A legendary sound library album on the famous Italian Octopus label – and a set that's maybe one of the most unusual to be recorded by Amadeo Tommasi! The music is filled with all sorts of weird sounds and production elements – almost taking the experiments of the musique concrete generation, and then mixing them with groovier, more upbeat sounds from the early 70s Italian scene – so that things might be jazzy one minute, funky the next, and haunting after that – all at a level that makes the whole thing one of the tip top Italian library gems of the period! Titles include "Crisi Politica", "Episodio Di Cronaca", "Manifestazione Mondana", "Avvenimento Drammatico", "Ripresa Esterna", "Colpo Di STato", and "Problema Ecologico". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic blend of funk, jazz, and Cuban rhythms – served up by the youthful Irakere, working here at the height of their powers! There's a sense of boundless energy throughout the entire record – an effort to try on so many things at once, and somehow get them all really right – from the complicated piano passages of Chucho Valdes, to the slight use of electricity on the fuzzy guitars or keyboards, to the soaring horns that really show some great sparkle from the young Paquito D'Rivera! Tunes are short, but almost have the full drive of much longer descarga numbers – and titles include "Valle Picadura", "Bacalao Con Pan", "Danza De Los Nanigos", "Quindiambo", and "Misaluba". CD

A fantastic blend of funk, jazz, and Cuban rhythms – served up by the youthful Irakere, working here at the height of their powers! There's a sense of boundless energy throughout the entire record – an effort to try on so many things at once, and somehow get them all really right – from the complicated piano passages of Chucho Valdes, to the slight use of electricity on the fuzzy guitars or keyboards, to the soaring horns that really show some great sparkle from the young Paquito D'Rivera! Tunes are short, but almost have the full drive of much longer descarga numbers – and titles include "Valle Picadura", "Bacalao Con Pan", "Danza De Los Nanigos", "Quindiambo", and "Misaluba". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

Includes seven tracks recorded with three different quartets. Other players include Amadeo Tommasi, Bob Mover, Larry Ridley, Jacques Peltzer, Lucio Terzano, and Giancarlo Pillot. CD

One of Chet Baker's rarest albums – and a great one! The session was recorded in Rome in 1962, at a time when Chet's star had fallen quite a bit on the American scene, and it features him working with some of the hippest European players at the time – like Rene Thomas on guitar, Bobby Jaspar on tenor and flute, Amadeo Tomassi on piano, and Daniel Humair on drums. The tracks are longer than those on some of Chet's earlier albums – with an angularity that brings out new modes of blowing on some of his solos. Titles include "Blues In The Closet", "Barbados", "Star Eyes", "Pent Up House", and "Ballata In Forma Di Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

The session was recorded in Rome in 1962, at a time when Chet's star had fallen quite a bit on the American scene, and it features him working with some of the hippest European players at the time – like Rene Thomas on guitar, Bobby Jaspar on tenor and flute, Amadeo Tomassi on piano, and Daniel Humair on drums. Titles include "Blues In The Closet", "Barbados", "Star Eyes", "Pent Up House", and "Ballata In Forma Di Blues". CD

The session was recorded in Rome in 1962, at a time when Chet's star had fallen quite a bit on the American scene, and it features him working with some of the hippest European players at the time – like Rene Thomas on guitar, Bobby Jaspar on tenor and flute, Amadeo Tomassi on piano, and Daniel Humair on drums. Titles include "Blues In The Closet", "Barbados", "Star Eyes", "Pent Up House", and "Ballata In Forma Di Blues". CD

Fantastic funk from the Belgian scene of the 70s – a really mad mix of sounds and styles, and a really revelatory set overall! Few people might use the words "Belgium" and "funk" in the same sentence – but that may well change after this sweet set gets a few spins – as the whole thing's a stunning array of groovers that not only match the best jazz, funk, and sound library tracks from other European scenes in the 70s – they also do a great job of taking on the best America had to offer too! Belgium was no stranger to soul and funk – given its fervent 60s soul collectors scene, and the nation's role as a crossroads in Europe – which left it open to plenty of influence from visiting musicians, including American artists as well. You can definitely hear all that coming into play here – as the work is nicely fresh, and very free of overdone cliches or easy references – as these guys all take the best bits that might have influenced them, and jumbled them up into something really new. The scope of sounds is wonderful – and titles include "Funky Tramway" by Mad Unity, "Sunshine Star" by Open Sky Unit, "Gimme Some More Of That" by Plus, "Funky" by Andre Brasseur, "Avenue Louise" by Black Blood, "Music & Co" by Les Helions, "Balek" by Placebo, "Librium" by Chicken Curry & His Pop Percussion Orchestra, "Top Less" by Alex Scorier, "Stories" by Chakachas, "Ostinato Bass" by Rene Costy, "Memories" by Amadeo, "Viva Boma" by Cos, "Pop In Three" by The Rapture, "Smoke" by Leo Cavallo, "Marakesh" by Hein Huysmans Kwintet, "One For You" by Doug Lucas, "Put Everything Together" by Plus, "Lord Funk" by Super Funk Special, and "Humpty Dumpty" by Placebo. CD