A pretty great soundtrack from Francis Lai – despite the time of the recording! The score is Lai's update of his classic soundtrack to A Man & A Woman, done for Claude Lelouch's 1986 film – A Man & A Woman, 20 Years Later. The whole concept – of both the film and the soundtrack – is a bit hokey, but it really hooks us, and still stands nicely with the best of Lai's soundtrack work. The music is steeped in themes borrowed from the first score, and features vocals on one track by Pierre Barouh, plus others by Richard Berry and Liliane Davis. A few numbers are a bit tinny, but overall there's less 80s production than you might think. Titles include "20 Ans Deja", "Un Homme Et Une Femme", "Aujourd'hui C'Est Toi", "A L'Ombre De Nous", and "Cent Ans Eja". LP, Vinyl record album

Nice suspense score from the early 80's, with lots of spare bits on moog and synthesizer. If you like Lai's work, this is in keeping with his classic style of orchestration, but with an 80's touch. The instrumentation's a bit like that that he used on Pierre Barouh's Pollen LP, and tracks include "Maintenant Je Sais", "La Separation", "City Rock", and "Pelerinage". CD

Two of the greatest French soundtrack composers ever – working side by side in this epic soundtrack for a late 70s film by Claude Lelouch! The story spans decades of French histories, and the style of the music follows suit – starting with early 20th Century danceband work, and moving into some later styles that approach the more familiar soundtrack modes of Lai and Legrand – especially on the more lush, more fluidly flowing numbers that dominate as the work moves on. There's a few vocals in the mix, but most of the tracks are instrumental – with instrumentation that includes keyboards, piano, clarinet, and strings. Titles include "Serenade For Sarah", "Dad & Co", "Un Parfum De Fin Du Monde", "Ravel's Bolero", and "Ballet Apocalypse". LP, Vinyl record album

Genius work from French composer Francis Lai – one of his greatest soundtracks ever, and done during the same period as Live For Life and A Man & A Woman! The feel here is very similar to the work of those films – and was also done for a project directed by Claude Lelouch – and as on A Man & A Woman, both Pierre Barouh and Nicole Croisille sing vocals on the session, bringing a really groovy vocal touch to the set! The tunes range from broadly sweeping and soaring numbers, to others that have a bouncy French pop feel – and Lai really comes through with some beautiful instrumentation for the set, especially on a few of the tracks that feature organ! There's three versions of the great track "Killy", an anthemic ditty that's sung by Nicole Croisille, and played again on solo organ – and other tracks include "Descente", "Peggy", and "13 Jours En France". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning soundtrack from the legendary Francis Lai – a record that got a fair bit of circulation at the time, as it was a follow up to his huge global hit, A Man & A Woman (aka Un Homme Et Une Femme)! The style here is equally great – a groovy sound that completely changed the way soundtrack music was used in the 60s – airy, jazzy, and with the same mix of bossa and mod styles that you might find in some of your favorite Italian soundtracks of the time – although at a global scale, we always think that Francis really set the tune for others to follow! There's some nice organ, great use of trumpet, and the record even has some groovy vocals at points from the wonderful Nicole Croisille – who'd sung on the Man & A Woman soundtrack, and also worked with Lai on other Saravah Records albums too. And in a way, since Pierre Barouh had a hand in some of these tunes, the whole thing is almost a precursor to Saravah – certainly, like A Man & A Woman, where Barouh had some help in raising the funds for that project. Titles include "Theme To Candice", "Theme To Catherine", "Theme To Robert", "All At Once It's Love", "Zoom", and a few versions of the title cut! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest soundtracks ever – an archetypal album from French composer Francis Lai, and a record that set the tone for countless other imitations to come – yet which is still the best! The groove here is really unique – a spare blend of bossa influences, jazzy organ lines, and wordless vocals that are sung beautifully by French singers Nicole Croisille and Pierre Barouh – and although a mainstream success, the record was the initial force behind the legendary Saravah imprint that Barouh would form later, to record a wide range of groundbreaking work in a variety of genres. But history aside, the music here is plenty – and from the very first note the whole soundtrack grabs you with a sense of warmth and sentiment that defy description – modes never heard before in the soundtrack world, and which really broke the mold from Hollywood conventions! Titles include the seminal bossa number "Samba Saravah", plus "A Man & A Woman", "Today It's You", "In Our Shadow", "At 200 MPH", and "Stronger Than Us". LP, Vinyl record album

