Includes tracks by Oscar D'Leon, Henry Garcia, Calros Alfredo, Angelito Villalona, Los Hijos De Puerto Rico, and Jochy Hernandez. CD

The great Italian pianist Enrico Pieranunzi is featured here in three great records! First up is New Lands – a warmly-crafted trio set from Enrio Pieranunzi – a set that still shows his modern tones on the piano, but which also has a sensitivity that really makes things open up overall! The group is a trio – with Marc Johnson on bass and Joey Baron on drums – both subtle players who really let the piano take the lead at times, as Enrico stretches out on long tracks that include "New Lands", "A Child Is Born", "The Mood Is Good", and "If There Is Someone Lovelier Than You". Daedalus Wings is an unusual record, and one that features twin piano work from Bert Van Den Brink and Enrico Pieranunzi – not on long, free tracks, but on these beautiful shorter numbers that really seem to resonate strongly with the voices of each player! Titles include "Daedalus Suite", "Si Peu De Temps", "Pour Claude", "Guitar Blues", "Woods", and "O Toi Desir" – plus two solo takes by each player on "I Can't Get Started". Improvised Forms For Trio is a really different album from pianist Enrico Pieranunzi – and one that really lives up to its title! Rather than being song-based – featuring compositions by Enrico or some of his contemporaries – the record features the trio improvising, but never in a free jazz way – always with a groove, and a strong sense of rhythmic cohesion – but clearly improvising their way through the 18 short numbers that make up the set! The energy is great – in ways that maybe make the record one of Pieranunzi's most compelling records – and the rest of the group features Hein Van De Geyn on bass and Hans Van Oosterhout on drums. Titles include "Forms" 1 through 18. CD

Enrico Pieranunzi and Bert Van Den Brink on piano. CD

Enrico Pieranunzi on piano, Marc Johnson on double bass, and Joey Baron on drums. CD

Features Enrico Rava on trumpet and flugelhorn – with Augusto Mancinelli on guitar, John Taylor on piano, Furio Di Castri on bass, and Bruce Ditmas on drums! CD

Features Rava on trumpet, Stefano Bollani on piano, and Paul Motian on drums! CD

The lofty trumpet of Enrico Rava is a perfect match for Dino Saluzzi's wonderfully airy performances on bandoneon – and this record is one of the lost gems of late 80s ECM. The sound definitely has that "bordering on wallpaper" feel fo a lot of the ECM work from the time, but Saluzzi's bandoneon has a breathy emotive quality that works against the usual formula, and Rava's solos help the entire project along tremendously. Titles include "Le But De Souffle", "Minguito", "Luna Volver", and "Tiempos De Ausencias". CD

Features Enrico Rava on trumpet and flugelhorn, and Ran Blake on piano. 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". CD

Includes the songs "Vivian", "After You've Gone", "Vivian Flavia De Las Merceded", "Moonglow", "Tomatito & Federico", "Capullito De Aleli", "Las Vegas Station", "Lluvia De Colores", "Avalon", "A Las Cuatro De La Manana", "Okey Paganini", "Oriente", and "Micro Suite Cubana". CD

A CD that brings together some important early work from altoist Marion Brown – two long tracks from the sessions for his Quartet album on ESP – and a later album issued only overseas! The set begins with the long tracks "Capricorn Moon" and "Mephistopheles" from Marion Brown Quartet – one of our favorite albums ever on the legendary ESP label – a rhythmic, soulful, early session by Marion Brown – recorded before his own albums on Impulse, but with a similar feel to the best new thing sessions of that label at the time! The group is superb – with Benny Maupin on sax, Alan Shorter on trumpet, Rashied Ali on drums, and Ronnie Boykins on bass, often playing in tandem with Reggie Johnson – for a unique double-pulsing feel that makes for a nice rhythmic thrust. Next are the tracks "Juba Lee" and "Iditus", from the album Juba Lee – brilliant work from Marion Brown – one of his first albums, and a great set of tracks that have a fragile New York avant style – almost ESP, but not as raw, and with the kind of soulful emotion that's always made Brown's work stand out from the rest of his crowd. The group on the album is a septet, with Beaver Harris on drums, Dave Burrell on piano, Bennie Maupin on tenor, Alan Shorter on trumpet, and Grachan Moncour III on trombone. CD

