A rare Italian-only album from Chet Baker – wonderfully cooking small group work that's a far bit greater than his more familiar "with strings" session recorded in Italy during the same period! The album's got Chet working with an array of great players from the local scene – including Gianni Basso on tenor sax, Renato Sellani on drums, and Glauco Masetti on alto sax – all in a groove that shows plenty of traces of that opened-up sound that Baker was exploring in the very late 50s – the modes he was crafting in his group with Phil Urso on tenor, as he started to get a bit more bit in his style! Yet there's also a nicely compressed approach going on here too – that west coast sound that was a strong influence on the Italian players of the postwar years, but which was unfolded to new ends in their hands. Titles include "Lady Bird", "Line For Lyons", "Tune Up", "Cheryl Blues", "Indian Summer", and "Pent Up House". CD includes four bonus tracks recorded in 1962 with an orchestra led by Ennio Morricone! CD

Trashy Italian house, part of a long tradition, put together by Maurizio Belladona, and featuring some nice electric keyboards. Tracks are long, and titles include "Psycho Rhodes", "Love Clear", "Lunar Funk", "Planet Sensation", and "Stellar Haze". CD

The Warp debut from the Boards of Canada, and only the second full length LP from the duo, though they had issued numerous CDs up to this point in their career. Warm electronics that transcends the IDM tag, and elevates them above the crowded peerage of bedroom laptop wizards. 17 tracks in all, including "Wildlife Analysis", "An Eagle In Your Mind", "The Color Of The Fire", "Telephasic Workshop", "Triangles & Rhombuses", "Sixtyten", "Kaini Industries", "Bocuma", "Roygbiv", "Rue The Whirl", "Aquarius", "Olson", "Pete Standing Alone", "Smoke Quantity", "Open The Light" and "One Very Important Thought". Includes the bonus track "Happy Cycling". CD

A wonderfully groovy soundtrack – one we'd never heard before, and a set that's filled with great little numbers in a range of different styles! The main theme is filled with percussion – really hard-driving drums that are chased by this echoey piano bit that's totally cool, and very unique! Some other sweet tracks have a gentle bossa-styled groove – including one with wordless vocals from Edda Dell'Orso – and other numbers have a different vibe, one that's a bit gentler, and almost sentimental at times, but pretty great too. There's also a few cuts that are more stark and moody – a bit towards Morricone horror fare, but not entirely – and the reissue features a whopping 27 tracks in all, most of which are short, compelling numbers! CD

A fantastic soul jazz set from the 60s – one of the few ever cut by pianist Harold Johnson, and a record that brims over with youthful power and new ideas! The Harold Johnson Sextet were an incredible little LA soul jazz combo during the late 60s. Johnson was a very soulful pianist, and he had a heavy soul style that was similar to Ramsey Lewis' Cadet work – but which was also tinged with the lyricism of Horace Silver, and the emerging modal sound of Stanley Cowell. This first session by the group was originally issued on a small label, became a local hit, and was picked up by the Revue label for national distribution. It's got an incredible sound, and is very very catchy. The band features Johnson's piano in a very strong lead – plus flute, alto, and tenor. Billy Jackson plays a hard rolling conga behind the whole thing – and tracks include "House On Elm Street", "Watts '67", "Something Mellow", and "Yeah Uh Huh". CD

A strange little record that's a bit tough to describe. The theme appears to be 50s space age – but the sound is more of a cartoony remix of some loungey grooves, with a fairly heavy leaning towards more current popular music. There's bits of guitar pop in the set, bits of pop drum n bass, and even touches of happy hardcore. Title sinclude "We Are Ready", "Bow Wow", "Los Angeles Underground", "Lonesome Spaceboy", and "Call Me A Doctor". CD

A young player, but one with a really tremendous sound – easily poised to become one of the most impressive European saxophone talents of the next few years! Pescara plays alto, but with a depth that makes him sound like a classic player from many years back – a sense of fullness and focus that's really amazing, and which never slips up for a minute. A few tracks here have him really soaring out with unbridled energy – while others hit a calmer, more sensitive side – and all tracks here are originals by Cafiso, showing a nascent writing skill that definitely bears watching. The group's a quartet, and titles include "Louisiana", "Happy Time", "Sir Charles", "She Loves Me", "Blues For Angel", "Goodbye Elvin", and "The Bear". CD

Live In Denver, Colorado, USA, 1974. CD

A really well-titled set from the legendary Phil Cohran – as the album's one of his most meditative efforts ever – a beautiful single piece, spun over the course of the entire album, with slow-changing instrumentation that's wonderfully seductive! Phil's in a near solo mode here – playing harp, cornet, zither, and his legendary frankiphone – with just a bit of guitar and keyboards to accompany his lead solos – making for a really warm, open space that shows Cohran at his most sensitive ever! The work runs for over 45 minutes, and is a great illustration of the space that Phil's been exploring strongly in more recent years. CD

A nice bit of funky crime work from Italy – a soundtrack to an obscure payback film from the 70s, done here with a nice mix of heavy beats, tight guitar, and some cool keyboards! The groove here is very much in the style of some of the best compilations of Italian cop soundtrack work we've stocked – and unlike some other thrillers of the time, the set's overflowing with funky tracks, so that you get way more than just a few funky numbers for your money! The blazing image on the cover is a great idea of what you'll hear inside – and titles include "Drivin All Around", "Goodbye My Friend", and "Il Cittadino Si Rebella". CD

A really beautiful little soundtrack from Francesco De Masi – scored with a depth of feeling that's really surprising, and which goes way past the obvious! There's some beautiful woodwind passages that arc and turn with a quality that's almost fragile – yet bold enough to paint a vivid picture of the western setting of the film – mixed with some more dramatic numbers that still have a relatively unusual feel – almost as if De Masi was working as hard as he could to create a soundtrack that was different from other westerns of the period – while still staying within a familiar instrumental structure. Maurizio Graf sings the driving title tune "Find A Man" – and the CD features a whopping 27 titles that include "Emily E Johnny", "La Medaglia", "Addio Orace", "Santana E Johnny", "L'Assalto Di Santana", "Paura Notturna", "Non C'E Scampo", "Passi Nel Tempo", and "Johnny Sulla Croce". CD

Joe Diorio on guitar and Ira Sullivan on flutes, soprano sax, alto sax, and percussion. CD