A great large ensemble reading of the music of Francis Lai – the fantastic French film score composer who gave the world some legendary music from the mid 60s onwards! The package focuses strongly on early tracks by Lai, especially his work for director Claude Lelouch – and together, the tracks work like a list of his most famous themes, but often taken into a set of instrumentation that's larger and richer than the original soundtrack readings. The set features singers on a few cuts – Anne Sila sings "Le Passager De La Pluie" and "13 Jours En France", Lorene Devienne sings "La Chanson De Melissa", and Reina Kitada sings "La Valse Du Mariage" – next to instrumental tracks that include "Les Etoiles De Cinema", "Bilitis", "Vivre Pour Vivre", "Concerto Pour La Fin D'Un Amor", "La Leco Particuliere", and "Un Homme Et Une Femme". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

A sleazy film, but one with some really great music from Francis Lai – the composer better known for his mainstream contributions to classics like A Man & A Woman and Live For Life! In any setting, Lai displays an amazing genius for spare tunes that hit a lyrical chord and a warmly sentimental mode – never one that's sleepy or drippy, but just the right balance of sounds and rhythms to convey a tremendous amount with very little. Lai plays a fair bit of keyboards here, lightly electric, and relatively spare – but not as much so as on some of his other 70s soundtracks. Titles include "Une Soiree Orientale", "La Vierge Anna Marie", "Emmanuelle Au Hong Kong", "Le Theme D'Emmanuelle", and "La Maison De Rendez-Vous". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

A really fantastic late 60s score from Francis Lai – not nearly as well known as Man & A Woman or Live For Life – but filled with lots of the same great elements! The set features two great vocal tunes, sung by Nicole Croisille – "I Wonder Why" and "Where Did Our Summers Go" – both with that sense of space and drama that made Lai so great at the time. But even better are the instrumentals, which mix these mod, groovy, jerk-type tunes with some others that have more of that lush, Lai-type style – all in a great blend that includes "Theme D'Olivier", "Night In Avoriaz", "Rencontre Sur La Neige", "Generique", and a few variations on the main theme. LP also features the much more obscure soundtrack for La Louve Solitaire – a great one from the same time, with beautiful arrangements from Christian Gaubert! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest soundtracks ever – an archetypal album from French composer Francis Lai, and a record that set the tone for countless other imitations to come – yet which is still the best! The groove here is really unique – a spare blend of bossa influences, jazzy organ lines, and wordless vocals that are sung beautifully by French singers Nicole Croisille and Pierre Barouh – and although a mainstream success, the record was the initial force behind the legendary Saravah imprint that Barouh would form later, to record a wide range of groundbreaking work in a variety of genres. But history aside, the music here is plenty – and from the very first note the whole soundtrack grabs you with a sense of warmth and sentiment that defy description – modes never heard before in the soundtrack world, and which really broke the mold from Hollywood conventions! Titles include the seminal bossa number "Samba Saravah", plus "A Man & A Woman", "Today It's You", "In Our Shadow", "At 200 MPH", and "Stronger Than Us". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic! These are 2 of the best soundtracks of all time, and they've been smartly brought together on one CD for a nicely priced set of 20 tracks that will have you falling in love with the work of Francis Lai all over again. The sound quality is great, and the CD includes all of the classic theme from both scores, like "Man & A Woman", "Today It's You", "Samba Saravah", "Zoom", "Theme To Catherine", and more! Lots of cool organ, hauting trumpet, and very groovy French vocals by the likes of Nicole Croisille, Pierre Barouh, and Baden Powell! An essential release for any soundtrack or Now Sound fan, and a CD that we can't recommend highly enough! Plus, this cool French version has even better packaging than the American one! CD

Fantastic stuff, and one of our favorite soundtracks of all time! The score is filled with beautiful haunting melodies by Francis Lai, and the instrumentation includes spare spooky electric keyboards and organ, swirling churning strings, and a lone lonely trumpet. Plus, a few tracks have some very groovy vocals, one by the great Nicole Croisille! Tracks include "Theme To Candice", "Theme To Catherine", "Theme To Robert", "All At Once It's Love", "Zoom", and a few versions of the title cut! Fantastic stuff, and reissued here with the original French cover. Now out of print in the US – and this is an even nicer-looking version anyway! CD

Excellent slinky sexy 70s work by Francis Lai – the famous French composer who's penned some of our favorite scores, and who's working frequently here in a "sex behind the curtains" style that's pretty great. There's lots of electric moments, and apart from a few tracks that have a more "historical" feel, most of the work is very 70s sounding. Titles include "L'Heure Bleue", "Les Etoiles Du Cinema", "Obsession", "L'Age Tendre", and "La Lecon D'Amour D'Emanuelle". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A fantastic soundtrack from the great Francis Lai! The record is one of his most unusual – and features a number of short songs that focus on spare keyboard work, either on organ, piano, or electric piano, and with some cool groovy instrumentation, and a bit of light strings and woodwinds. The slow sensuous themes are among some of the best Lai instrumental work we've ever heard – and the soundtrack is a real gem from one of the best points in his career. The set kicks off with the vocal number "Le Passager De La Pluie", sung by the lovely Severine, and includes the cuts "Theme Des Voitures", "L'Arrestation", "Theme Dobbs", "Souvenir De Melancolie", "Le Viol", and "Theme Bestial". Wonderful stuff! LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic soundtrack from the great Francis Lai! The record is one of his most unusual – and features a number of short songs that focus on spare keyboard work, either on organ, piano, or electric piano, and with some cool groovy instrumentation, and a bit of light strings and woodwinds. The slow sensuous themes are among some of the best Lai instrumental work we've ever heard – and the soundtrack is a real gem from one of the best points in his career. The set kicks off with the vocal number "Le Passager De La Pluie", sung by the lovely Severine, and includes the cuts "Theme Des Voitures", "L'Arrestation", "Theme Dobbs", "Souvenir De Melancolie", "Le Viol", and "Theme Bestial". Wonderful stuff! LP, Vinyl record album