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A killer Morricone soundtrack from the late 60s – filled with sweet tunes and moodier numbers – all served up with cool orchestrations, and some sweet work on electric harpsichord too! The score's lesser-known than some of the maestro's best from the time – but is equally great, and one we're very happy to discover – caught at a mode that still has Morricone using some of his best mod elements from the 60s, yet also beginning to explore the darker sounds that would unfurl even more strongly in the 70s! Bruno Nicolai conducts the group, and the set features a few great vocal moments from I Cantori Moderni – on titles that include "Scherzo Da Guerra", "Scherzo Da Baffone", "Filastrocca Per Cretini", and "Lo Sai Che Cosa Facevano Le Donne A Stalin". CD

Enrico Pieranunzi on piano – with Kenny Wheeler on trumpet, Chris Potter on sax, Charlie Haden on bass, and Paul Motian on drums. Includes themes from "I Vitelloni", "Amarcord", "La Dolce Vita", "La Strada", and "Le Notti Di Cabiria". CD

Great material from the mid 50s – a mix of modern ideas of arrangement with the deeper soul of Lucky's horn! CD

One of Ennio Morricone's most famous film scores – and certainly the one that got him recognized as a genius on a global level! The whole thing's pretty damn eerie – about as eerie as the movie, which is a real stunner – and it shifts from dark orchestral themes to sparer numbers that use guitar, banjo, and some really creepy whistling to set the mood – that landmark Morricone sense of space that really transformed film music in the 60s. Some tracks feature vocal work by I Cantorni Moderni, directed by Alessandro Alessandroni – and titles include "C'Era Una Volta Il West", "Cheyenne", "Armonica", "L'Uomo Dell'Armonica" and "L'America Di Jill". Plus, this bonus version features loads more extra tracks – making for a total of 27 in all, the fullest version of the score we've ever seen! CD

Beautiful 2 CD set that brings together 3 of Morricone's most famous Western soundtracks! Once Upon A Time In The West is an undisputed masterpiece, and features some incredibly haunting themes on guitar and harmonica, set amidst spare instrumental settings that give the music an even spookier quality. The other 2 scores are pretty darn great, too – and are from the famous Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns that brought fame to both him and Morricone. Titles include "Jill's America", "The First Tavern", "Per Qualche Dollaro In Piu", "Without Pity", "Almost Dead", and "Il Colpo". In a nicely priced 2 CD set – with 30 tracks in all! CD

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Groove away, maestro! Incontro is a splendid score by Morricone – early 70s groovy, mixing guitar, electric harpischord, organ, and other jangly instrumentation on the best tracks, alternating with mellower, dreamier numbers on the others, serving up a sweet blend of tunes that once again makes us wish we could watch the film, just to hear the music! This one's got the flavor of his best from the time – like La Donna Invisible – even though it's perhaps not as all-out overly composed – and titles include "Patrizia", "Incontro", "Scherzo Un Po Triste", "Per Claudia", "Passeggiata", and "Riflessione". CD

Two groovy Ennio Morricone scores from the 60s – both of them pretty darn great! La Trappola Scatta A Beirut is a hip spy thriller from the time – done with some bold, jazzy inflections on the instrumentation – and styles that echo American and British thrillers of a similar nature. There's some great use of flute and saxophone over more complicated backings – and although there's a bit less of the Morricone sense of space in the overall composition, there's still some key darker touches that are definitely the mark of the maestro. Titles include "Relax Per Un Agente Segreto", "Inseguimento", "Attesa E Fuga", "Agente 505 Missione Compiuta", and "Langiudamente". Next up is the equally jazzy score to Il Successo – a beautiful blend of tenor, vibes, flute, and other sweet instrumental touches – very much in the best Italian soundtrack jazz style of the early 60s. The whole thing's great, and a very overlooked chapter in Morricone's music – with titles that include "Malinconico", "Il Successo", "Per Vittorio", "Allegra Sambina", and "Sarabanda Twist". CD

