... LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet 70s groover from Italian soundtrack maestro Armando Trovajoli – one that has some nice funky tracks! There's a bit more electricity running through the mix than on Trovajoli's 60s recordings – sweet keys and bass bubbling under the strings, and often hitting some nice laidback funky tunes in a sexy 70s Euro style. Some cuts are mellower and more traditional, but the electric ones, especially those with a bit of moog, are totally great – and the album's a great reminder of why Trovajoli continues to be one of our favorite soundtrack composers ever! Titles include "Racconto Televisivo", "Brutti Sporchi E Cattivi", "Nonna Antonecca", and "Il Sogno". This stunning version is overflowing with bonus tracks – a total of 22 numbers in all, and way more than the previous CD release! CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Starring Nino Manfredi, Ornella Vanoni, and Aldo Fabrizi. LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little soundtrack by the great Trovajoli – scored for an Italian sex comedy starring Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni! The film's divided up into three segments with three different themes – the first of which is historical, the other two of which are great and groovy! The "Anna" segment features three strong jazz numbers – "Anna With The Rolls", "Descansado", and "Flowers For A Poor Millionaire". The "Mara" segment is the best, though, with some groovy jazz and organ bits that are similar to Trovajoli's best late 60s work. Titles include "Mara", "Rome, Don't Be Stupid", and "Portrait Of MM". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully groovy stuff – and one of the best soundtracks ever by the great Italian composer Armando Trovajoli! The record has a very similar feel to his legendary Seven Golden Men soundtrack – with a groovy swinging jazz vocal group (I Cantori Moderni) over jazzy riffing and groovin – on upbeat tunes that are very cool, with a mod 60s style throughout! The whole thing swings mightily – and kind of feels like what might have happened if the Swingle Singers ever recorded with Lalo Schifrin – his best jazz-infused instrumentation, and their wonderfully dynamic vocal approach. Titles include "The Getaway", "Seven Times Blues", "The Big Brain", "Jail", and "Seven Times Seven". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweetly slow-building soundtrack from maestro Armando Trovajoli – filled with water strings, light woodwinds, and some really dreamy sounds! The set's not as all-out groove oriented as some of Trovajoli's other late 60s work, but it more than makes up for that with a spacious sensibility that has the instrumentation kind of floating in the air – hung from clouds with tiny little threads, just blowing along in the breeze with an almost effortless sort of quality! The tunes flow nicely one into the other – with no grand themes, save for a few slightly more grooving moments – and Edda Dell'Orso manages to sneak in a few light vocal performances – but again, in a relatively spare and subtle way. Titles include "Come Quando Perche", "Presa Nella Rete", "Paula", "Onde Sulla Riva", "Una Notte Particolare", and "Disperazione Di Un Ricordo". CD

An excellent spaghetti western soundtrack by Italian composer Armando Trovajoli – for a film that's a bit lesser-known, but with music that's totally wonderful! The main theme may be recognizable for its recent use in Kill Bill, but the whole set's sparkling with surprises – and this great reissue features a total of 31 tracks, which includes a lot of bonus bits that take the CD way past the original album! Titles include "I Lunghi Giorni Della Vendetta", "Sole Alto", "L'Attesa", "La Prateria", "Ombre Al Tramonto", "Rabbia E Amore", and "Muori O Vivi". CD

Killer cop/crime music from the Italian scene of the 70s – a famous genre soundtrack from composer Armando Trovajoli, who's usually known for his work in warmer, sexier styles! The grooves here are right up there with the best that Italy has to offer from the time – full, jazzy backings that often have a bit of keyboards or guitars amidst the larger horns – and rhythms that manage to sound tightly compressed, despite the larger arrangements – in ways that help keep things sounding nice and lean. Trovajoli adds in isolated instruments at the best moments – particularly some woodwind bits that snake along with warmly melodic touches, or keyboards used in spare and subtle ways – and each track seems to offer up a fresh approach to the sound, making for a well-balanced batch of tracks that's far from cliche! Titles include "The Puzzle Is Completed", "A Very Strange Party", "Theme For A Murderer", "Louise", "Tony's Magnum", "Who Killed Louise", and "Black Pearl Necklace". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

