The great guitarist plays the music of tango legend Astor Piazzolla! CD

A real 70s standout from guitarist Al Di Meola – and that's saying a lot, given the strength of most of his albums from the decade! The record's one that broke Al's talents out to so many different groups – yet never in a way that waters down his sound, nor dims his genius for a solo. Al plays a host of guitars – electric, and both six and 12 string acoustic – the latter of which are especially beautiful, and handled in a balance between European virtuoso modes, and some of the more rhythmic elements of the American fusion scene. Speaking of fusion, the other players on the date really help set the tone – Chick Corea on keyboards and piano, Barry Miles on Fender Rhodes and mini-moog, Stanley Clarke on bass, and both Steve Gadd and Lenny White on drums – each setting a different pace when they appear. Titles include "The Wizard", "Suite Golden Dawn", "Short Tales Of The Black Forest", and "Land Of The Midnight Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

A really stunning set from Il Balletto Di Bronzo – a group who clearly have the instrumental chops to take off in a proggish way, but really keep things interesting here by staying in a grittier, more straightforward groove! The power of the drums and guitars is wonderful – almost funk rock at times, but with a slight bit more drama – which may well come from the dynamic lyrics sung in Italian! There's a focus and a punch to the record that really makes it stand out from the rest of the Italian scene at the time – a no-nonsense quality that seems more influenced by the American underground than some of the Anglo influences that were guiding most of the other groups. Were the set in English, and recorded on the Sunset Strip in 1968, it would have become a worldwide classic – yet the obscurity is what makes the album even more charming – a rich discovery all these many years later. Titles include "Neve Calda", "Girotondo", "Incantesimo", "Missione Sirio 2222", "Un Posto", and "Eh Eh Ah Ah". CD

A sweet studio set from this trio of groundbreaking guitar players! CD

An all acoustic guitar trio – tracks include "Aspan", "Chiquito", "David", "Orient Blues Suite", and the title track "Passion, Grace & Fire". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal funk from the Brazilian scene of the 70s – one of those really rare, really one-of-a-kind albums – but one that also seems to perfectly sum up the sound of the times as well! Di Melo's a mighty funky cat – and works here with these bass-heavy arrangements from Geraldo Vespar – very groovy and filled with lots of influence from American soul of the time, yet delivered in a style that's decidedly Brazilian too! There's a sense of sparkle to the album that recalls the charm of Jorge Ben in his funkiest modes – but Vespar also brings in some nicely jazzy flourishes too – especially on the keyboards and horn passages, which really go past the usual EMI/Odeon modes of the time. The whole thing's great – a soulful treasure all the way through – and titles include the funky classic "A Vida Em Seus Metodos Diz Calma", plus "Kilario", "Aceito Tudo", "Pernalonga", "Jodao", "Alma Gemea", "Se O Mundo Acabasse Em Mel", and "Minha Estrela". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that features Al DiMeola moving into some very dynamic territory – jamming out heavy on a mix of electric and acoustic guitars, with additional help from Paco DeLucia on acoustic at points. The instrumentation also features heavy electric piano from Jan Hammer, other keyboards from Barry Miles, bass from Anthony Jackson, and drums from Steve Gadd and Lenny White – all fusion powerhouse players who really take over the groove at times, but still leave enough room on the record for some gentler sounds from Paco and Al. Titles include "Elegant Gypsy Suite", "Flight Over Rio", "Midnight Tango", and "Race With Devil On Spanish Highway". LP, Vinyl record album

Casino has a smaller, tighter lineup than some of Al DiMeola's other records of the time, but the overall sound is still pretty far-reaching – thanks to a mix of keyboards from Barry Miles, and a blistering array of acoustic and electric guitars from Al himself! Steve Gadd propels the group with some very heavy drums, and Anthony Jackson plays bass – on titles that include "Egyptian Danza", "Chasin The Voodoo", "Senor Mouse", "Casino", and "Fantasia Suite For Two Guitars". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that features DiMeola moving into some very dynamic territory – jamming out heavy on a mix of electric and acoustic guitars, with additional help from Paco DeLucia on acoustic at points. The instrumentation also features heavy electric piano from Jan Hammer, other keyboards from Barry Miles, bass from Anthony Jackson, and drums from Steve Gadd and Lenny White – all fusion powerhouse players who really take over the groove at times, but still leave enough room on the record for some gentler sounds from Paco and Al. Titles include "Elegant Gypsy Suite", "Flight Over Rio", "Midnight Tango", and "Race With Devil On Spanish Highway". CD

Features Herbie Hancock on piano! CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Stefano Di Battista on saxophone, Eric Legnini on piano, Rosario Bonaccorso on bass, and Andre Ceccarelli on drums. CD

