A sublime set that really has Jeff Lynne and the group finding their sound – served up here in a blend of hits and overlooked album gems – with titles that include "Eldorado Overture", "Can't Get It Out Of My Head", "Boy Blue", "Larado Tornado", "Nobody's Child", "Eldorado", "Poorboy", and "Mister Kingdom". LP, Vinyl record album

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Titles include "Telephone Line", "Livin' Thing", "Tightrope", "Above The Clouds", "Do Ya", and "So Fine". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime set that really has Jeff Lynne and the group finding their sound – served up here in a blend of hits and overlooked album gems – with titles that include "Eldorado Overture", "Can't Get It Out Of My Head", "Boy Blue", "Larado Tornado", "Nobody's Child", "Eldorado", "Poorboy", and "Mister Kingdom". LP, Vinyl record album

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Includes the excellent "Diary Of Horace Wimp" – one of our favorite ELO songs ever! LP, Vinyl record album

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The crowning achievement of ELO at their best – a double-length set in which the genius of Jeff Lynne gets extra space to fully flower – and his mighty talents don't let up for a minute! The record's given us some classics over the years – standout tracks like "Mr Blue Sky", "Turn To Stone", and "Sweet Talkin Woman" – but the whole thing works perfectly together – as a sublime sonic treat that has all the Lynne studio genius coming into full focus, moving between different textures of electricity and light, through a set of songs that sound infinitely different than the group just a few years before. Other tracks include "It's Over", "Night In The City", "Starlight", "Jungle", "Believe Me Now", "Steppin Out", "Sweet Is The Night", "Standing In The Rain", "Summer & Lightning", "Wild West Hero", "The Whale", and "Birmingham Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

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All the hits! Includes "Mr Blue Sky", "Telephone Line", "Turn To Stone", "Evil Woman", "Strange Magic", and more! LP, Vinyl record album

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Collects music by ELO and The Move, plus solo work by Rick Price, Roy Wood, Denny Laine, Bev Bevan, and others – 29 tracks total. CD

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Very spacey work from Mahavishnu Orchestra – a set that continues the change in sound explored by the second incarnation of the group – one that's much more spacious than the first! The group here is somewhat large, but often comes off with a good sense of leanness at times – less of the notes-on-notes jams of rockish fusion, and more stretched-out spiritual modes, mixed with a slight dose of funk at just the right moments! John McLaughlin's in the lead on guitar, and other players include Gayle Moran on keyboards, Jean-Luc Ponty on electric violin, and Narada Michael Waldon on drums, percussion, clavinet, and vocals. Titles include "Eternity's Breath", "Lile's Dance", "Can't Stand Your Funk", "Earth Ship", "Be Happy", "Opus 1", and "Pegasus". LP, Vinyl record album

Prime work by Orchestra Harlow – with the "electric" in the title used to describe the energy of the set, not really the instrumentation! There's a bit of electric playing on here, mostly on organ or piano – and of course the group's strong use of an electric bass – but the overall groove is acoustic salsa at its best, stepping out with the tightness and proudness that Larry Harlow brought to his group at the time! Ismael Miranda's on vocals, and the album's filled with lots of nice cuts like "Guasasa", "La Revolucion", "Con Dulzura", and "Oiga Mi Guaguanco". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Stockhausen's more extended compositions, and a haunting piece composed for soprano, choir groups, and a very strange mix of instruments – including lots of weird percussion, and some very spooky electric organ. There's a solo soprano out front, who punctuates the piece with a lot of avant garde vocals, and she's backed up by 4 different small groups of singers. The real highlight, though, is the instrumentation, as the mix of odd percussion and electric organ has an almost electronic music feel in parts, with lots of spare, strange, random bits. This is the US issue of the 1965 recording by Wergo Records. LP, Vinyl record album