An unusual trio – Ellery Eskelin on tenor and Arto Tuncboyaciyan on bakdav, drums, and percussion – plus the enigmatic Joe Daley on tuba! CD

Part western, part Latin American – yet also filled with lots of weird and groovy touches – a compelling set from 60s Italy that goes way way way past the obvious! The set begins with an acoustic guitar over dramatic scoring, but then moves into modes that include mod rhythms, pan flute, spacey organ, and more – all spun out with a very different flavor on every different track – so much so, you might actually think the whole album's a collection of tunes from different movies, rather than a soundtrack in itself! Gianni Ferrio really knocked it out of the park with this one – and the reissue features 15 tracks in all, remastered with great sound! CD

A cool re-creation of the best soundtrack modes of Fabio Frizzi – particularly his scores for the films of Lucio Fulci! The performance is a live one, but done with a very classic vibe – played by a small combo that mixes keyboards, guitar, and rhythms with some light strings to really capture the creepy vibe of Frizzi's best soundtrack material – served up here in a mix of instrumental tracks that occasionally feature vocals – with music from the films Manhattan Baby, Zombi 2, Paura Nella Citta Dei Morti Viventi, Beware Of Darkness, and more! Titles include "Bunny Love Song", "Silver Saddle", "Baby Sequence" (numbers 1-4), "Zombi 2", "Wast It All In Vain", "Rusth Games", "Luca Il Contrabbandiere", "Voci Dal Nulla" and more. CD

Great work by Isaac Hayes – featuring a wealth of classic tunes from his years at Stax, packaged with some bonus video material from the 70s! The music alone is more than worth the price of the set – as the collection includes big hits, choice album tracks, and even 3 never-issued tunes from Hayes' 1972 performance at Operation Push in Chicago. 33 tracks include "Chocolate Chip", "Title Theme From Three Tough Guys", "Run Fay Run", "Rock Me Easy Baby", "Walk On By", "I Stand Accused", "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic", "Ain't That Lovin You", "Theme From Shaft", "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", "Soulsville", "The Look Of Love", "Do Your Thing", "Someone Made You For Me", and "Let's Stay Together". DVD includes tracks from Hayes' 1972 performance at Wattstax – "Rolling Down A Mountainside", "Soulsville", and "Theme From Shaft" – plus his "Chocolate Salty Balls" performance as Chef in South Park. (Could have done without that – thank you!) CD

A wonderful album of straight ahead jazz – cut by a current combo from Italy, but done with a really classic sound! The style here is a bit like that of the straighter jazz albums on Schema Records – all acoustic, but often highly rhythmic – and focused in styles that explore older Italian modal jazz of the 60s, as well as some of the deeper shadings of the Blue Note scene from years back! The lineup is incredibly strong – with tenor from Daniele Scannapieco, trumpet from Fabrizio Bosso, and piano from Luca Mannutza, whose firm work and bold notes on the keys really give the album a lot of drive and fire! CD features Nicola Conte remixes of the leadoff track "Conversation" – which is actually great enough in its original version by the group – and other tracks include "Wide Green Eyes", "The Driver", "Shade Of Gira", "Dubai", and "Campagna". CD

Features Lee Konitz on soprano sax – with Harold Danko on piano, Rufus Reid on bass, and Al Harewood on drums! CD

A dark title, but some light music overall – a sweetly dreamy score from Angelo Lavagnino, and one that's filled with sweet strings and some weirdly watery sounds! The album starts out with a lovely little melody, but then soon moves into territory that's even more gentle – sometimes sounds right at the range of hearing, which shimmer and twist beautifully as they come into sharper focus. Instrumentation includes bits of piano – recorded with some nice echo – soft strings, and a few other elements that are hard to place exactly, but which come together with almost a feel that's more sonic than melodic. A few tunes get somewhat tense, but the score's relatively sweet overall – and the CD reissue features a total of 20 numbers from the film, 2 of which feature vocals from I Cantori Moderni. CD

An obscure Morricone soundtrack, but a great one too – done with a slinky, seductive feel that's totally great – and often a bit different than his early 70s classics! Many of the numbers here have a warm glow – a sound that's never too polished, but more in the erotic side of the Morricone spectrum than the spooky one. And a few cuts feature some nice instrumental touches that really stand out – like jazzy flute, blue-tinged trumpet, and even some of those great "boing" noises that used to show up in Ennio's western scores from time to time! Titles include "Una Bossa A Cena", "Per L'Amore Si Fara", "Mezza Luce", "E Mejo De Mori Che Resta Qui", "Per Annabella", and "Una Famiglia Povera". CD

Early darkness from Ennio Morricone – an obscure mid 60s action thriller that combines boldly driving numbers with other tunes that slip into some of the spareness of his work for westerns! The work here is as mod and cool as you might guess from the cover – a bit more in a conventional 60s soundtrack mode, but still touches with great inflections on the woodwinds, and undercut by plenty of great lines on electric bass, guitar, and organ – all used sparingly but really effectively against the larger orchestrations! Tracks are often short, but really evocative – given a nice punch by Bruno Nicolai, who conducted the orchestra for the recording. A few tunes feature vocals by I Cantori Moderni – and titles include "Una Stanza Vuota", "Un Uomo Solo", "Colpo Alla Gioielleria", "La Prima Vittima", "Sul Lago Di Lugano", and "Una Tromba A Dallas". CD

A really fantastic score from Ennio Morricone – maybe better this time around than the images on the screen for some of his other westerns of the period – more proof that the maestro was always willing to rise above, and give his best no matter what the setting! / Ennio Morricone's beautiful score to one of the beautifully shot films of the 70s, or all time, really – Terrence Malick's legendary Days Of Heaven – the original 1978 soundtrack album and Morricone's cues programmed separately on one disc plus a bonus disc of extended score material and more bonus tracks! It's gorgeous stuff, from Morricone's haunting "Main Theme" and his more classically enthralling sounds, as well as the rootsy folk guitar by Leo Kottke and and equally swampy fiddle dance number by Doug Kershaw. CD

Beautifully arranged work from David Murray – an important early large group recording, one that really helped point the way to some of his later genius! The session features Murray leading an all-star octet that includes Henry Threadgill on alto, Olu Dara on trumpet, Butch Morris on cornet, George Lewis on trombone, Anthony Davis on piano, Wilbur Morris on bass, and Steve McCall on percussion. Tracks are a very hip set of original compositions that display an incredible range of soulful feeling and expression – and which open a door to a whole new chapter of Murray's career. Titles include "Ming", "Dewey's Circle", "Jasvan", "The Fast Life", and "The Hill". CD