Guitarist Al Di Meola works here to really live up to the "splendido" title of the album – majestically bringing together all the best elements and influences he worked with in the 70s – including his love of Spanish guitar! The album's got this great balance of acoustic and electric elements – that combination of soaring energy and intimacy that made some of Al's 70s records so great – and he works here with a nice mix of contributors, including Philippe Saisse and Chick Corea on keyboards, Mingo Lewis on percussion, and even an appearance on one track from guitar legend Les Paul. Titles include "Alien Chase On Arabian Desert", "Silent Story In Her Eyes", "Two To Tango", "I Can Tell", "Spanish Eyes", and "Bianca's Midnight Lullaby". CD

Guitarist Al Di Meola works here to really live up to the "splendido" title of the album – majestically bringing together all the best elements and influences he worked with in the 70s – including his love of Spanish guitar! The album's got this great balance of acoustic and electric elements – that combination of soaring energy and intimacy that made some of Al's 70s records so great – and he works here with a nice mix of contributors, including Philippe Saisse and Chick Corea on keyboards, Mingo Lewis on percussion, and even an appearance on one track from guitar legend Les Paul. Titles include "Alien Chase On Arabian Desert", "Silent Story In Her Eyes", "Two To Tango", "I Can Tell", "Spanish Eyes", and "Bianca's Midnight Lullaby". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A near-lost set from the 80s, but one that we'd almost put right up there next to some of our favorite work by artists like Sade or Working Week – as the record shares a similar blend of jazz, soul, and catchy pop! Linda Di Franco sings in English, but with a nicely accented style – in a way that's a bit like Anne Pigalle over at ZTT Records – and the album's got these gentle-flowing grooves that are mighty nice – catchy, but just the right side of the spectrum to never sound too commercial at all – and instead maybe come across like some of the hipper British work of the time. Titles include a great take on "The Look Of Love", plus "My Boss", "Bless My Soul", "TV Scene", "Fran", and "The Rise Of The Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

Al Di Meola on guitar, Dino Saluzzi on bandoneon, Arto Tuncboyacian on percussion & Chris Carrington on guitar. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning live set from this trio of groundbreaking guitar players! LP, Vinyl record album

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Recorded Live at the Angelica Festival, Bologna May 1995. Music from Lol Coxhill, Heiner Goebbels, Jon Rose & Otomo Yoshihide, Maarten Altena Ensemble, Phil Minton & Veryan Weston, Steve Adams & Pat Thomas, Specchio Ensemble, Oban Sax Quartet, Rova, and more. CD

A really freewheeling set of improvised jazz from the French scene of the 70s – and a record that's a bit different than some of the more structured material that was usually issued on the Palm label, and maybe a bit more like some of the famous 1969 sessions on the BYG/Actuel imprint! The group's co-led by alto saxophonist Philippe Mate and pianist Jef Gilson – the latter of whom moves from acoustic keys to play electric piano, organ, and some very cool ondioline – an instrument that creates a very spooky sound at parts! Pierre Moret provides additional electric piano and organ, and the group also features Maurice Bouhana on flute and drums, Bruno Di Gioia on cor and percussion, Elie Dos Reis on percussion, Didier Levallet on bass, and Jean-Claude Pourtier on drums – a lineup who work together with unbridled power throughout! Given the amount of percussion on the set, there's some great earthy tones on the bottom – and the set features two side-long improvisations, titled "L'Oeil" and "Vision". CD

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

Totally groovy work from the legendary Piero Piccioni – a score for an obscure "mondo" documentary about the sad state of culture in late 60s England! The score is probably best known for its very funky "Black Flower" theme – but it's filled with loads of other really wonderful cuts that mix jazzy moments, mod rhythms, and the best late 60s Italian film instrumentation – all in a blend that makes this soundtrack every bit as great as the better-known Fumo Di Londra! And if you don't know that one, it's one of Piccioni's best from the late 60s – a perfect blend of his roots in jazz, his love of bossa rhythms, and his key role in all things groovy that were happening in Italian film in the late 60s. There's plenty of "party" tracks here – "Party Music" and "Drug Party" tracks – plus others titled "Country Mood", "Night Club", "Soho", "Country Shake", "Endless Love", and "Organ Shake". CD

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

A great Italian comedy score from the early 60s – put together in key transitional modes by composer Carlo Rustichelli! The music is a great mix of those older, more sentimental Italian styles with some of the cleaner, leaner, playful sounds that were beginning to emerge in the 60s – served up in a host of short tracks with a great deal of variety – some in a swinging jazz mode, a few in a twist party style, and others that are more serious. Titles include "Ratto Twist", "Corrida Rumba", "Vampata D'Amuri", "Morte Di Ascalone", and "Dicerie". LP, Vinyl record album