Nice 1968 recordings of works by Cage and Lukas Foss. The Cage "Concerto For Prepared Piano" is performed by Yuji Takahashi on a prepared piano, as the main soloist with a larger ensemble. The sound is as you'd imagine from Cage's prepared piano stuff, with lots of cool off-kilter piano lines. Foss' "Baroque Variations" is performed by a cool little ensemble that includes both traditional instruments and modern ones like electric guitar, piano, and organ. They get a sound that's pretty cool, and the "variations" are interpretations of works by Handel, Scarlatti, and Bach. LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime easy classic by The Mystic Moods – who by this time had transformed from a simple "sound effects plus easy listening" group into a sexy electric LA combo. This is one of their first albums for Warner, recorded with a nice sly slightly-funky sound – and it's a captivating batch of sexy easy tracks that have a nice groove bubbling underneath. Cuts include "Electric Music and The Summer People", "Reason For Staying", "My Love, My Life", and "Crystal Morning". Lots of watery sound effects too! LP, Vinyl record album

A very groovy soundtrack to this cool British film – starring a young Jack Wild in his pre-HR Puffenstuff days! The film's kind of a mod kids film – with a number of bright and peppy tunes mixed with others that are either more serious or more jazzy – a blend of rock and more familiar soundtrack instrumentation that really keeps things interesting! The Bee Gees contribute a number of great tracks – like "Melody Fair", "In The Morning", "First Of May", and "To Love Somebody". Even better, though, are the instrumental bits by the Richard Hewson Orchestra – which include "Teacher's Chase", a killer groover with some sweet electric harpsichord and strings, plus the cuts "Working On It Night & Day", "Spicks & Spacks", and "Melody Fair". Peter Knight put the whole thing together, too! LP, Vinyl record album

Stanley Clarke may be on a journey to love – but that doesn't mean that the album's too sweet or romantic! Many tracks here still have the harder edge and sharper lines you'd expect from Clarke's key 70s fusion reputation – the kind of rock-influenced styles that crossed over big at the time to huge new audiences – and which made Stan way more than just another electric jazz musician. Some moments feature a large array of backup players, but others are quite spacious, and almost contemplative – filled with those new notes Clarke was getting out of his instrument at the time! Titles include "Silly Putty", "Journey To Love", "Hello Jeff", "Song To John", and "Concerto For Jazz/Rock Orchestra". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare bit of prog from this hip Italian group – one who boast an unusual mix of acoustic and electric instruments – with guitars, mandolin, flute, drums, bass, and more! LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Billy Preston, Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony, Brass Construction, Ramsey Lewis & Earth, Wind & Fire, Electric Light Orchestra, Deodato, Gary Glitter, Chakachas, and more – 18 tracks total. CD

Benson plays his guitar and also sings on some of these tracks, joined by Phil Upchurch on rhythm guitar, Ronnie Foster on electric piano & mini-moog, Jorge Dalto on clavinet & acoustic piano, Stanley Banks on bass, Harvey Mason on drums and Ralph MacDonald on percussion. Claus Ogerman arranged and conducted the orchestra. Titles include "Nature Boy", Foster's "The Wind & I", "The World Is A Ghetto", "Gonna Love You More", Donny Hathaway's "Valdez In The Country", and "Everything Must Happen". LP, Vinyl record album

A strange and wonderful session from the Jones/Lewis big band – one of their hippest of the 70s, recorded in Finland with a host of very cool players! UMO is the Finnish New Music Orchestra – a group featuring players that include Pekka Sarmanto on bass, Eero Koivistoinen on tenor and soprano sax, Otto Berger on electric guitar, and Esko Linnavalli on electric piano – plus a host of other great talents that we'd never heard before. The style is a nice mix of acoustic and electric big band grooving – with some nicely dancing numbers that have a bit of a choppy reed touch, some of the MPS big band groove, but still retain that Jones/Lewis American swing. Titles include "Tip Toe", "Groove Merchant", "Summary", "Kids Are Pretty People", and "The Great One". LP, Vinyl record album