Henry Threadgill on alto and tenor, Fred Hopkins on bass, and Pheeroan Aklaff on percussion – plus vocals from Cassandra Wilson! CD

A really playful little western soundtrack from Bruno Nicolai – lots of short tunes that often have isolated instrumental sounds – a bit of keyboards here, banjo there, and even some harmonica from Franco De Gemini! The tunes are usually a bit slower, and more quietly melodic than other scores of this nature – but in a way that really makes for a standout soundtrack – one that does a very careful job of creating little scenes that are almost as vivid from the instrumentation as they would be with images on the screen. CD features 26 tracks in all, all remastered – for a pretty creative soundtrack overall! CD

One of the greatest soundtracks we've ever heard from Bruno Nicolai – a wonderful array of lightly groovy tunes that's as fantastic as any of the Mondo Morricone work from the same time! The main theme of the film has a catchy La Donna Invisible sort of feel – building on waves of sound with piano over orchestrations, skipping along to an altered bossa beat – showing up in a number of different variants throughout the score. Other tracks are darker and moodier, but really vary things up to fit the moods of the scene – using Morricone-styled bits of harpsichord, violin, or strings to come up with some incredible sounds. The CD reissue features 26 titles in all – many of which are restored from the shortened versions in the movie, in a way that presents a huge amount of music never heard before! CD

Two Italian horror scores on one CD! Piero Piccioni did the soundtrack for Seven Murders For Scotland Yard – in a style that mixes more dramatic orchestrations with a few great mod touches on organ, flute, and percussion – which step out nicely on the groovier tracks, and bring in a nice note of action and surprise to a score that's mostly tense and poised for danger! Titles include "Seven Murders", "Unknown Maniac", "Reminding The Ripper", "Suspecting", "Inspector Campbell", and "Professor Christie". Francesco De Masi follows with the score for 7 Hyden Park La Casa Maledetta – done in a cool 70s electronic mode, one that often features the keyboards playing simple, but eerie melodies that set a great tone for the film's creepy plot! Titles include "Handicapped Girl", "Falling", "In The Past", "Cursed House", "House In The Park", "Fear & Blood", "So Many Corpses", and "Dreadful Cellar". CD

A killer set from Italian trumpeter Guido Pistocchi – and one with a very specific old school vibe as well! Pistocchi's going for a 50s California jazz approach here, but one that's also focused on the contributions of Italian-American players Conte Candoli and Tony Fruscella – both of whom are referenced strongly in Guido's approach on his horn, and on the album's choice of tracks! Walter Ricci sings on a few numbers – echoing a bit of Chet Baker's old sound of the 50s – and other cuts are sparkling instrumentals, with Pistocchi on trumpet, Max Ionata on tenor, Gruno Cesselli on piano, Paolo Ghetti on bass, and Marcello Di Leonardo on drums. Title sinclude "Old Hat", "Macedonia", "Zizanie", "You Can't Go Home Again", "Some Day", and "I Can't Get Started". CD

Bold sounds from this hip quartet of American players – working here on an early session for the Black Saint label, in a recording that's got a really great sense of focus! The album's dominated by the two-part track "Warriors Dance" – a number that builds beautifully on rhythms from the bass of Fred Hopkins and drums of Bobby Battle, punctuated by sharper piano from Don Pullman and wild tenor sounds from Chico Freeman – soulfully crafted, but also with some of the playful aspects you'd find in 70s work from the AACM. The tune shifts its shape a lot over the course of its 30-plus minutes – and the album's completed by the wonderful "Land Of The Pharoahs" – a leaping number with a great spiritual avant energy! CD

Sun Ra's made the move here from Egyptian pyramids to Mayan temples – but the sound is every bit as cosmic and compelling as ever! The album's one of Ra's last – a studio set recorded in Italy in 1990, and one that draws strongly from the tightening of tradition the Arkestra experienced in the 80s – working at a time of some of their greatest acceptance by jazz audiences worldwide, and able to express themselves fully in a range of different modes! The sense of tone and timing here is beautiful – almost Ellington-like at points, but still with a decidedly Sun Ra-like quality – and players on the date include Michael Ray and Ahmed Abdullah on trumpets, John Gilmore on tenor, Noel Scott and Marshall Allen on alto sax, and Tyrone Hill on trombone – and June Tyson also sings just a bit on the set. Ra plays both piano and synth, and titles include "Alone Together", "Discipline 1", "Sunset On The River Nile", "El Is The Sound Of Joy", "I'll Never Be The Same", "Theme On The Stargazers", and "Opus In Springtime". A double-length set too – nearly 80 minutes of music! CD

Really unique material from Sun Ra – a pair of recordings that were initially circulated much more strongly than some of his Saturn Records material, thanks to the power of the BYG/Actuel label in the early 70s – but tracks that actually come from a variety of different sessions that Ra himself did with the Arkestra in the late 60s! Tracks are shortish, but very inventive – a well-chosen snapshot of all the new ideas that the group were cooking up during the end of the 60s in New York, with an increased mission to explore the outer reaches of space, and use more electronics than ever before! Ra plays some killer keyboards – moog, spacemaster, and acoustic piano – often with these really eerie tones – and other players include Kwame Hadi on trumpet, Akh Tal Ebah on space dimension mellophone, Ali Hassan on trombone, Marshal Allen and Danny Davis on alto and flute, John Gilmore on tenor, and Pat Patrick on baritone – and the whole group vocalizes at points, joined by other singers who include June Tyson and Art Jenkins. There's also some great use of "strange strings" on the sessions, not to mention a bit of reverb – and tracks on this second volume include "The Utter Nots", "Outer Spaceways Inc", "Scene 1 Take 1", "Strange Worlds", "Ancient Ethiopia", "Pyramids", and "Interpretation". 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