The only album ever cut by conga player Armando Peraza – the killer percussionist who worked with Cal Tjader in the 60s! The album's got a very similar feel to Cal's work of the time – blending together jazz, Latin, and groovy 60s rhythms – with lots of percussion on the bottom, and instrumentation that includes electric piano, funky flute, and some nice alto sax. Most tracks have the off-center sound that you'd expect from the Skye label – and arrangements are by Cal and Gary McFarland, so you know the tunes are pretty darn great! Titles include a mix of originals like "Viva Pereza" and "Granny's Samba", plus covers like "Wild Thing" and "Funky Broadway". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool late 60s spy soundtrack from Italian maestro Armando Trovajoli – possibly one of his most dynamic scores of the time, filled with a range of modes – from jazzy, to moody, to mellow! The main theme of the film has a leaping, soaring piano/horn line that's totally great – quite driving and catchy, with enough of a groove to make it alone worth seeking out – but other tracks are plenty wonderful too, and feature a nice array of jazzy passages mixed with sweeter strings, plus a few sparer, more contemplative moments that echo the theme in very subtle ways. The lovely Lara Saint Paul sings the theme song "The Touch Of A Kiss" – and other titles include "The Report Is Completed", "Just Pull The Trigger", "The Last Gift", "A Bank In Zurich", "The Cottage Over The River", "Unexpected Note", "A Forced Meeting", "Suddenly An Old Friend", "Tears & Spies", and "She Dangerous Stuff". CD

Funky grooves, floating vocals, mellow keyboards, and a whole lot more – easily one of the greatest soundtracks ever from the legendary Armando Trovajoli – and certainly one of the grooviest too! There's a sublime quality to this score that's well made Sessomatto one of the best-remembered albums from the glory years of the Italian soundtracks – a sense of space, pacing, and timing that are simply breathtaking – and which are the perfect summation of Trovajoli's earlier experiments in music. As with his score to La Matriarca, the instrumentation here varies often – sometimes a bit of horns, nicely compressed; sometimes a floating harmonica line; sometimes keyboards; and sometimes a funky rhythm topped with vocals – all woven together in a rich pastiche of styles that makes the album one of the deepest soundtracks you'll hope to own from the time. The remastering here is wonderful – way better than the previous Japanese reissues, and done in a way that really isolates the best elements of the music – letting the simple balance of sound and space resonate beautifully, and exposing even more of Trovajoli's genius with a wealth of bonus tracks. These added numbers really open the whole thing up – taking the album way past the familiar "Sessomatto" theme (reworked and remixed for the dancefloor often in later years), and almost creating a mini-movie in sound – with all the requisite scene shifts and drama to match! CD features a whopping 41 tracks in all – with titles that include "Sessomatto", "Signora Sono Le Otto", "Two Happy People", "Ammuri Ammuri", "D'Amore Si Muore", "Un Amore Difficile", "Due Cuori E Una Birra", "Bravo Balli bene", "Scappa Gilda", "Vorrei Che Fosse Amore", "Searching For Something", and "L'Ospite". CD

A fantastic score from the great Armando Trovajoli – one of his few 60s classics to get any sort of circulation in the US – and one of the best! The album's got loads of scatting vocals by his great group I Cantori Modern – alongside upbeat chase tracks, crime jazz, and even a bit of electric harpsichord too! The music mixes together bubbling organ with swinging vocal riffs by I Cantori Moderni – an excellent little combo directed by Alessandro Alessandroni with a cool breezy vocal style that works perfectly with the other instrumentation. Tracks include "Ping Pong", "Thunder Bolt", "Walk On Home", and "Golden Bricks". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer cop/crime music from the Italian scene of the 70s – a famous genre soundtrack from composer Armando Trovajoli, who's usually known for his work in warmer, sexier styles! The grooves here are right up there with the best that Italy has to offer from the time – full, jazzy backings that often have a bit of keyboards or guitars amidst the larger horns – and rhythms that manage to sound tightly compressed, despite the larger arrangements – in ways that help keep things sounding nice and lean. Trovajoli adds in isolated instruments at the best moments – particularly some woodwind bits that snake along with warmly melodic touches, or keyboards used in spare and subtle ways – and each track seems to offer up a fresh approach to the sound, making for a well-balanced batch of tracks that's far from cliche! Titles include "The Puzzle Is Completed", "A Very Strange Party", "Theme For A Murderer", "Louise", "Tony's Magnum", "Who Killed Louise", and "Black Pearl Necklace". LP, Vinyl record album