A groundbreaking set from Yusef Lateef – one that mixes together a number of different soul jazz styles! In a way, Atlantic records tried to handle Yusef Lateef in the same way they did Roland Kirk – by creating recordings that either let him express himself strongly as an arch-modernist, or those that focused on his solo talents in material that was a bit more funky and soulful. This album's got a bit of both – as side one has Yusef playing with slightly electric groups on short tracks that feature vocal backings by the Sweet Inspirations, and side two features Yusef playing with the Cologne Radio Orchestra, conducted by William Fischer, on an extended work called "The Symphonic Blues Suite". We dig the shorter tracks better, and those titles include "Nocturne", "Buddy & Lou", and "Down In Atlanta". LP, Vinyl record album

Features work with Idle Race, the Move, and Electric Light Orchestra. CD

Recorded in pieces between 1969-1971 during The Move, Electric Light Orchestra, and Wizzard. LP, Vinyl record album

A gem of a set from The Move – an album that's as groovy as the band is hairy! Despite a hippie-ish look and title for the set, the record shows early signs of group member Jeff Lynne's genius for a catchy pop tune – cast here not in the ultra-baroque mode of Electric Light Orchestra, but in a stripped-down, guitar-heavy approach that has rougher edges intermingling with Lynne's cleaner pop lines – all topped off by some nice reed work by Roy Wood on saxes, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon! Bev Bevan's heavy drums propel a lot of the tunes nicely, and his syncopated groove almost has traces of early glam pop at times – and although the album's sort of a precursor to ELO, it's also got a sparer groove and shorter song format that we really love. Titles include "No Time", "Don't Mess Me Up", "Until Your Moma's Gone", "The Minister", "Ben Crawley Steel Company", and "My Marge". CD also features lots of bonus tracks – including previously unreleased sessions and singles – 8 additional titles that include "Do Ya", "Don't Mess Me Up", "Chinatown", "Down On The Bay", and "Tonight". CD

A heady serving of work from the UK scene at the end of the 60s – work from the very vibrant scenes around Birmingham at the time – a place that was starting to deliver a heck of a lot more music than previous hotspots like Liverpool! In some ways, the sounds here are a great transition away from earlier UK rock modes – as there's still some elements of the Brit Invasion going on in some of these earlier cuts, but soon blended with the more adventurous styles that the London psych scene were brewing up – but always with a quality that's a lot more down to earth, and which makes these cuts really stand away from the rest of the pack! But you hardly need to know English geography to appreciate the package – as, like other Grapefruit compilations, the whole thing is a wonderfully-done assortment of work – mixing bigger names and lesser-knowns, and offering up a key look at this moment in British rock, complete with very detailed notes! There's a whopping 69 tracks in the package, including a few unreleased tunes – tracks by Craig, Traffic, Fred's Box, Slade, Ironbridge, Bedlam, The Californians, Revolver, The Ghost, Big Bertha, Locomotive, Velvet Fogg, Chicken Shack, Young Blood, Spencer Davis Group, Idle Race, Tea & Sympathy, Denny Laine, The Move, World Of Oz, The Montanas, Salamander, Luv Machine, Roy Wood, Electric Light Orchestra, Fable, Dave Morgan, Bakerloo, Cinnamon Quill, and many others. CD

Three great later soundtracks from Stelvio Cipriani – an artist who's mostly known for his famous 70s material on the Italian scene! First up is Baciami Strega – a score that really continues the keyboard genius that set Cipriani apart from the pack in the 70s – served up here with keyboards that are a mix of acoustic and electric piano, plus a few more 80s-styled digital keys – all with qualities that have a lot more warmth than most other keyboard scores of the time, and which update Cipriani's approach, but with the aesthetics of the new decade. Next is Don Bosco – a soundtrack that has a wonderfully warm vibe, with light orchestrations that are usually fronted by a key solo instrument – usually a guitar or harmonica line, all delivered in a style that's got all that spacious sensitivity we love in Stelvio's work of the 70s! Last up is the beautiful Se Non Avessi L'Amore – Stelvio Cipriani at his finest – with all the warm, lovely tones that have always made his music so great – especially when he scores on the "amore" side of the spectrum! The film's a bit more recent than some of the 70s classics we've always loved from Stelvio, but the sound is right up there with his best mellow moments of years back – lots of light strings, gliding along in haunting themes – using a Morricone-like sense of space, punctuated nicely by a bit of piano too! 3CD set features 65 tracks in all! CD