A cool collection of vocal songs from the world of soundtrack maestro Ennio Morricone – many of which are more unusual than some of his bigger themes, and brought together here as a great addition to the Segreto series! The work runs from the early 60s to the early 70s – and the package mixes together dreamy female vocal numbers, catchy western themes, and plenty more great bits – all at a level that also showcases the way the maestro was working in Italian vocal music during the 60s, before moving more firmly into the world of cinema. The package features 21 rare tracks in all – including one number by a singer who's completely unknown – with titles that include "Splash" by Peter Boom, "Fruscio Di Foglie Verdi" by Trio Junior, "Una Stanza Vuota" by Lisa Gastoni, "Pioggia Sul Tuo Viso" by The Sorrows, "Nuvole" by Jimmy Fontana, "You & I" by King Harvest, "Luce Chiara Per Vergine" by Edda Dell'Orso, "Filastrocca Vietnamita" by Sergio Endrigo, "Metti Una Sera A Cena" by Florinda Bolkan, and "Matto Caldo Soldi Morto Girotondo" by I Cantori Moderni Di Alessandroni. CD

A gorgeous second volume to this amazing set – every bit as career-spanning as the first edition, but with a nicely different focus! This time around, the set has some especially rare material for fans of the Italian soundtrack genius – including a full CD of rare TV soundtracks scored by Ennio Morricone – plus additional themed CDs that include one disc of Vocal Songs and Covers, one of Lost Horizons, one of Unique Collaborations, and other CDs titled Comedy, Faces Of Italian Cinema, French Cinema, American Cinema, War Stories, and International productions! The package is stunning too – a book-style hardcover set, with 48 pages of notes and interviews! There's a massive 310 tracks on the 14 CDs – and the set mixes classics with rare material and some previously unreleased tracks – further testament to the endless depths of the soundtrack genius of Ennio Morricone. CD

A killer Morricone soundtrack from the late 60s – filled with sweet tunes and moodier numbers – all served up with cool orchestrations, and some sweet work on electric harpsichord too! The score's lesser-known than some of the maestro's best from the time – but is equally great, and one we're very happy to discover – caught at a mode that still has Morricone using some of his best mod elements from the 60s, yet also beginning to explore the darker sounds that would unfurl even more strongly in the 70s! Bruno Nicolai conducts the group, and the set features a few great vocal moments from I Cantori Moderni – on titles that include "Scherzo Da Guerra", "Scherzo Da Baffone", "Filastrocca Per Cretini", and "Lo Sai Che Cosa Facevano Le Donne A Stalin". CD

A really lovely later score from Ennio Morricone – done for the final film of Marcello Mastroianni, and with a subtle sense of grace that echoes some of his best from earlier years! Much of the music has a lean focus that's different than some of the larger, lusher scores that Morricone was giving bigger pictures on the global scene – and there's a nice balance of isolated instrumentation, occasional atonal moments, and even great use of female vocals in an old school way – sung here by Dulce Pontes on two tracks. Most of the selections are much longer songs than standard film cues – and titles include "Assassinato", "Chitarre", "Il Simbolo", "A Brisa Do Coracao", "Rotativa", and "Manifestazioni". CD

Enrico Pieranunzi on piano and Paul Motion on drums. CD

Featuring Kenny Wheeler on Trumpet. CD

A great idea – jazz piano trio versions of Morricone soundtrack tunes, played here by Italian pianist Enrico Pieranunzi, with backing by Marc Johnson on bass and Joey Baron on drums. The team of Johnson and Baron have a perfect touch of lyricality to open these tunes up – taking lesser-known Morricone themes, and working them like jazz standards to show the depth of composition and possibilities available to the tunes. One of the great shames of Morricone's career is that he wrote so many darn great soundtracks that most of his tunes never got as much variation and acclaim as the work of other 60s soundtrack composers – and hopefully a set like this will begin to correct that! Titles include "Addio Fratello Crudele", "I Malamondo", "La Domenica Specialmente", "Mio Caro Dottor Grasler", "Ninfa Plebea", "Jona Che Visse Nella Balena", "Le Mani Sporche", "Quando Le Donne Avevano La Coda", "Il Prato", and "Just Beyond The Horizon". CD

One of Enrico Rava's more over-the-top albums – recorded with a full-on trumpet sound that reminds us a bit of Freddie Hubbard in early CTI years, set into some harder jamming post-Miles arrangements! The backing is by a John Abercrombie on guitar, Palle Danielsoon on bass, and Jon Cristensen on drums – but you'd swear that there's a larger ensemble working away on the record, given the full sound beneath Rava's lofty trumpet solos – yet the set is really just the efforts of this core quartet, working with a surprising amount of dynamism, especially considering the ECM setting. Titles include "Bella", "Pilgrim & The Stars", "Pesce Naufrago", "By The Sea", and "Blancasnow". CD