Two very groovy soundtracks from Armando Trovajoli – an artist who can be one of the grooviest Italian film composers when he hits territory this great! Vedo Nudo has some really cool use of organ and rolling rhythms – a bit like Trovajoli's classic La Matriarca, but with a different flavor that includes nice use of jazzy instrumentation and some cool wordless vocals at points too – nicely varied, but also unified over the course of the 20 tracks that are presented on the CD! Dove Vai Tutta Nuda is presented here in a shorter range – just 6 tracks in all, but with a very nice sexy Italian groove – including a really cool vocal theme that mixes a breathy female lead with some great chorus vocals! CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Sexy genius from Armando Trovajoli – the undisputed master maestro of the 60s Italian comedy! Casanova 70 has a great little score that blends together jazz and lighter Italian styles – a great link between the straighter jazz modes used in early 60s films, and some of the groovier, more mod-oriented styles that were taking over the Italian scene in the later part of the decade! There's some especially nice use of electric harpsichord on the record – quick little lines that have a tinkling, shimmering feel – often set against fuller Hammond, and a warmly grooving sense of rhythm. Titles include "Blues For Casanova", "Sensual Jazz", "Casanova 70", "Striptease", "Dino's Blues", "700 Jazz", and "Rubacuori". Plus, this massive CD reissue features a total of 34 tracks – 26 of which weren't on the original album – and which make for a really fantastic package! CD

A beautiful score to this lesser-known Marcello Mastroianni film from 1970 – sublime sounds from the great Armando Trovajoli – done in a beautiful mix of electric keyboards, wordless vocals, and dreamy orchestrations! The set's got this warmly stepping groove that's really tremendous – spacious sounds that draw on Trovajoli's previous bossa work, with some more electric 70s elements at times – but never too much at all. The whole thing's as charming as you'd guess from the cover – and titles include "Se Mesi Di Felicita", "Tema Di Oreste", "Dramma Della Gelosia", "Incontro Alla Balera", and "Adelaide". CD also featuers 6 never-issued bonus tracks – plus a poster-style booklet too! CD

A really striking soundtrack from the great Armando Trovajoli – working here in a style that's a bit less bossa or mod than some of his other late 60s film scores, but with some wonderful musical moments throughout! The film's a period piece, and the instrumentation is somewhat more traditional than some of Trovajoli's modder or bossa moments – but the change is a nice one, and shows a richer, more complicated side of his music – especially on the few tracks that feature vocals from the lovely Edda Dell'Orso. Titles include "Nell Anno Del Signore", "Addio", "I Carbonari", "Paolina", "Tema De Giuditta", "Sapessi Quanto Amore", and "Coro Della Morte". Also features the bonus suite of tracks "Nell Anno Del Signore". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool album from the Italian branch of RCA Records – and a set that features a host of artists from other nations who briefly stopped over in Italy, and recorded some of these gems for the label! There's a core energy to the set, which balances contributions from a few key artists, mostly from America – and for jazz fans alone, the set is noteworthy for two tracks that have trumpeter Chet Baker blowing with orchestrations from a young Ennio Morricone – "So Che Ti Perdero" and "Il Mio Domani"! And there's plenty of other great bits too – singer Helen Merrill working with maestro Armando Trovajoli on "Nessuno Al Mondo" and "Estate" – plus Perez Prado on "Guaglione" and "Arrivederci Roma", Antonio Prieto on "Papa" and "Baciami", and even some very cool cuts from young poppers Paul Anka and Neil Sedaka. LP, Vinyl record album

A rare treat from the legendary Clarke-Boland Big Band – a sublime set of Italian soundtrack numbers first recorded in 1968! The set was cut at the height of the Italian soundtrack golden age, in Italy, where the group had been working and recording heavily – making for a perfect fit of styles: the sweet and groovy compositions of talents like Nino Rota, Armando Trovajoli, Piero Piccioni, and others, handled with the fire and energy that had become the trademark of the Clarke-Boland ensemble! The set grooves very nicely – with hard-swinging versions of tracks that include "More", "Seven Golden Men", "Your Smile", "Saxology", "La Hora De La Verdad", "Canto D'Amore", and "Questi Vent Anni Miei". CD