A mystical trip through the south seas – courtesy of Italian soundtrack composer Piero Umiliani, working here in a rare sound library setting! The tracks are moody and ethereal – with lots of spare percussion, and some dreamy island-type touches – like floating voices, isolated strings, and even a bit of moog, used to create some nice 70s exotica! There's one or two tracks that get harder-hitting, taking the percussion over the top with some snapping grooves – but most are in a 70s update of older exotica styles, including some of those that Piero might have used on some of his 60s soundtracks! Titles include "Tamburi Di Guerra", "Esorcismi", "Plenilunio", "Erbe Magiche", "Benvenuti All'Isola", "Canoe", "Sotto Le Palme", and "Pellegrinaggio Al Totem". CD

It certainly was the band of distinction – especially at this point, when the group featured players like Frank Foster, Frank Wess, Ernie Wilkins, Marshall Royal, Joe Newman, Thad Jones, Bennie Powell, and Freddie Green. And hey, let's not forget Basie himself! Titles include "Two Franks", "Ska Di Didle Dee Bee Doo", "Rails", "Blues Backstage", and "Perdido" – and there's a very strong focus on the best soloists in the group! LP, Vinyl record album

Francesco Cafiso on alto sax, Riccardo Arrrighini on piano, Aldo Zunino on bass, and Stefano Bagnoli on drums – accompanied by the I Solisti di Perugia string orchestra. CD

The action scene on the cover is a hint at all the great action within – a mad mix of music that has plenty of the guitar, basslines, and keyboards of Italian cop/crime scores of the time – but which also maybe includes some deeper rock currents as well! There's a few moments where the guitar does a lot more than just riffing – serving up these really strong solos that almost make us wonder if Roberto Pregadio managed to lure a figure from the Italian prog scene into the studio for the recording – giving him just enough small space to deliver a few key solos, without ever disturbing the overall groove of the set! The package features ten tracks in all – including "La Fuga", "Ripresa", "Favolosa Festa Di Danza", "Un Pomeriggio Di Sole", and "Costretti A Fare L'Amore". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful work on guitar and sitar from the great John Renbourn – with flute from Ray Warleigh, plus concertina, viola, and percussion – on titles that include "Trotto", "Lamento Di Tristan", "Veri Floris", "Alman", "The Lady & The Unicorn", and "My Johnny Was A Shoemaker". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the all-time classic Italian film scores – a groundbreaking soundtrack from Nino Rota, and one of the first Italian works of this nature to hit the record racks in the US! The music is a beautiful blend of whimsy and sadness – penned by Rota with a variety of light themes that dance together with a dreamy sort of quality – romantic one minute, dramatic the next – always handled with Nino's inventive sense of musical play! Larger orchestrations come into play with smaller combo elements that evoke the new world of jazz and rock on the scene in Rome – and the whole thing is a musical delight throughout – with titles that include "La Dolce Vita", "Cadillac", "Via Veneto", "Titoli Di Testa", and "Valzer". LP, Vinyl record album

Contemporary work from one of the greatest reed talents of all time – the legendary Akira Sakata, famous for his work on the Japanese scene of the 70s and 80s, still sounding incredible here with a quartet of younger European musicians! The set features live material recorded in three different locations – Padova, Brussels, and Thessaloniki – all divided into two different improvisations that allow for plenty of room for Sakata to stretch out on alto and clarinet – next to work from Giovanni Di Domenico on piano, Giotis Damiandis on guitar, and Balazs Pandi on drums. Tracks are all very long, and often have Sakata leading the proceedings with an extended solo at the start, while the other musicians find their way into the tapestry of sound as things build and move on! CD

One of the hippest 60s sets from saxophonist Sahib Shihab – a large group album recorded with the Danish Radio Group – a great batch of modernists from the Scandinavian scene of the time! The album's still got the modal rhythms and long-flowing solos we love in Sahib's best 60s work – but the presence of the larger ensemble also fills up the sound a bit more too – letting in a wider range of colors and tones behind the solos, in a way that makes for a really expressive sound! Shihab's playing baritone sax and flute – and other players include Palle Mikkelborg and Allan Botschinsky on trumpets, Bent Jaedig on tenor and flute, Niels Husum on soprano sax and bass clarinet, Bent Axen on piano, and Louis Hjulmand on vibes. The whole thing's got a great sense of energy and soul – never too academic, as you might expect from a modernist outing like this – and Sahib keeps a strong, bold tone in his horns throughout! Titles include "Di Da", "Dance Of The Fakowees", "Mai Ding", "Not Yet", "Tenth Lament", "The Crosseyed Cat", and "Little French Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