Four great soundtracks from four excellent films that featured the lovely Romy Schneider in the lead! First up is Philippe Sarde's score for La Choses De La Vie – maybe one of our favorite French soundtracks of the late 60s! There's a really special quality to this music – as rich as some of Sarde's other scores, but maybe linked more towards the new wave of subtle expression that came about in French cinema after the nouvelle vague – that quality that you might hear in the music of Francis Lai at his most subtle moments, handled perfectly here. Tracks are relatively short – mostly spare variations on a sad, dreamy little melody that's played in the film as the car of the main character slowly crumbles in an accident – a death that begins the movie, which then tells the story backwards! The tune only features swells of strings and piano, but it's compelling enough to hear in a number of variations here – and mixed with a few other great melodies too, including one song sung by the film's stars Michel Piccoli and Romy Schneider. Next is Sarde's score for Max Et Les Ferrailleurs – an obscure film that also stars Michel Piccoli and Romy Schneider – and the best cuts have a cool French jazz sound that mixes guitar, vibes, trumpet, and hard on-the-beat vamping by the bass and drums. You may know the cool cut "Juke Boxes Chez Saidani" from a few compilations, and the album's got a few more cuts that have a variation on a similar theme. Next is Cesar Et Rosalie – one of the coolest Philippe Sarde soundtracks of the 70s – a set that balances his conventional modes with some much more offbeat moments – including some very cool use of electronics next to some bold woodwinds scored by Hubert Rostaing! The approach is very unusual for Sarde, and his ability to still make the odd sentimental moment amidst he more striking passages is what really makes the whole thing great – as he shows us that he's not only the master of the mature, adult film score – but also still has his ears open to all the underground changes going on around him! The set features moog from Guy Boyer and trumpet from Pierre Dutour too. The last score here is for Une Histoire Simple – a richer, more orchestral score that really marks that shift in styles that Philippe Sarde was using in the second half of the 70s – wonderful large arrangements that are brimming over with tones and colors, feeling and emotion – but all in a way that's never overdone! Also features two bonus tracks – the Italian version of "La Canzone De Helen", sung by Schneider and Piccoli, and a version of "La Lettre De Rosalie" done by Eric Truffaz. LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of rare and unissued soundtrack gems from the French scene of the 70s – work from some of the best composers at the time, but most of which we'd never heard before! There's a great current of funk running through this music – but in ways that are more complex and subtle than all-out action material – really showing that great French film love of a gentle melody, while also using basslines and occasional beats to make things groove in a great way! The production modes here are fantastic – mindblowing modes that do a lot of weird things with the instrumentation – on titles that include "Theme De Simon" by Francis Lai, "Le Dernier Des Mauvais Jours" by Christophe, "The Organization" by Gilbert Becaud & Christian Gaubert, "La Vie Sentimentale" by Alain Gouraguer, "Mouvements Aquatiles" by Janko Nilovic, "L'Agonie (inst)" by Jacky Chalard & Gilbert Deflez, "Menuet Spatial" by Vladimir Cosma, "Sweet Mary" by Andre Popp, and "Prophets (inst)" by Michel Magne. LP, Vinyl record album