Five full albums from keyboardist Dave Grusin – packaged together in a single set, with tiny LP-styled covers for each CD! First up is one of our favorites – the album One Of A Kind, which is a sweet funky fusion outing that really sums up some of the best Dave Grusin modes of the 70s! This excellent LP from 1977 really captures the best of the Grusin soundtrack style – heard in the 70s on shows like Barretta, or in films like Three Days of the Condor – mellow fusion with a tightly arranged style – lots of nicely isolated instrumentation, and the kind of spare and spacey grooves that you'd expect from a hip CTI session! Musicians include Grover Washington on saxes, Dave Valentin on flute, Ron Carter on bass, and Steve Gadd himself – plus Grusin on a lot of sweet keyboards – and titles include great cut "Modaji", plus "Heart Is A Lonely Hunter", "Catavento", and "Montage". Mountain Dance has a similar vibe, too – nice and lean – and one of Dave's funkier albums of the time – with cuts that include "Captain Caribe", "Rondo", "City Lights", "Rag Bag", and "Mountain Dance". Out Of The Shadows has a nice sort of vibe – not the too-smooth later sound of the GRP label, and instead this nice balance of electric keyboards and acoustic piano – delivered with help from key contemporaries who include Lee Ritenour on guitar and Steve Gadd on drums! Production is nicely understated – and titles include the mellow stepper "Serengeti Walk", plus "Last Train To Paradiso", "She Could Be Mine", "Crystal Morning", "Hokkaido", and "Sweetwater Nights". Night Lines is a record that has Dave Grusin elevating a bit more into the jazz/soul mainstream – as the set has the keyboardist working with a few more crossover modes than before, but all in a way that seems to demonstrate his many years in various kinds of music! The album was a key entry in the new sound of fusion during the mid 80s – maybe a bit sharper than later smooth jazz, but with efforts from some leading lights of that generation to come – including David Sanborn and Marcus Miller. Phoebe Snow sings a bit on the record – which might provide her with one of her more exciting settings in years – and titles include "Power Wave", "Thankful N Thoughtful", "Night Lines", "Tick Tock", "Bossa Baroque", and "Secret Place". Cinemagic is a famous pairing of the keyboards of Dave Grusin with the orchestrations of the London Symphony Orchestra – served up at a level that made the record a giant hit for so many folks who wouldn't have touched a Dave Grusin record a decade before! The tunes are a bit different than usual – all film tunes, as you might expect, delivered in a way that's not afraid to lean on all the sentimental currents of the tunes – which come from films that include Tootsie, Heaven Can Wait, The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter, Three Days Of The Condor, and The Goonies. Titles include "Condor", "An Actor's Life", "It Might Be You", "Heaven Can Wait", "The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter", and "Goodbye For Cathy". CD

A killer set of exclusive live material from the MPS catalog – and one that features a full album of performances led by George Gruntz on electric piano – with work from an all-star lineup that includes Dusko Goykovich, Benny Bailey, Art Farmer, and Franco Ambrosetti on trumpets; Dexter Gordon and Don Byas on tenors; Heinz Bigler on alto; and Jiggs Whigham, Slide Hampton, and Albert Mangelsdorff on trombones! Other highlights include a rare MPS performance by Brian Auger & Oblivion Express, a track by the German Swiss Orchestra with Maynard Ferguson on trumpet, the great Jazz Q modern jazz group from Prague, and the soulful Swiss Kaleidoscope combo! LP, Vinyl record album