Stefano Bollani on piano and Enrico Rava on trumpet. CD

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An instrumental album from this Chicago trio that includes Jeff Parker on guitar, Tatsu Aoki on bass, and David Pavkovic on drums. At times, the sound is almost funky, with a groove that's nicely laid down by Pavkovic's drums. At others, the record's a bit more open-ended, with less of a jazz-oriented sense of playing. Parker's plays in a warm chord style that recalls some of the more soulful work by John Abercrombie in the late 60s or early 70s. Titles include "Pep", "Go Free", "Thrive", "Chicago Cool", and "Quick Pay". CD

A wonderful album recorded by Caetano in Italy – one performed live as a tribute to Fredrico Fellini and his wife Giuletta! The tracks are a stunning mix of older Veloso originals, older bossa tunes, and wonderful Nino Rota tunes originally written for Fellini films. Veloso's voice is wonderful throughout, and the instrumentation and performance is a lot more intimate than on the other recent live album, Prenda Minha. Lovingly produced and conceived – and a fitting tribute to all parties involved! Titles include "Que Nao Se Ve", "Trilhos Urbanos", "Giulietta Masina", "Lua, Lua, Lua, Lua", "Coimbra", "Let's Face The Music & Dance", and "Coracoa Vagabundo". CD

Features music by Tarheel Slim, Wilbert Harrison, Buster Brown, Elmore James, Sam Myers, Lee Dorsey, King Curtis, Dr. Horse, Joe Haywood, Dee Dee Ford, and more! CD

Features Metallica, Yo-Yo Ma, Quincy Jones and Herbie Hancock, Eumir Deodato, Roger Waters, Renee Fleming, Celine Dion, and others. CD

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Genius early work from Kris Kristofferson – four great albums in a single package, with SACD mastering too! First up is The Silver Tongued Devil & I – a masterful tribute to the genius of Kris Kristofferson, and a record that perfectly illustrates that unique place he held in music at the start of the 70s! The album's Kris' second, and has maybe a more unified vibe than his debut – filled with original material that has that open, honest quality that Kristofferson brought to country music – and which also had a surprisingly strong impact on mainstream rock and singer/songwriter material too! There's both a frankness of feeling and sharpness of wit that make the whole thing wonderful – and the album's overflowing with original gems that include "Jody & The Kid", "Billy Dee", "Loving Her Was Easier", "The Taker", "When I Loved Her", "The Pilgrim Chapter 33" and "Epitaph" – plus a great reading of the Bobby Bare/Billy Joe Shaver tune "Good Christian Soldier". Border Lord is a wonderful album, and one that's full of lesser-known gems from Kris Kristofferson – from a time when he'd started sharing his songs with other singers first, and started to hold back all the good stuff for himself! The album's got help from some country music studio greats, but it's clearly Kristofferson's show, right from the start – overflowing with tunes that get delivery from Kris that nobody else can match – with a special understanding of the choice of words, balance of wit, and depth of feeling that makes him so great on record. Titles include "Burden Of Freedom", "Border Lord", "When She's Wrong", "Kiss The World Goodbye", "Getting By High & Strange", "Somebody Nobody Knows", and "Josie". Jesus Was A Capricorn is one of those records in which Kris Kristofferson takes on the 70s, and comes up with a sound and style that's completely his own – even when working within the mainstream of the time! His label, Monument, could do plenty of hokey stuff – and even arranger Bill Justis wasn't always the hippest of cats – nor producer Fred Foster. Yet working here, they all rise to the occasion under the majesty of the man's music – a soaring batch of original tunes, of that special sort that Kris was always keeping to himself after his early years writing hits for others. Titles include "Why Me", "Give It Time To Be Tender", "It Sure Was Love", "Nobody Wins", "Enough For You", and the title cut "Jesus Was A Capricorn", owed to John Prine! Spooky Lady's Sideshow is a record that has Kris Kristofferson loosening up his mix of styles slightly, almost a nod back to his debut – but all in a way that only seems to bring an even greater range of feeling to his songwriting! Kristofferson maybe looks a bit more casual and laidback on the cover than some previous sets, but he's still got all the sharpness of delivery that makes him so great, and which really matches his magical words – on titles that include "Broken Freedom Song", "Star Spangled Bummer", "Smile At Me Again", "I May Smoke Too Much", "Stairway To The Bottom", and "Rescue Mission". CD