Seminal 70s work from one of the most righteous jazz musicians ever! On this set, Alice Coltrane moves past the rawer spiritual sound of her Impulse albums – working with a more focused vision and an approach to jazz that takes her way past the identity of just being "Mrs Coltrane", into territory that's a more perfect expression of her spiritual vision. The approach calls for more ambitious orchestrations, yet never in a way that overwhelms the jazz basis of the music – and Alice herself is on Fender Rhodes, organ, and harp – working with players who include Fred Jackson and Hubert Laws on reeds, Oscar Brashear on trumpet, George Bohannon on trombone, Charlie Haden on bass, Ben Riley on drums, and Armando Peraza on congas. Titles include "Spiritual Eternal", "Om Supreme", "Morning Workshop", "Wisdom Eye", and "Los Caballos". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal 70s work from one of the most righteous jazz musicians ever! On this set, Alice Coltrane moves past the rawer spiritual sound of her Impulse albums – working with a more focused vision and an approach to jazz that takes her way past the identity of just being "Mrs Coltrane", into territory that's a more perfect expression of her spiritual vision. The approach calls for more ambitious orchestrations, yet never in a way that overwhelms the jazz basis of the music – and Alice herself is on Fender Rhodes, organ, and harp – working with players who include Fred Jackson and Hubert Laws on reeds, Oscar Brashear on trumpet, George Bohannon on trombone, Charlie Haden on bass, Ben Riley on drums, and Armando Peraza on congas. Titles include "Spiritual Eternal", "Om Supreme", "Morning Workshop", "Wisdom Eye", and "Los Caballos". LP, Vinyl record album

Very expressive work from Chick Corea – a solo set from the 90s, and a great reminder of his acoustic talents on the piano! Although Chick's a player you might normally associate with electric riffs and freewheeling fusion, he's also a very sensitive stylist when he wants to be – as you'll hear on the album's beautiful versions of familiar standards – played by Corea in ways that really open the tunes up, and in surprisingly short amount of time. It's almost as if Chick's brought all the open-ended modes he learned from the fusion years back to traditional jazz piano – making them work beautifully, all without any tricks or gimmicks. Titles include "Monk's Mood", "My Ship", "Lush Life", "Armando's Rhumba", "Stella By Starlight", and "This Nearly Was Mine". CD

Two sublime early tracks from pianist George Duke – both from his first MPS album, never issued in the US! "My Soul" has this great rolling groove, with congas from Armando Peraza giving things a nice Latin vibe – as George plays both piano and Fender Rhodes together, for a very warm sound! "Au Right" has lots more great Rhodes – a killer solo that bumps along beautifully over funky drums! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Great later blowing from John Klemmer – clear, clean, and extremely well-focused – with nary a dull moment throughout! The album's a mostly acoustic one – save for some keyboards from Milcho Leviev – and the sound is tremendous, very much in keeping with the farther-reaching modes that Klemmer was exploring at the start of the 70s – imaginative, always-creative solos that really take off in the freedoms of the post-Coltrane years, yet which always stay focused and soulful throughout. Other players include Oscar Castro Neves on guitar, Ray Armando on percussion, and Roy McCurdy on drums – and tracks include "Tropical Snowflakes", "Love Affair", "Paradise", "Arabesque", "Touch", and "Summertime". LP, Vinyl record album

With Lyle Mays on piano and keyboards, Steve Rodby on bass, Paul Wertico on drums, Armando Marcal on percussion and voice, and David Blamires and Mark Ledford on voice. LP, Vinyl record album

Pretty hip stuff, with a definite Coltrane influence – and Larry Young in the group on organ, along with Billy Cobham on drums and Armando Peraza on congas. Titles include "Naima", "A Love Supreme", "Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord", "Meditation", and "The Life Divine". LP, Vinyl record album

Trobonist Altin Sencalar is a new name in the lineup of Posi-Tone Records jazz musicians – yet he steps out right away with all the sorts of strength we love from their releases, while also bringing in some strong new flavors as well! There's some Latin currents on the record at times, and Sencalar has a great way of updating the role of trombone in Latin jazz, while also merging it with the strengths of some of his labelmates – working here in a really cool combo that features Diego Rivera on tenor and soprano, Patrick Cornelius on alto and flute, Art Hirahara on piano and Fender Rhodes, Boris Kozlov on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums! We fell in love with Altin's sense of tone and phrasing right away, and are eager to hear more – and titles on this debut include "Homenaje A Armando", "Mixed Feelings", "Reimagined", "Marina's Arrival", "Nutville", "Minor Mishap", and "Fall". CD