A killer set from a group that may well be the most perfectly realized version of the Exploding Star concept from Rob Mazurek – one who've got some fantastic parts that come together here in a wonderfully visionary record! Rob's still in the lead on trumpets and electronics – but the group really resonates from some key contributions from Damon Locks on voice and more electronics – at a level that has him rising to that long-overdue role of stardom, which seems to give the whole group an even greater source of focus and energy. Jeff Parker lays down some wicked guitar, Angelica Sanchez and Craig Taborn are fantastic on Wurlitzer electric pianos and moog – and the great Nicole Mitchell is on flute and a bit of vocals. There's a sense of majesty here that Mazurek has never had before – and the album is maybe one of the most crowning achievements in his long and very storied career. Titles include "Future Shaman", "Shape Shifter", "White River", "Dream Sleeper", and "Black River". LP, Vinyl record album

Very spacey work from Mahavishnu Orchestra – a set that continues the change in sound explored by the second incarnation of the group – one that's much more spacious than the first! The group here is somewhat large, but often comes off with a good sense of leanness at times – less of the notes-on-notes jams of rockish fusion, and more stretched-out spiritual modes, mixed with a slight dose of funk at just the right moments! John McLaughlin's in the lead on guitar, and other players include Gayle Moran on keyboards, Jean-Luc Ponty on electric violin, and Narada Michael Waldon on drums, percussion, clavinet, and vocals. Titles include "Eternity's Breath", "Lile's Dance", "Can't Stand Your Funk", "Earth Ship", "Be Happy", "Opus 1", and "Pegasus". CD

A Henry Mancini double header – two albums back to back! First up is Theme From Z – cool Mancini work from the start of the 70s – a record that offers a nice step forward from his scoring styles of the 60s, with a slightly orchestral feel as well! The arrangements here are full, but still have a nice sort of focus – and include solos by players like Mancini on piano, Jimmy Rowles on electric calliope, Dick Nash on trombone, Ted Nash on alto, and Art Smith on recorder. Some of the best tracks have a groovy feel that really fits the date of the record, while others have a more traditional soundtrack approach – and tunes include "Theme From Z", "Airport Love Theme", "Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head", "A Man A Horse A Gun", "Patton Theme", and Jobim's "Love Theme From The Adventurers". Debut has Henry Mancini making his debut as a conductor of the Philadelphia Pops – a larger orchestra than you'll usually hear on most Manini albums, which allows Hank to really open up in some more sophisticated modes! The songs are mostly more serious Mancini compositions – with solos on flute, oboe, violin, harpsichord, and trumpet – and titles include "Beaver Valley 37", "Dream Of A Lifetime", "Drummer's Delight", "Speedy Gonzalez", and "Strings On Fire". CD

A killer set from a group that may well be the most perfectly realized version of the Exploding Star concept from Rob Mazurek – one who've got some fantastic parts that come together here in a wonderfully visionary record! Rob's still in the lead on trumpets and electronics – but the group really resonates from some key contributions from Damon Locks on voice and more electronics – at a level that has him rising to that long-overdue role of stardom, which seems to give the whole group an even greater source of focus and energy. Jeff Parker lays down some wicked guitar, Angelica Sanchez and Craig Taborn are fantastic on Wurlitzer electric pianos and moog – and the great Nicole Mitchell is on flute and a bit of vocals. There's a sense of majesty here that Mazurek has never had before – and the album is maybe one of the most crowning achievements in his long and very storied career. Titles include "Future Shaman", "Shape Shifter", "White River", "Dream Sleeper", and "Black River". CD

A second great set from Nomade Orchestra – a Brazilian group who bring a trans-global approach to jazz-based instrumentation – with a resulting sound that's unlike anyone else we can think of! These guys aren't in the usual Brazilian groove, and they're also not like some of the Afro Funk combos that have sprung up on that scene – and instead they seem to take the nomad in their name seriously, and wander the globe searching for sounds and styles to fit into their music! Instrumentation is especially strong on saxes – alto, tenor, and soprano – which really emphasize some of the more dramatic currents in the music – and the group's also heavy on percussion, with some slight electric touches on keyboards and guitar. Titles include "Jardins De Zaira", "Felag Mengu", "Estrada Para Camomla", "Olho Do Tempo", "Terra Fertil", "Rinoceronte Blues", and "Vale Da Boca Seca". CD