Human sacrifice never sounded so groovy – thanks to a wicked score from Carlo Savina, who really knocks it out of the park with this one! The leadoff theme is jaunty, bouncy, and almost more of a mod 60s Italian number – and the score that follows often has some other groovy touches, mixed with passages that bring in a bit of jazz, and a few more exotic elements too – the last of which are more of what you'd expect for a horror soundtrack of this nature, yet never seem to dominate too much. There's a great sense of pacing going on here – a shifting of themes as things move on, and a blend of tighter elements with some rougher percussion that almost feels like the demonic ready to break loose! Reissued with a whopping 20 tracks – and some sublime remastering. CD

An obscure late ESP session featuring Don Rafael Garrett and Zusann Fasteau Garrett in a set of duets on percussion, bass, clarinet, and voice. The sound's a bit hippy dippy in parts, with a vibe that's kind of groovy and optimistic – but at other times, the playing is nice and spare, with a good east coast avant sound, in that mid 70s loft jazz mode. Titles include "Wave Hands Like Clouds", "Stork Cools Its Wings", and "Snake Creeps Down". CD

Reissue of this classic Italian album of piano jazz – recorded in 1963 by a trio that features Renato Sellani on piano, Giorgio Azzolini on bass, and Lionello Bionda on drums. Sellani was one of Italy's best pianists at the time, and his playing on the record is at a level that reminds us of some of Duke Jordan's best work from the late 50s. Azzolini's a real treat, too – as his round warm bass tones bring a lot of soul to the set, and stand out nicely on their own during his short solos. Tracks include "Tres Palabras", "Polvere Di Stelle", "Sonar", "Di Giorno In Giorno", and "On Green Dolphin Street". CD

A nice small group set – with Shepp on tenor and vocal, plus Enrico Rava on trumpet, Siefried Kessler on piano and keyboards, Wilbur Little on bass, and Clifford Jarvis on drums. Includes the long title track "Little Red Moon", and a version of "Naima". CD

This Japanese group have certainly grown up a lot – and this beautiful album is their most mature in years! The combo is fronted by singer Ann Sally – whose English language vocals add a tremendous amount of sophistication to the record – snaking forth in a cool jazzy style that goes way past the easy bossa remake mode of earlier albums. Sally's voice is incredible, and it's mixed with a well-constructed set of backings by the group, music that is especially heavy in its use of Fender Rhodes! The track list is great, too – with wonderful remakes of Fred Neil's "The Dolphins", Flora Purim's "Light As A Feather", Herbie Hancock's "Dolphin Dance", and Coltrane's "Naima". Sweet, mellow, jazzy, and wonderfully rich – the group's best album in years! Italian version of the album features 2 tracks not on the Japanese one – "Butterfly (Incognito rmx)" and "Sky (Soul Bossa Trio blue rmx)". CD

Totally wonderful spy soundtrack work from Piero Umiliani – done in his best groovy style of the 60s, with a brilliant mix of jazz and mod elements throughout! Umiliani's extrapolating from the more famous spy sounds of Bond and Barry, and takes things very strongly into his own territory with a blend of light woodwinds, moody Hammond, snapping snare, and a bit of strings as well – interwoven with a really fresh feel that includes a bit of the bossa styles you'd hear in other Italian work of the time! Given the obscurity of the film, the soundtrack's a great discovery – and steps out boldly here on this set of 21 tracks from the movie. CD

A really cool spy soundtrack from the Italian 60s scene – put together by Piero Umiliani with lots of jazzy touches! The music here is a nice change from the more obvious, more familiar American spy modes of the time – and often uses some cool vibes mixed with horns, to create this blend of tension and action that flows together wonderfully! The tunes are really evocative – almost little mini-movies on their own, even without the film – and there's a core theme that's very catchy – never dominating the soundtrack, but showing up in little bursts to tie the whole thing together. 20 tracks in all, great sound, and the package includes a little fold-out movie poster! CD

A wonderful sound library set from the great Piero Umiliani – and a record that's filled with some of his coolest electronics ever! The feel of the record is very much in keeping with the image on the cover – kind of sci fi, but kind of playful too – a wonderful blend of keyboards and moogy bits, often played with a cool little groove – but one that's laidback enough to recall Umiliani's best soundtrack music! Tunes are relatively short – between one and four minutes in length – but really have a great sense of variety and imagination – at a level that goes way beyond some of the overdone repetition you might find in other albums of this nature. Really great all the way through – with cuts that include "Futuristic Jam", "Killer Robot", "Soft Key", "Bric Brac", "Soundmaker Blues", "Gadget", "Danza Galattica", and "Jingle No 1". CD

A set of orginal big band pieces from Dino Betti Van Der Noot. Titles include "The Stuff Dreams Are Made On", "Our Heavenly Land", "Moonscape", "Just To Amuse A Muse", and "Not Merry Not Sad". CD

A cool late 90s set from reedman Bobby Watson – easily one of our favorite talents of his generation, working here in a laidback mode that's mighty nice! The set has Bobby blowing on both alto and soprano sax – the latter of which is always a treat – in a core combo that features piano, bass, drums, and guitar – the last used to color in the tunes gently, often matching the tones and sentiment of Watson's horn in a really nice way. There's a few other surprising elements too – a bit of wordless vocals from Pamela Watson on one track, and trumpet from Terrell Stafford on three more numbers – and given that Curtis Lundy handles bass and Ralph Peterson's on drums, you can bet that the album's got some very solid rhythmic grounding, even when things are gentle. Titles include "Just For Today", "Always A Friend", "Nubian Breakdown", "Nanatsu No Ko", "Concentric Circles", "Back Home Again With You", and "Afternoon In Ottobrun". CD

With Hamiet Bluiett, Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake, and David Murray on a multitude of saxophones, clarinets – even a bit of flute. Titles include "Ming", "David's Tune", "I Heard That", "Quinn Chapel AME Church", "Affairs Of The Heart", and "Little Samba". CD

With Hamiet Bluiett, Julius Hemphill, David Murray, and Oliver Lake – each playing a variety saxophones. Titles include "R&B", "Hearts", "PO In Cairo", "Steppin", and "Ra Ta Ta". CD

Really groundbreaking work from the World Sax Quartet – one of the first, and best, all-horn ensembles! The strength of the album definitely hangs on the backgrounds of the players – Julius Hemphill, Hamiet Bluiett, Oliver Lake, and David Murray – all already key reedmen in left field jazz, with a sense of sound and identity that makes each part of the group as strong as its whole – a great trading of musical minds, spirits, and sounds. Instrumentation includes alto, tenor, baritone, clarinet, soprano sax, and bass clarinet – and titles include "Sundance", "Pillars Latino", "Suite Music", "Sound Light", "Connections", and "Fast Life". CD