Very cool work from vibist Cal Tjader – sounds that are different than some of the larger arrangements and concepts of his Verve Records albums of the mid 60s, and material that appears here for the first time ever! The set features a range of appearances that Tjader made on radio in Seattle – really well-recorded dates, done at the city's famous Penthouse nightclub – and featuring Cal's vibes in a stripped-down setting that's almost more of a throwback to his pre-Verve material for Fantasy records. There's excellent players throughout, especially on piano – as the keys are handled by Clare Fischer, Al Zulaica, and Lonnie Hewitt – all of whom did great work with Cal – working here in combos that feature plenty of percussion from Armando Peraza, and drums and timbales from Johnny Rae and Carl Burnett. The tunes are a nice mix of modes – some Latin, some bossa, lots straighter jazz – and titles include "Insight", "Davito", "Pantano", "Leyte", "Half & Half", "Bag's Groove", "Mambo Inn", "Morning", "Soul Burst", "Cuban Fantasy", "Love For Sale", "Reza", "On Green Dolphin Street", "O Morro Nao Tem Vez", "Fuji", and "Along Comes Mary". CD

Arguably THE classic Cal Tjader album of the 60s – a landmark album that crossed over equally into Latin, jazz, and mainstream audiences – and a stone cooker that's filled with smoking little grooves! The set's probably best known for its title track "Soul Sauce" – one of the biggest jazz hits of the 60s, and a catchy groover that was built around a riff from Dizzy Gillespie, but which also featured a groovier 60s sound, thanks to Cal's use of vibes. The whole album follows in similar format – and features great work by a core combo that includes Armando Pereza on congas, Lonnie Hewitt on piano, and Johnny Rae on drums. Titles include "Soul Sauce" – also known as "Guacha Guaro" – plus the tracks "Joao", "Leyete", "Maramoor", and a killer reading of "Afro Blue" that features guest appearances by Donald Byrd, Jimmy Heath, and Kenny Burrell. LP, Vinyl record album

The title doesn't give you much to go on – but take it from us, this is a great little compilation – one that's filled with rare jazz work from a variety of European soundtracks of the 60s and 70s! The range of tracks here is really great – and wide enough to include a few favorites, plus an even wider range of rare and obscure numbers – most of which are pulled from the catalog of EMI Italy, and include a number of tunes that have never been issued to the public before! And even better, there's a fair bit of work on here that's from soundtracks that aren't normally jazzy overall – but which feature one or two great jazz tracks, pulled out nicely here and intermingled with the rest of the top-shelf set. 18 tracks in all – 5 previously unreleased – with titles that include "Eva" by Michel Legrand, "A Place For Lovers (jazz suite)" by Manuel De Sica, "Spaghetti A Detroit" by Fred Bongusto, "Adulterio All'Italiana" by Armando Trovajoli, "Ballando Con Raquel" by Nino Rota, "This Is Life" by Piero Piccioni, "Sideslip (new edit)" by Berto Pisano, "Jazz Interlude" by Giorgio Gaslini, "That's Show" by Gianni Dell'Orso, "Monitor Jazz" by Carlo Rustichelli, and "Kiss Me Worren Please" by Bruno Nicolai. CD

Strictly Samba, and strictly great stuff – a mix of contemporary work from the Far Out label and a host of other artists too – almost all of whom work here in a relatively classic mode! Although most of the tunes are recent, they'd fit right next to some of your classic samba sides from years past – thanks to an adherence to rootsy percussion, acoustic instrumentation, and recording techniques that really let the vocals come through strongly – adding a bold sense of soul to the music that really makes it groove. The package is really well done – and the non Far Out tracks make it way more than a straight label sampler – with work that includes "Beleza Beleza Beleza" by Trio Mocoto, "Era Bom" by The Ipanemas, "Maria Jose" by Nereu Mocoto & Swing, "Swingue Do Samba" by Roge, "Foi Um Rio Que Passou Em Minha Vida" by Tereza Cristina E Grupo Semente, "Sorri Pra Nos" by Armando Marcal, "Na Cadencia Do Samba" by Grupo Batuque, "Tudo De Bom" by Arthur Verocai, "Jongo Jade" by Aparecindinha, "Casamento Na Favela" by Zaira, and "Samba De Silvia" by Joyce. CD