One of the coolest club records ever cut – and one with a great gimmick too! That gimmick is the "hotel sheet" – an instrument created by percussionist Jack Ashford, which is a light piece of metal that's snapped back and worth to create these cool wibbly, wobbly waves of sound – almost like a moog at times, which gives some of these tracks a bit of a P&P Records vibe! Ashford was a member of The Funk Brothers – and a percussionist on countless classic Motown sessions – but this album was recorded in LA with a sweet electric groove, and a mix of strings and funk that almost rivals Jack's only other full album – a rare blacksploitation soundtrack. The set features full arrangements from Paul Riser, orchestrations from Gordon Staples, and the whole thing was recorded at the Marvin Gaye studios – which you can almost hear in Ashford's surprisingly great vocals. The title cut "Hotel Sheet" has this wonderful popping moogy sound that's very nice – and other tracks include "Funky Disco Party", "Shar", "Hi Mom, Hi Al", and "Get Right On Top". CD

Sweet 70s grooving from Brazilian singer Eva – a bit of soul, a bit of easy, all styled together nicely by orchestrations from the magical maestro Gaya! Gaya's work here is similar to his best backings for other artists in the Blue Brazil generation – a mix of American pop, post-bossa instrumentation, and in this case, some very slight electric touches – kind of hipping up the tunes a bit with some nice keyboards! The album's got a really nice version of "Moon River" that skips along at a nice pace – plus some great originals that offer a strong update to the sound of other Brazilian pop/post-bossa singers, like Doris Monteiro or Claudette Soares. Titles include "O Homem Do Tempo", "Vinte Leguas", "Na Baixa Do Sapateiro", "Olha Eu Aqui Oh Oh Oh", "Talisma", and Sonho Lindo". CD

Easily the grooviest album ever recorded by German violin maestro Helmut Zacharius – a late 60s session done for Capitol Records, with plenty of sunshiney pop touches! The initial approach here is similar to other Zacharius work of the 60s – instrumental tracks with violin in the lead – but the overall approach is far hipper, and often has a nice little bounce at the bottom! Tracks are mostly versions of American pop and soul hits from the late 60s – but they're recast in some more ambitious arrangements that almost take on an MPS easy sort of groove – full orchestrations on most numbers, but also with electric bass at the bottom and some especially tight drums – giving the album an otherwise unexpected sort of groove. Helmut's violin is never too sleepy or syrupy, and blends in nicely with the orchestrations – soaring out when it needs to state the chorus or theme, but also flowing well with the rest of the sound. Titles include "I Say A Little Prayer", "Naturally Stoned", "Brown Eyed Woman", "Reach Out For Me", "Respect", "Light My Fire", "Baby Love", "The House That Jack Built", and "Satisfaction". CD also features the bonus track "Mexico Melody". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer stuff – and an amazing album that not only showcases the varitone sax talents of Eddie Harris, but also features some fantastic arrangements by Chicago soul genius Charles Stepney! Harris plugs in right from the start – blowing an electric sax that comes up with some groovy groovy sounds – perfect for Stepney to work with on the backdrops – mixing together funky orchestrations, off-kilter strings, and even some prepared piano, ala John Cage – similar to the mode he used with Ramsey Lewis at Cadet! Tunes are wonderful – offbeat, funky, and plenty darn soulful – and titles include "Live Right Now", "It's Crazy", "Winter Meeting", and "Theme In Search Of A TV Commercial". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet little disco party from Percy Faith – a man who cut some pretty sleepy records in the 60s, but really managed to open up his groove in the 70s! The whole thing's maybe the same disco take on older instrumental styles that Henry Mancini would cut a bit during the period, too – strings and larger orchestrations, but nicely laced with electric instruments, and given some heavier rhythmic touches at the bottom – all with a creative care that's maybe a lot more compelling than some of the throwaway charts from the pop disco scene. Titles include "Chompin", "Love Music", "The King Is Dead", "Cherry Cherry", "Coldwater Morning", "Mongonucleosis", and "Substitute". LP, Vinyl record album