The Monkees in their groovy, giddy prime – and a nice little album that leaves the silliness of the TV show aside for a catchy and credible batch of late 60s group pop – with a nice mix LA studiocraft and touches of psych tinged country rock for which they still don't get enough credit! The main album is perhaps best known for the big hit "Pleasant Valley Sunday" – but the rest of the tracks have the boys continuing to take on the style of post Rubber Soul acoustic Beatles, plus some much more adventurous bits of early psychedelic pop! Album tracks include "Salesman", "She Hangs Out", "The Door Into Summer", "Love Is Only Sleeping", Nilsson's "Cuddly Toy", "Hard To Believe", "What Am I Doing Hanging 'Round", "Daily Nightly", "Don't Call On Me" and "Star Collector". With seven bonus tracks. CD

A really great little soundtrack – an unusual comedic moment for Ennio Morricone, and scored with this very groovy blend of light orchestrations, gentle rhythms, and even a bit of bossa! Keyboard lines ring out with this spare, resonant feel on some of our favorite numbers – recalling the best Morricone modes at the start of the 70s, but with a slightly different twist – and the overall approach is way more classy and careful than the usual Italian comedy of this vintage – no throwaway disco or too-cheesy cuts – just the kind of careful sense of sound we'd expect from the maestro. CD features 27 tracks in all – with titles that include "Autostrada", "Dance On", "Bianco Rosso E Verdone", and "Un Povero Emigrante". CD

One of Ennio Morricone's most famous film scores – and certainly the one that got him recognized as a genius on a global level! The whole thing's pretty damn eerie – about as eerie as the movie, which is a real stunner – and it shifts from dark orchestral themes to sparer numbers that use guitar, banjo, and some really creepy whistling to set the mood – that landmark Morricone sense of space that really transformed film music in the 60s. Some tracks feature vocal work by I Cantorni Moderni, directed by Alessandro Alessandroni – and titles include "C'Era Una Volta Il West", "Cheyenne", "Armonica", "L'Uomo Dell'Armonica" and "L'America Di Jill". Plus, this bonus version features loads more extra tracks – making for a total of 27 in all, the fullest version of the score we've ever seen! CD

Includes a five minute interview track with Dario Argento. CD

Morricone fans – this one's got it all! The music is completely wonderful throughout, and a great mix of everything that makes Ennio Morricone so tremendous – a bit of bossa here, some funky bits there, and even some spookier slow passages with a nice atonal feel! The main theme of the record is more than enough to get us going – a wonderful tune with wordless female vocals in the best Mondo Morricone mode – but other instrumental tracks follow with some very cool, slow moments – including some great love themes which then lead to some beefier, bouncier numbers that are really great too. This limited 2CD version is great – with a total of 24 tracks that include "La Lucertola", "Magia Nera", "Giorno Di Notte", "Spiriti", "Ancora Ad Est", "Sfinge", "Spostato Ad Est", and "A Lucio Fulci". CD

Not one of Morricone's strongest moments – and a pretty straight orchestral score, written to accompany this Sheena-like action film from the early 80s! Titles include "Hundra's Love Theme", "Chase", "A Funny Man", "Defeat", and "Slaughter In The Village", a nice extended piece with lots of choral work! CD

Wonderful late work from Ennio Morricone – penned for a film that was one of his last few soundtrack projects on this planet! The music matches some of the maestro's best period pieces from decades back – done with a style that's got some traces of the time in which the story is set, but always delivered with a personal approach that's pure Morricone – especially once things get going, and the instrumentation is even more spacious and moody! Violin is one of the main solo instruments, but there's also a few nice trumpet parts too – and titles include "New Attack", "The Publisher", "For My Father", "On The River", "The Flag", "Shot", "Pursued", and "For Three". CD