A hell of a singer, working here with some wonderful grooves from Timo Lassy – an artist we've really loved for his own jazzy projects in the past! Joyce Elaine Yuille has this style that's very classic, and very groovy – jazz-based, with a nice rasp in her voice that really brings out some of the more soulful qualities in the music – and able to write her own lyrics, too – which makes for a wonderful record that's full of fresh sounds at every turn! Lassy's music is wonderful too – tightly snapping on the rhythms, but never forced – and with a jazz current that's a nice change from other contemporary soul production, which might have been added to the record with a bigger label. But clearly, the real star of the show is Joyce – a talent that will definitely be huge in years to come – a rock-solid singer and songwriter who may well turn out to be the female equivalent of Gregory Porter. Titles include "Come With Me", "Tryin Times", "Chaos", "It's Madness", "Make Right", "Welcome To My World", "Follow The Sun", and "Late I Rise". CD

The AACM torch is still held proud and firm in this great recording by Air from 1980. Mssrs. Threadgill, Hopkins, and McCall play in a manner that blends freeness with soulfulness and a nice dash of creative humor – which results in a trio of tracks that are essential listening for fans of the group. Titles include "BK", which features some great flute work by Threadgill, plus "RB" and "CT, JL". CD

Sexy ladies on the cover, and some equally sexy sounds underneath – served up in a perfect 60s Italian blend of jazz and bossa-based styles! Sweeping strings bring a nice sense of depth to some numbers, while others have a more intimate feel – either via spare guitar, or some jazzy elements on piano, sax, and organ – shifting instrumentation that really keeps things interesting throughout, and which makes the record feel like some rich narrative on its own, in sound – without any need for the images on the screen. The whole thing is wonderful – one of those Italian soundtrack treasures that delivers even more than it promises – and music was composed by Alessandro Alessandroni and Francesco De Masi, then orchestrated by De Masi, with some cool wordless vocal moments as well. Titles include a number of variations on "Lesbo" plus the sweet vocal opener "Qualsiasi Cosa", "Crepuscolo Sul Mare", and "IL'Isola Dell'Amore". CD

Two early calypso albums on Capitol Records – both pretty unique! First up are some of the first-ever recordings by Harry Belafonte – material recorded in 1949, with Pete Rugolo backings that are really amazing – as jazzy and modern as anything Rugolo did for other singers of the time, with only a hint of calypso in the rhythms. Belafonte sounds quite different on the sides than in later years – still with those tremendous vocals, but almost more of a jazz singer at points – which is a really surprising discovery! This aspect's supported strongly by the choice of tunes – which includes "Deep As The River", "Farewell To Arms", "Close Your Eyes", "The Didn't Believe Me", and "I Still Get A Thrill". Next up is a full album of straighter calypso material by Lord Flea & His Calypsonians – but one that also has a bit of a Capitol Records groove! Flea plays acoustic guitar and sings, and percussion is nice and tight – but there's also a fuller sense of space on the record, one that really sets it apart from other 50s efforts of this type – kind of a Capitol clarity that really adds a lot of charm. Titles include "Out De Fire", "Mister Give Me De Rent", "It All Began With Adam & Eve", "Jump In The Line", "Run Run Run", "Love", and "Monkey". CD

Wild! Another beautiful release in the Easy Tempo series of lost Italian music from the late 60's and early 70's. This one's a haunting moody set of tracks that mix percussion, electric bass, organ, and a wordless female voice in a haunting soundscape of sexy tracks with a totally unique feel. The stuff is spooky, sexy, tinged with a 60's soundtrack groove, but imbued with all the erotics of the best 70's stuff. We can only compare this one to some of the best moody tracks on Camille 2000, but it's also got a feel that's totally unique. The tracks are all numbered, and titled "Ore 18", "Ore 20", etc – and the CD works beautifully as an extended sexy soundscape. More great stuff that we'd never have heard otherwise, put together in a stunning package by Easy Tempo! CD

An incredible early experimental album from Art Blakey – one of the first to feature him in expanded percussion format! Side one of the album features the extended "Drum Suite" – a set of 3 tracks ("The Sacrifice", "Cubano Chant", and "Oscalypso") that has Blakey and Jo Jones on drums, joined by Sabu Martinez on bongos and Charles Wright on tympani and gong. Ray Bryant snakes some soulful piano through the set and Oscar Pettiford is on bass and cello – and the overall feeling of the side is similar to some of Blakey's work in the format for Blue Note – like the albums Afro-Drum Orgy or Holiday for Percussion. Side two has straight hard bop, played by Blakey's 1957 combo that included Jackie McLean and Bill Hardman – and the group grooves hard on a classic reading of "Nica's Tempo", plus the cuts "D's Dilemma" and "Just For Marty". CD features 3 bonus tracks – unedited versions of "Lil'T" and "The New Message"! 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

The lone album from the Bubble Puppy – a monumental effort of late 60s hard grooving psychedelia – and one of very best albums to come out of the original Texas psych scene! A couple of the Pup's labelmates at United Artists get a lot of revelry all these years later, and rightfully so – who would argue the importance of The Red Krayola and 13th Floor Elevators – but Bubbly Puppy deserve to be on that top shelf, too. The sound is tight and hard hitting, with trippy lyricism and groovy group harmonies, while the guitars range from cathartic fuzz to some surprisingly pretty melodicism. Not as far out as some of their peers, but the groove is absolutely killer. Titles include the benchmark single "Hot Smoke And Sasafrass", plus "Todd's Tune", "I've Got To Reach You", "Lonely", "Hurry Sundown", "Elizabeth", "It's Safe To Say", "Beginning" and much more. CD

One of the more obscure reissues to come out on the great Rearward imprint – but an excellent lost session of piano jazz, recorded in Milan in 1969! Pianist Oscar Rocchi has a sweet soulful approach to the piano, with a tone that's almost slightly funky at times – partly in reflection to the strong bass work by Cornelio Dattoli, and tight drumming by Gianni Cazzola. The record almost reminds us of some of the excellent 70s Japanese trio recordings by American pianists – and the whole set has a nice warm quality that you wouldn't expect from a record titled Abstraction! Includes a version of Edu Lobo's "Cancao Do Amanhecer", plus "FBM Blues", "Moment Of Joy", "Ivory Isle", and "Remember Coltrane". CD

