on topics that include The Black Panthers, the Chicago 7, Black Power, Money, Patriots, Riots, and "Checking Out Whites". Less funky than political – which actually makes it a lot more compelling than Gregory's early work. LP, Vinyl record album