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Salvatore Bonafede on piano – with Enrico Rava on trumpet, John Abercrombie on electric guitar, Ben Street on bass, and Clarence Penn on drums – plus special guests Ralph Towner and Michel Rabbia. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A great Junior Mance album from the 70s – one of those dates that was originally only intended for the Japanese market, but eventually got wider release because it sounded so great! Junior's a bit different here than on his Atlantic or Polydor work from a few years before – warm and soulful, with a way of really laying into the keys of the piano gently – never going too far, or getting too funky – but finding a great space in sound with help from Martin Rivera on bass and Salvatore LaRocca on drums. Tracks include a few strong originals – like "The Good Old Days", "Holy Mama", "That Mellow Feeling", and "Blues For The Schnug" – plus versions of "God Bless The Child" and "Miss Otis Regrets". CD

Mighty nice work from drummer Francesco Sotgiu – a player we're not sure we've ever heard at the helm before, but who does a superb job with a very cool Italian combo that moves between modal numbers and more hardbop-styled jazz – all with plenty of strong sounds from reed players Emanuele Cisi and Riccardo Luppi, both of whom really make the record soar! Both players handle tenor and soprano, and Luppi blows a bit of flute – in a combo that also features excellent work from Salvatore Maiore on bass, a player with a bold sound that matches the crispness of Sotgiu's drums in the mix – sewn together by these massive piano lines from Luigi Bonafede. Palo Fresu plays guest trumpet on the title "My Foolish Heart" – and other cuts include "Wise One", "7th Street", "Wishes", "Ballad For Aisha", "Stranatole", "Calm", "Lotus Blossom", "Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love", "Passing", and "Black Bats & Poles". LP, Vinyl record album

A well-remembered soundtrack – and one that's had almost as much appreciation as a record as folks have given the film! If you've seen the movie, you know that the music's a big part of the story – not just the key cuts by Louis Prima, but also the Italian tracks that were less known to American audiences, and which really help give the record some depth! Gary DeMichele composed some original music for the score – but the best tracks here might be the vocal ones – titles that include "Buona Sera", "Five Months Two Weeks Two Days", and "Oh Marie" by Louis Prima – plus "Love Of My Life" by Louis Prima & Keely Smith, "Don't Take Your Love From Me" by Keely Smith, "Mambo Italiano" by Rosemary Clooney, "Stornelli Amorisi" and "Tic Ti Tic Ta" by Claudio Villa, and "Il Pescivendolo" and "Mo Ve'La Bella Mia Da La Muntagna" by Matteo Salvatore. LP, Vinyl record album

With Salvatore Maiore on double bass & Roberto Dani on drums. CD

Funky madness at the legendary Fillmore Auditorium – and a searing set of tracks that rivals the best studio work from trumpeter Don Ellis! The feel here is really open, spontaneous, and inventive – and tunes are a lot more extended than on most of Don's studio sides from the time – with not only more room for solos, but also a seemingly greater focus on rhythms, which are often upbeat, firey, and very grooving on most numbers. There's a really great mix of trumpet and electronics on the record – including ring modulator and Fender Rhodes – and possibly inspired by the Fillmore setting, Don really opens up on all burners, spacing out with a really hip little groove. Titles include "Pussy Wiggle Stomp", "Salvatore Sam", "Rock Odyssey", "Final Analysis", "Excursion II", and "Antea". LP, Vinyl record album

Electro acoustic ensemble from San Pietro A Majella performs music by John Cage, Salvatore Carannante, Stefano Silvestri, Dario Sanfilippo, and Agostino Di Scipio. CD