A very well-titled set – and the best so far in this cutting-edge series! The "beats and pieces" this time around are mostly underground club tracks from the past few years – the cream of the crop of the best bits that hit our New Grooves section, often served up in harder-to-find mixes that represent the best version of the tunes so far! There's no overall stylistic logic to the set, which is what makes it so great – as mellow soul steps into funky club, into spacey fusion, global house, 21st century groove, then dancefloor jazz! 2CD set features 22 tracks that include "Wake Up" by Herbert, "La Malanga (Kenny Dope rmx)" by Bobby Hutcherson, "Fall Into You" by Stateless, "Hot In Here" by Tiga with Jake Shears, "Take Off (Nicola Conte's Campi's Idea version)" by Nathan Haines and Marco Di Marco, "Bukom Mashie" by Oscar Sulley & The Uhuru Dance Band, "Somebody New" by Georg Levin with Clara Hill, "Besides Myself" by DJ Shaheer Williams, "Timbuktu" by Pan African Electronic Beats, "Someone To Love" by Crusho, "Love & War (version)" by Amp Fiddler, "Forty Days" by Billy Brooks, and "Fall Into You" by Stateless. CD

The bikini beat is a great one here – no simple beach music classics, but a range of mod groovers from the classic years of the Italian soundtrack scene! This volume is heavy on electric elements – fuzzy guitars, keyboards, and more – all filtered nicely through a range of rhythms from the 60s and the 70s – bossa, jazzy, and funky – filled with amazing twists and turns throughout! The double-length collection is a treasure through and through – easily one of the greatest soundtrack sets we could have hoped for. Tracks include "Teresa L'Illusa" by Riz Ortolani, "Malizie Di Venere" by Gianpiero Reverberi, "Spy Chase" by Bruno Nicolai, "Airport Rock" by Barigozzi Group, "Shake 2000" by Piero Piccioni, "Amanda Blues" by Gianni Ferrio, "Un Detective" by Fred Bongusto, "Katmandu" by Piero Piccioni, "Theme" by Armando Trovajoli, and "La Bambolona" by Luis Bacalov. CD

A really unique little album – a righteous blend of funky jazz, vocal chorus, and soulful leads – recorded in the German scene of the early 70s! The group features a number of key players from the MPS side of the funky jazz spectrum – and the record feels like some of the best high-concept projects from that legendary label – particularly those with a strong message in the music! Mladen Bobby Gutesha arranges and conducts – and the group features Leo Wright on alto and flute, Sigi Schwab on guitar, Ingfried Hoffmann on organ, Jiggs Whigham on trombone, and Milo Pavlovic on trumpet – creating these great core grooves, which are then topped by a vocal chorus singing messages in freedom in a number of different languages! Jimmy Woode sings lead vocals on a few tracks – and titles include "Angelitos Negros", "Soldat", "Masters Of War", "I Have A Dream", and "Schtil Di Nacht Is Ojssgeschternt". CD

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 really fantastic idea for a project – and one that comes off even better than we would have guessed – new versions of classic grooves from the nations of Cabo Verde and Guinea Bissau, performed by a really well-matched group of singers and musicians, in a mode that's quite different than the usual revival record of this nature! The songs are definitely classics, but the presentation is very contemporary – directed by producer Guts, and Francisco Sousa, with a special ear for avoiding the sorts of cliches that both mar a project like this, and some of the stereotypes that get reinforced by reissues on the market. Instead, there's a fresh criss-crossing of cultures, but one that never waters down the roots at all – maybe a bit like some of the best Parisian productions of the 70s and 80s post-colonial years. Titles include "Dunia Be Tene", "Riba Bass Di Mi", "Citi Ku Liti", "No Guinea", "Mulato Ferrera", "Segunda", and "Di Mas". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful early Verve recording by Basie – one that's packaged here in a great David Stone Martin cover, with a red and blue watercolor of Basie himself. Players include Frank Foster, Frank Wess, Ernie Wilkins, Marshall Royal, Joe Newman, Thad Jones, Bennie Powell, and Freddie Green – plus Basie, of course. Titles include "Two Franks", "Ska Di Didle Dee Bee Doo", "Rails", "Blues Backstage", and "Perdido" – and there's a very strong focus on the best soloists in the group! (Note: this material was also issued under the title The Band Of Distinction – but this is the first version.) LP, Vinyl record album

A jazzy group, but one that's not straight jazz either – as they work with a strongly rhythmic vibe that's somewhere between classic fusion and some of the contemporary sounds we love on Schema Records – maybe no surprise as this combo also hails from the Italian scene as well! There's a great mix of keyboards in the music – Korg Sigma, Fender Rhodes, Yamaha CP70, and Farfisa Synthorchestra – the latter of which sounds especially great, and gives the music some great spacey touches around the edges. Rhythms are all live, and have some great currents from classic boogie and late 70s club – but the vocals on most tracks bring in a special sort of vibe, in part because the singers shift, and the lyrics are in Italian. Titles include "Malavita", "Fuga Finale", "Citta Futura", "Napoli Visionaria", and "Oro Di Miele". LP, Vinyl record album