One of the more unusual Morricone scores of the 70s – penned as part of a collaboration with director Maximilian Schell, and done in ways that are a bit different than some of the maestro's Italian work! There's plenty of voices at play here – the lead of Edda Dell'Orso, and harmonies from Il Cantori Moderni – used in ways that are sometimes a bit sweeter than usual, with a level of warmth that might not be what you'd expect from the movie! Morricone also throws in a few waltz-like melodies, too – almost the sort of numbers you'd find in a Nino Rota score – but as the soundtrack moves on, things get noticeably darker, too – and move into a rich array of odd sounds and weird tones. CD features a huge amount of tracks issued for the first time ever – a total of 31 tracks that includes "Fox Astratto", "Caduta E Ripresa", "Shake Del Giudice", "Balletto Col Morto", "Meditazione Melodica", and "Fuga In Svizzera". CD

Dark genius from Ennio Morricone – a soundtrack that begins with a cool water dripping sound on the title theme – then moves into a set of tunes that are equally spacious and moody! The music unfolds slowly, in this really beautiful way – sometimes with light piano lines stepping along, sometimes with wordless vocals from the great Edda Dell'Orso, sometimes with a bit of woodwind – but all in that isolated, slow-building mode that Morricone could do so well at the time! There's a sense of larger majesty from simple elements that almost hints at the wider Morricone sound to come – but overall the whole thing's still got that spare, compressed sound that we love so much from his early 70s work. Titles include "Il Segreto", "Dal Mare", "Nebulosa Seconda", and other variations on these themes. New CD edition features 5 bonus tracks! 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

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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

One of the first big moments of global fame for the legendary Ennio Morricone – and a record that still stands as one of his landmark albums all these many years later! The set's famous for its haunting theme – that "wah-wah-wah" melody that led to countless covers and samples over the years – but the whole thing's a lot more complex than just that tune – with lots of the same sense of space and brooding that Morricone brought to his music for Once Upon A Time In The West – with careful use of key instruments on a track by track basis, and these floating lines that almost signaled a whole new way of recording music for a film soundtrack. And yes, there's certainly key western elements like guitar or harmonica – but maybe more striking are all the points at which these obvious tropes disappear – to leave us with those really unique Morricone sounds that go way beyond music! Titles include "The Sundown", "The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly", "Marcia", "The Desert", "The Strong", and "The Trio". CD

Excellent vocal tunes pulled from Morricone soundtracks of the 70s – including a host of lovely female vocal numbers! The themes to Morricone scores are always quite strong – dreamy little numbers that dance along gracefully, often without any words on the original soundtracks – with lyrics added in here that make the tunes sparkle beautifully. Most of the songs are in Italian, as you might guess, but there's also a few in other languages. Titles include "Immagini Del Tempo" by Milva, "Pas Vu Pas Pris" by Mireille Mathieu, "Una Donna Che Ti Ama" by Astrud Gilberto, "Io E Te" by massimo Ranieri, "Chi Mai" by Lisa Gastoni, "Un Amico" by Daniel Beretta, "La Donna Madre" by Mireille Mathieu, "Questa Specie D'Amore" by Milva, and "We Are One" by Carol Connors. CD

A dark and extremely avant garde soundtrack from the great Ennio Morricone – one that's done in collaboration with his own Gruppo Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza – an ensemble with roots in film scoring, but expressions that are more in the mode of 20th century avant! The music is a blend of free improvisation and more straight ahead jazz – with electric guitar, trumpet, violin, and percussion mixed with lots of weird effects and electronics – much more experimental than some of Morricone's more famous soundtracks of the time, and given a nice sense of direction from conductor Bruno Nicolai. The whole thing's incredibly spooky – one of the most turgid scores we've ever heard from the pen of Morricone – and the titles include "Sequita", "Evaporazione", "Dal Sogno E Ritorno", "Folle Folle", and "Notte E Misteri". Expanded version – with 21 tracks in all! CD

A really different album from pianist Enrico Pieranunzi – and one that really lives up to its title! Rather than being song-based – featuring compositions by Enrico or some of his contemporaries – the record features the trio improvising, but never in a free jazz way – always with a groove, and a strong sense of rhythmic cohesion – but clearly improvising their way through the 18 short numbers that make up the set! The energy is great – in ways that maybe make the record one of Pieranunzi's most compelling records – and the rest of the group features Hein Van De Geyn on bass and Hans Van Oosterhout on drums. Titles include "Forms" 1 through 18. CD

Enrico Pieranunzi on piano, Mark Johnson on bass, and Joey Baron on drums. CD

Enrico Pieranunzi on piano, Marc Johnson on double bass, and Joey Baron on drums. CD