The first album from this key group of Ornette Coleman alums – an all-star combo that features work from Don Cherry on pocket trumpet, Dewey Redman on tenor, Charlie Haden on bass, and Ed Blackwell on drums! The sound here is quite Ornette-inspired at times – with a definite late 70s harmelodic groove – but given the organic, acoustic nature of the lineup, the sound is almost more faithful to Coleman's vision than Ornette's records of the time. Haden and Blackwell are great together, as always – driving the tunes with a rhythmic force that Cherry and Redman can't help but carry through. Titles include "Handwoven", "Dewey's Tune", "Chairman Mao", "Next To The Quiet Stream", "Augmented", and "Old & New Dreams". CD

Another fine effort from the Chicago Underground Duo – multi-instrumentalists Chad Talyor and Rob Mazurek – and like the duo's earlier work on Thrill Jockey, it's a wonderful listen, that traipses through elements of Don Cherry-like jazz experimentation, and percussive, minimalist avant rock! The sound is uncategorizable in the best sense, and the duo has chops that devour most of their contempories. Another great one! Mazurek works on cornet, organ, celest, piano, harpsichord and more, and Taylor is drums, perussion, gongs vibe and more. Tracks include "In Praise Of Shadows", "Falling Awake", "The Glass House", "Cities Without Citadels", "Pangea", "Funeral Of Dreams" and "The Light Between". CD

A large group in a small club – the legendary Clarke Boland Big Band, playing at the home turf of one of their key members – tenorist Ronnie Scott! The set features a very legendary performance by the ensemble – a crack lineup that's easily one of the best ever sported by the CBBB – perfectly mixing American rhythms, and a trans-Atlantic lineup of soloists – all tied together with just the sort of rich arrangements that make the group so great! Things groove right from the get-go – thanks to a rhythm lineup that features Kenny Clarke on drums, and Francy Boland on piano – plus bassist Ron Matthewson, sitting in for the usual Jimmy Woode. The horn players really send things off, though – tight trumpets from Benny Bailey, Idrees Sulieman, and Dusko Goykovich; bold trombones from Ake Persson and Nat Peck; and some searing reed lines from Johnny Griffin and Ronnie Scott on tenor, Derek Humble on alto, Sahib Shihab on baritone, and Tony Coe on both tenor and clarinet. This CD features both the first and second sets at Scotts by the group – albums titled Volcano and Rue Chaptal – with titles that include "Volcano", "Griff's Groove", "Now Hear My Meanin", "Box 703 Washington DC", "Thence We Issued Out Again to See the Stars", "Rue Chaptal", "I Don't Want Nothin From Nobody & I Ain't Giving Nothin Away", "Sax No End", "Minor Blues", and "The Girl & The Turk". CD

Essential! The mighty debut album from African disciples Culture pairing up with the Mighty Two, Joe Gibbs and Errol Thompson is one of the landmark sets of roots reggae, a defining moment of the genre dropped during the year when two sevens clashed. And though the apocalypse didn't rain down from the skies in '77, this album was certainly a world-changing event, one of the finest moments in Kingston's rich musical history! Gibbs provides the trio with a set of uplifting rhythms over which to harmonize, and Culture comes correct on every track, combining a tightly harmonized approach with a rawer, rootsier sound. 10 tracks in all, including "I'm Alone In The Wilderness", "Pirate Days", "Two Sevens Clash", "Caling Rastafari", "I'm Not Ashamed", 'Get Ready To Ride The Lion To Zion", "Black Starliner Must Come", "Jah Pretty Face", 'See Them A Come" and "Natty Dread Taking Over". CD

Right On! Quite possibly the heaviest, baddest music ever laid to tape, this set offers up over 6 hours of some of the deepest, darkest free jazz, afro funk, fist in the air post-modern musique concrete to sprout from Miles' horn and crew! This box closes the door on the studio side of what may be the most influential studio jams wrought at the turn of the 70s, issuing the unedited original takes of the material that Miles and Teo Macero would parse down and edit into On The Corner and Big Fun, plus some material that made it out on various compilations later issued on Columbia, and best of all, a dozen never before released tracks! The core group here is Miles, Michael Henderson, Mtume, Al Foster and Reggie Lucas, but Dave Liebman, Carlos Garnett, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Jack Dejohnette, Pete Cosey, Badal Roy, Bennie Maupin and John McLaughlin, as well as a number of other players, are all featured, which isn't surprising when you consider the ground covered here! The groove here is unstoppable funk, as on the nearly 20 minute jam that is the unedited full take of "On The Corner" and drawn out renditions of "Mtume", "Turnaround", "Ife" and "Helen Butte/Mr Freedom X", but the vibe veers in other directions too, as with the breezy "Maiysha", the multilayered "Calypso Frelimo" and the spacious "He Loved Him Madly". There's 31 tracks spread out over the 6 discs, ther unissued gems include "Hip-Skip", "Chieftain", "What They Do", "Peace" and "Mr Foster", and as you'd expect, the box is extra deluxe, with a thick booklet full of notes and some great quotes from the band, and a sweet metallic box to hold it all together! Vote Miles! CD

Mind blowing work from Miles Davis – an album that moves far past even any of his most adventurous studio work! The album features a live set from 1969, recorded in Paris with Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Dave Holland, and Jack DeJohnette – and the sound on here is crazy, and goes waaaay out – farther out than anything we've ever heard by Miles! At times, the tracks break down completely – and get very very noisy – sounding almost like a record by some 80s industrial group than by Miles in his early electric years! Corea goes crazy on the keyboards, and shows his avant side better than anywhere else we've ever seen – and the whole group is really tremendous overall. The album features two long tracks – "Double Image" and "Gemini". CD

Miles Davis' last studio session before a few years of seclusion – and a really monumental effort, probably the baddest of the electric period! The album does a great job of capturing the energy of the frenzied live sets from that time, and matching it with Teo Macero's cut and paste editing, and wizardry at the mixing console. The side long piece "He Loved Him Madly" is a minimalist epic, while "Calypso Frelimo" alternates between mad afro-percussion driven jams and spacey wah-wah trumpet interludes. The rest of the album is divided up into more succinct shorter funky pieces, like classic "Rated X", with Miles basically just leaning on an electric organ over a hyper funk beat, and the bluesy "Honky Tonk" which opens with an incredibly funky burping electric piano break! CD