A very cool little set, and one that's a lot different than you might expect from the "new romantics" reference in the title! Sure, there's some cuts here that are from the moment when the British scene was cracking the charts with nice haircuts, catchy electro rhythms, and smart lyrics – but the bulk of the set is actually music from the generation before – the kind of work that inspired the new romantics of the early 80s, mixed with cuts from that era, but which are not nearly as well known! The box begins very early in the 70s, and traces bits of prog, glam, and other pre-punk styles – then ends up in more familiar territory at the end, but with a less familiar vibe. Make sense? Probably not – but that's the great thing about a really well-done collection like this – 59 tracks with really great notes – and work from Tubeway Army, The Cure, Zager & Evans, Lounge Lizards, Grace Jones, Fox, Magazine, Spandau Ballet, Heaven 17, Japan, Yellow, Nightmares In Wax, Visage, Landscape, Flying Lizards, Don Armando's Second Avenue Rhumba Band, Sister Sledge, Lipps Inc, Barry Gray, Glaxo Babies, New Order, Blue Rondo A La Turk, Tom Tom Club, ABC, M, Heat Exchange, John Foxx, The Normal, and many others! CD

Amazing work from Gato Barbieri's legendary exploration of Latin American sounds for Impulse Records – a set that's heavy on Cuban influences, thanks to arrangements from the mighty Chico O'Farrill! The sound is sublime – a bit fuller than some of Gato's other albums in the run, but never with any slick or commercial styles – just more of a richness from O'Farrill's backings, matched perfectly by Barbieri's amazing tones on the tenor! There's a lot of Latin percussion in the backings – courtesy of Ray Mantill, Luis Mangual, and Ray Armando – and Eddie Martinez mixes in some sweet electric piano with his acoustic lines, deepening the soul of the record in a really 70s way. Titles include "Milonga Triste", "Lluvia Azul", "La Padrida", "Viva Emiliano Zapata", and "El Sublime" – the last of which is a good description of the record! CD

Amazing work from Gato Barbieri's legendary exploration of Latin American sounds for Impulse Records – a set that's heavy on Cuban influences, thanks to arrangements from the mighty Chico O'Farrill! The sound is sublime – a bit fuller than some of Gato's other albums in the run, but never with any slick or commercial styles – just more of a richness from O'Farrill's backings, matched perfectly by Barbieri's amazing tones on the tenor! There's a lot of Latin percussion in the backings – courtesy of Ray Mantill, Luis Mangual, and Ray Armando – and Eddie Martinez mixes in some sweet electric piano with his acoustic lines, deepening the soul of the record in a really 70s way. Titles include "Milonga Triste", "Lluvia Azul", "La Padrida", "Viva Emiliano Zapata", and "El Sublime" – the last of which is a good description of the record! LP, Vinyl record album

One of numerous two-fers offered by Milestone in the early 70s, compiling recordings by artists that fell under the Fantasy records catalog umbrella at the time, in this case, the Riverside recordings of Wes Montgomery. There are two groups documented here, a quintet and sextet, the first featuring Milt Jackson, Wynton Kelly, Sam Jones and Philly Joe Jones and the second his 2 brothers Buddy and Monk, plus George Shearing, Walter Perkins and Armando Peraza. 18 tracks in all, including "Stablemates", "Stairway To the Stars", "Sam Sack", "Jingles", "Delilah", "Love Walked In", "Love For Sale", "Enchanted", "Stranger In Paradise", "The Lamp Is Low", "Darn That Dream" and "Mambo In Chimes". LP, Vinyl record album

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

Pretty hip stuff, with a definite Coltrane influence – and Larry Young in the group on organ, along with Billy Cobham on drums and Armando Peraza on congas. Titles include "Naima", "A Love Supreme", "Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord", "Meditation", and "The Life Divine". CD also includes 2 bonus tracks, alternate takes of "A Love Supreme" and "Naima". CD