Nude woman on the front, erotic song titles on the back, Swedish name of a composer in the credits – everything you need to make a nice sexy soundtrack! Unfortunately, the bulk of the album is largely orchestral – not bad, mind you, but just not with the kind of eye-popping porno sound that you might expect from the rest of the package. The soundtrack's actually a pretty decent one – with lots of sad strings, some electric bass, and a bit of percussion in the mix – and titles include "Petting Waltz", "Feelings In A Dive", "Strip-Tease Party", "Beguine Erotic", and "Sex Happening". LP, Vinyl record album

If Hawaii was this funky, we'd move there in a minute – and honestly, we wouldn't be surprised if this record did a heck of a lot for the image of state back in the day! The soundtrack is one of our all-time favorites – a driving batch of larger orchestrations that is heavy on percussion, filled with jazzy riffs, and which makes great use of electric bass to round out the bottom nicely! Mort Stevens goes way beyond the typical cop show groove on this one – filling up the record with rich colors, unique tones, and some great inflections on the horn passages that charge each tune with a mad level of excitement. There's some great instrumental touches in the set too – like occasional fuzzed-out guitar, Hammond organ, and even a bit of sweet flute and soulful sax – giving the whole thing a feel that reminds us of Lalo Schifrin's best work from the time. Includes the massive "Hawaii Five-O" theme, plus the cuts "Call To Danger", "Up Tight", "Blues Trip", "The Long Wait", "The Floater", "Beach Trip", "Operation Smash", "McGarrett's Theme", and "Front Street". Book 'em Danno! LP, Vinyl record album

A Morricone score penned for a comedic western – but music that's really on a par with any of his more familiar classics of the genre! The styles here run from dark to bright – with some numbers that feature trademark Morricone styles like isolated harmonica or chanting vocals, to others that cascade with slightly more contemporary instrumental modes – including just a bit of subdued electricity amidst the larger orchestrations. But in any setting, the Morricone genius shines through beautifully – and there's a sense of depth to even the simplest tunes here that's really great – and the balance here is what really makes the album strong. CD features a whopping 29 tracks in all – way more than any other issue of music from the film – with titles that include "Non Fare L'Indiano", "Sfida All'Ultima Forchetta", "L'Ultima Tromba", "Tanti Pugni", "Occhio Alla Pena", "Passagio Dal Male Al Bene", and "Dal Sarto". CD

A great double-header – one that features 2 classic Jean-Luc Ponty albums from the 60s! Record one presents the album King Kong – an album that features Ponty, who was working with Frank Zappa at the time, playing a set of electric jazz takes on Zappa tunes – with lots of added help from George Duke, who was also working with Zappa too! The set's almost a "birth of fusion" one – with Zappa arrangements that are clearly in a jazz-rock mode – and lots of electric bass, electric piano, and electric violin in the set. Tracks are long, and riff-heavy – and other players include Ernie Watts, Wilton Felder, Buell Neidlinger, and Ian Underwood. Titles include "America Drinks & Goes Home", "Music For Electric Violin & Low Budget Orchestra", "King Kong", and "Twenty Small Cigars". Record two features The Jean Luc Ponty Experience With The George Duke Trio – a much better album than you'd expect, without any of the noodling of the players' later albums! At the time of this set, Duke and Ponty are breaking out of the hippie weirdness of the Zappa records, and get a bit more serious – working through some long, extended modal grooves that rank with the best MPS work by either player. Duke's on electric piano, ringing out in a weird spacy sound, and Ponty's violin is mostly restrained, used to cast waves of sound over the top of the tracks, in a way that works well with Duke's soulful resonant approach. Titles include "Foosh", "Cantaloupe Island", and "Starlight Starbright". LP, Vinyl record album