A soaring, joyous score from Francesco De Masi – not nearly as dark as some of the other spaghetti western soundtracks of the time – and filled with the sort of proud, bold sounds you might expect from a more mainstream American western! There's still plenty creative going on in the orchestrations, though – lots of cool woodwind and brass passages, layered with the strings to create rich textures in sound – and often holding back energy with this sort of inherent drama that really keeps things moving nicely. There's a bit of chorus vocals at points, from I Cantori Moderni – who sound more heavenly than usual – and titles include "Armonica Western", "Arkansas Commento No 1", "Arkansas Suspense", "Yucca Theme", and "Non Sparate Sul Cantate". CD

An early 60s Italian tale of love between a boy, a girl, and a shark – scored here with some great exotic elements from Francesco De Masi! The approach is slightly in the mode of the early exotica scene in late 50s US – more conventional charts mixed with just a few island-styled elements – either an exotic woodwind, unusual keyboard passage, or twangy steel guitar – all used in lots of different ways to spice up the sound of the film! Think some of the more serious Les Baxter albums – like Ports Of Pleasure – and you'll get part of the feel here – although the overall soundtrack has a lot more variety, including a few sweet jazzy moments. 2CD set features a massive 50 tracks in all – with loads of rare, unreleased, and alternate titles! CD

A really sweet soundtrack to an earlier Spaghetti Western flick – 1965's Una Barra Per Lo Sceriffo, composed by Francesco De Masi! As with most of these 60s western gems, this one opens with a very cool theme – "A Lone And Angry Man", sung in English and with kind of a fun, almost loungey charisma to the vocals, which is a nice balance to the galloping, wild west instrumentation! The tracks that follow range from sweeping string sections to spare acoustic guitars, often with clip-clopping percussion and horns on the grander numbers – that sublime spaghetti mode that was always very different than the drama of American westerns, and which makes a set like this so great. CD features 15 tracks in all – a few of which feature chorus vocals by I Cantori Modern. CD

An excellent album of groovy jazz from the European scene of the mid 60s – and one that pairs the talents of the great (and nearly forgotten) Austrian tenor player Karl Drewo with the groovy small band of the legendary pianist Francy Boland! Although he hails from Vienna, Drewo's tone is nice and deep, with a heavy cutting tenor sound that's right up there with American giants like Johnny Griffin or Eddie Lockjaw Davis. He's playing here with a tight hardbop septet, fronted by Francy Boland, and featuring a unique 3-piece trombone section for the rhythm parts. Most of the solos are Drewos', and his tenor cuts nice and deep through the arrangements of the band as they groove with a good solid sound. Titles include "JLK", "Young Bucks", "Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie", "Limehouse Blues", "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" and "Foot Pattin". Nice cover, too! CD

2 George Duning soundtracks – back to back on one CD! Bell Book & Candle is a wonderful jazzy soundtrack from the end of the 50s – written for an ultra-cool film that starred Kim Novak and Jimmy Stewart in a comedy about beatnik witches in New York! Much of the soundtrack has a cool beat jazz sort of feel to it – and many tracks feature strong solo work by Pete and Conte Candoli, who also perform a bit in nightclub scenes in the film. Other tracks have a slightly more orchestral feel, but one that's still quite light, given the nice themes in the movie – and which also features some playful bits that still keep things jazzy. Titles include "Way Out Calypso", "Send Me Nicky", "Pyewacket Returns", "Zodiac Blues", "L'Assassin Ennuye", and "Shep Shook". 1001 Arabian Nights is pretty darn groovy too – not your usual version of the tales, as the film was an animated effort starring Jim Backus' Mr Magoo character! Duning's music has some of the dramatic and exotic touches you'd expect for an Arabian Nights film – but it's also got a lot more playful ones too, in keeping with the cartoony presentation. Backus sings "Magoo's Blues", The Clark Sisters sing "Three Little Maids From Damascus", and other titles include "Unhappy Magoo", "Bar Fly Magoo", "Dream Ballet", "Crazy Carpet", and "Wedding Celebration". CD

A real treasure trove of music from the legendary Bill Evans – the complete recordings the pianist made for Verve Records in the 60s, including trio sessions, solo material, and interesting larger projects as well – plus alternate takes, unissued material, and lots more gems! Evans hit Verve at the height of his powers – already coming off important early records for the Riverside label, and working with Verve with superb recording quality, and great care for Evans as an artist – which allowed Bill to further flower in his familiar trio setting, and also try out solo recordings, and work with other co-leaders who include arranger Gary McFarland, tenorist Stan Getz, guitarist Jim Hall, and singer Monica Zetterlund – all of whom work closely with Evans on a session. The box features remastering for all sides, and includes over 250 tracks in a really overstuffed package! CD

Features Riccardo Fassi on piano, Gary Smulyan on baritone sax, Massimo Moriconi on bass, and Giampaolo Ascolese on drums. Tracks are all originals by Fassi and include "Why Buddha", "Energia", "Blues For Us", and "Marte". CD

With Henry Threadgill, James Newton, Pedro Eustache, and Melecio Magdaluyo. CD

There's nothing standard about this set – as Joe Henderson always brings something special to a recording session – especially at this point in his career! The album has a wonderful format – Joe's unique tenor tone set up beautifully alongside the bass of Rufus Reid and drums of Al Foster – no piano or other horns at all, just an open, swinging combo with a really great sense of energy! Joe's bold lead really sets the tone for most numbers – and a few tracks are compositions that Henderson recorded famously early in his career, recast here with a whole new sound and heightened sense of maturity. Titles include "Blues In F (aka In N Out)", "Blue Bossa", "Inner Urge", "Body & Soul", and "Take The A Train". Also features a bonus alternate of "Body & Soul". CD

Loads of great guitar in this classic 60s western – sometimes twangy, sometimes driving, and sometimes mixed nicely with trumpet – all for a sound that really makes the score one of the best from the spaghetti western generation! There's a bold, fresh approach to the whole thing – a style that's really confident in its execution, and which really makes you feel like the film's striking out to some great new territory. We're honestly not that familiar with other work by Michele Lacerenza, but this one's a gem – and also features some chorus vocals from I Cantori Moderni, harmonica from Franco De Gemini, and trumpet from Michele himself! CD features a total of 24 tracks – including "Al Tramonto", "Caccia", "Inseguimento", "Leggende Del West", "Contro I Nemici", "Spiando Il Nemico", and "In Chiesa". CD

Steve Lacy's legendary Argentinean recording – one of his boldest moments of the early years, and the start of a long history of superb work away from the American scene! The group here is quite unusual – as players include Enrico Rava on trumpet, Johnny Dyani on bass, and Louis Moholo on drums – one budding European improviser, and two key members of the Blue Notes – who'd left South Africa for the UK by the time of this release. The live performance features only two long tracks – "Forest" and "Zoo" – both played with a sense of freedom not heard before in Lacy's music, at a level that really points the way towards his explosive presence in the French and Italian scenes in years to come! CD

A western soundtrack, but one that's a bit different than usual – thanks to lots of groovy touches from Angelo Lavagnino! Right from the start, the music steps out with a fresh flavor – a cool instrumental theme that has a nicely heavy bottom that grooves things along – followed by a blend of tunes that range from dramatic to playful, often using some standout instrumentation that changes the flavors up nicely – a bit of ragtime piano here, some malleted percussion there, and even some echoey, abstracted sounds that are especially nice! There's way more to offer here than just the usual spaghetti sounds from the time – and the reissue package has great sound, and a total of 21 tracks that include "Allegro Saloon", "Oggi A Me Domani A Te", "Inseguimento A Cavallo", "Valzer Saloon", "La Furia Di Elfego", "Caccia Spietata", "Scoperta", and "Tensione Mortale". CD

A set that shows the strong relation Joe McPhee has had with the Chicago scene in the past decade or so – a live date recorded in Italy, but featuring Joe in the company of Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello and Michael Zerang on percussion! The recording has a very loose, open feel – very much concerned with sound, and not just from McPhee's tenor sax and pocket trumpet, but also from the instruments of Lonberg-Holm and Zerang, which are recorded here with a really tremendous sound. The percussion is especially clear – coming through with a great sense of texture that really grounds the record, and lets Joe get a bit free at points. Titles include "Variations On Nation Time", "Variations On Remembrance", "Variations On Harriett", and "Feather Exchange". CD

A classic 70s Italian crime soundtrack – presented here in full format for the first time ever, and filled with wonderful tunes in a variety of styles! There's a quality to the music that really matches the badass image on the front – a bold, forceful approach that has the upbeat numbers strutting along with plenty of pride – and which has the mellower, more brooding tracks working themes that are simple, but which pack the same force as the revolver on the cover. Franco Micalizzi uses some great keyboards throughout – often a bit light, with a style that's sometimes veering towards electric harpsichord, but other times in a more Goblin-like mode – almost horror-styled, especially when interwoven with acoustic piano. Tunes build up with force as the soundtrack rolls on – and this CD reissue features a whopping 30 tracks in all – with titles that include "Bloody Robbery", "Rush For A Sign", "Betti's Investigation", "Criminals At Work", "Useless Waiting", "Crime Outcome", "Folk & Violence", "Ten Minutes To One", and the vocal number "A Man Before Your Time". CD

An overlooked Morricone score – one that contains some of his coolest themes! The soundtrack was written for an obscure 1968 thriller starring Vittorio Gassman – and the overall approach has some wonderfully imaginative orchestrations – dark at times, but lightly floating with some really catchy tunes at others! Includes a male vocal version of "Canzone Della Liberta", the classic "Belinda May", and other tracks that include "Pennellate", "Una Fotografia", "Recitazione Corale", "Lo Libero", "Sognando", and "Immagini Del Tempo". This expanded CD features a whopping 27 tracks in all – including some great alternate takes and other unusual versions! CD

A beautifully building score from Ennio Morricone – one that's filled with tracks that start out slow, then layer on elements in a really wonderful way! The main theme is a bit dreamy, but some others are a bit dark – and are done in an arry of jagged sounds and offbeat instrumental tunings that reminds us a bit of Morricone's brilliance on the score for The Burglars (Gli Scassinatori). As with that one, piano figures strongly on some of the tunes here – recorded with spare, echoey qualities – but in ways that are hardly the sweeter tones of Morricone's more famous scores of later years. CD features a total of 19 tracks in all – a nicely expanded version of the soundtrack! CD

A very groovy early soundtrack by Ennio Morricone – done with a fantastic sound that's made even more wonderful by vocal work from I Cantori Moderni – a hip vocalese group that's kind of the Italian version of The Swingle Singers! The group has sung more famously on soundtracks by Armando Trovajoli – but they sound pretty darn great on this one, leaping along wonderfully over some spy-like themes that often resonate with some 60s mod touches! Morricone's music is often jazzy, and pretty groovy at times too – giving the set a 60s swing that's completely sublime. The structure of this reissue differs greatly from the one on Dagored – as it features 23 shorter tracks – including some previously unreleased numbers – all variations on the "Slalom" and "Sestriere" themes, with sub-headings that include "Una Sera In Albergo", "Marcette Grottesche", "In Pericolo", "Titoli Versione Film", "Un Omicidio Misterioso", "Sperduto A El Cairo I", and "Incontro Magic III". CD

A richly complex set from David Murray – and a record that offers up a much wider range of moods than some of his other sessions from the time! Some numbers have an angular, almost aggressive groove – one that comes from the presence of group members James Blood Ulmer on guitar and Lonnie Plaxico on bass – but other moments are a bit more introspective, and show the more soulful side of Murray's blowing – a great balance that makes the record a perfect illustration of his growing players at the time. Other group members include Don Pullen on piano and Marvin Smitty Smith on drums – and Murray plays both tenor and bass clarinet. All tracks are long, and titles include "Death", "David Mingus", "All The Things You Are", and "Tension". CD

An early western soundtrack from Italian maestro Bruno Nicolai – presented here for the first time ever, complete with a huge number of tracks from this obscure film! Much of the work is in a tense orchestra mode – peppered with western themes, but more conventionally dramatic overall – and filled with the dark touches that Nicolai usually brought to more of his non-western work. Franco De Gemini plays stark harmonica lines on a few of the most noteworthy tracks on the album, and a few other cuts use a weirdly-tuned Jews harp to create some Morricone-like notes. CD features 28 titles in all – all lovingly remastered from the original master tapes! CD