Four great soundtracks from four excellent films that featured the lovely Romy Schneider in the lead! First up is Philippe Sarde's score for La Choses De La Vie – maybe one of our favorite French soundtracks of the late 60s! There's a really special quality to this music – as rich as some of Sarde's other scores, but maybe linked more towards the new wave of subtle expression that came about in French cinema after the nouvelle vague – that quality that you might hear in the music of Francis Lai at his most subtle moments, handled perfectly here. Tracks are relatively short – mostly spare variations on a sad, dreamy little melody that's played in the film as the car of the main character slowly crumbles in an accident – a death that begins the movie, which then tells the story backwards! The tune only features swells of strings and piano, but it's compelling enough to hear in a number of variations here – and mixed with a few other great melodies too, including one song sung by the film's stars Michel Piccoli and Romy Schneider. Next is Sarde's score for Max Et Les Ferrailleurs – an obscure film that also stars Michel Piccoli and Romy Schneider – and the best cuts have a cool French jazz sound that mixes guitar, vibes, trumpet, and hard on-the-beat vamping by the bass and drums. You may know the cool cut "Juke Boxes Chez Saidani" from a few compilations, and the album's got a few more cuts that have a variation on a similar theme. Next is Cesar Et Rosalie – one of the coolest Philippe Sarde soundtracks of the 70s – a set that balances his conventional modes with some much more offbeat moments – including some very cool use of electronics next to some bold woodwinds scored by Hubert Rostaing! The approach is very unusual for Sarde, and his ability to still make the odd sentimental moment amidst he more striking passages is what really makes the whole thing great – as he shows us that he's not only the master of the mature, adult film score – but also still has his ears open to all the underground changes going on around him! The set features moog from Guy Boyer and trumpet from Pierre Dutour too. The last score here is for Une Histoire Simple – a richer, more orchestral score that really marks that shift in styles that Philippe Sarde was using in the second half of the 70s – wonderful large arrangements that are brimming over with tones and colors, feeling and emotion – but all in a way that's never overdone! Also features two bonus tracks – the Italian version of "La Canzone De Helen", sung by Schneider and Piccoli, and a version of "La Lettre De Rosalie" done by Eric Truffaz. CD

An incredible soundtrack – one of the all-time greats of the 70s! Dave Grusin really outdid himself with this one – and created a sublime mix of sound, space, and spare funky beats that holds up wonderfully all the way through! The main theme steps around in a haunting mix of electric piano, basslines, and muted trumpets over strings – and lots of other tunes on the set follow the same format – taking the best of funky Morricone and Francis Lai, and giving it an even hipper American twist! Plus, most of Grusin's soundtrack work of this nature was never properly issued (like his great tunes for Barretta!) – and this rare album is one of the few that ever made it, however briefly, to the record racks! Titles include "Condor", "Yellow Panic", "Out To Lunch", "Flight Of The Condor", and "Flashback To Terror". Loads of great keyboards! LP, Vinyl record album

Lovely vocals from Mireille, backed by the orchestra of Paul Mauriat! Includes an excellent take on "Chant Olympique" – from Francis Lai's score to 13 Jours En France – plus "L'Amour", "Ponts De Paris", "La Vielle Barque", "La Derniere Valse", and "Seuls Au Monde". LP, Vinyl record album

Kaleidoscopic pop from the late 60s Brit & Euro scenes – the fifth in the Fairytales Can Come True Series from Psychic Circle – from liltingly melodic psychedelic story songs, to more grandly produced gems to rawer and grittier groovers! There's a name or two you might recognize here (Francis Lai, stand up!) but most are fresh and new to our eyes, ears & senses! Includes tracks by Sleepy, Francis Lai, Mec Op Singers, Rokes, Pattersons, Dorian & The Mackensies, Love Affair, Merseys, Sound Network, Malcolm Holland, Rattles, Wishful Thinking, Keith Field and more! 20 tracks in all: "Mrs Bailey's Baerbecue & Grill" by Sleepy, "Keep It Cool" by Francis Lai, "No Place For Our Minds" by Crown's Clan, "The Cat" by Merseys, "She Belongs To The Night" by Wishful Thinking", "Hey Diddle Diddle" by Montanas, "Continental Hesitation" by Rifkin and more. CD

Psychedelic easy listening! This groovy late 60s instrumental session features fuzzy guitars, squeaky moog, heavy drums, and lilting strings – a bit like Pierre Henry, a bit like Francis Lai, and a lot like some of the best Italian sound library themes from the time – pretty weird and wonderful, and the sort of record that almost sounds better now than it did when it first leapt on the market! There's a very cool sound here that's a bit like some of the grooviest "jerk" records from the fuzzy French scene of the 60s – and titles include "Radio Pirat Program", "Am Stram Gram", "Kriminal Theme", "The Whistler", "Inside My Brain", "Concerto Genocide", "Crazy Circus", and "Heathcliff Y Cry Your Name". All instrumental – save for some weird electronic voices! LP, Vinyl record album

A rare EP for the film L'Homme Presse – music that has this open, floating sort of vibe – light strings, and isolated piano lines – almost at a level that's like some of our favorite French composers from the early 70s. There's some lightly classical touches, but the sound is quite contemporary overall – with a moody vibe that reminds us of some of the darker moments from Francis Lai. 7-inch, Vinyl record

A loving tribute to the great Japanese actor Ken Takakura – served up here with a variety of different styles and modes! Two of the tracks on the set feature pianist Shinji Akita working with other programs to create these really lovely sounds that are almost as if they were lifted off some vintage soundtrack – especially the number "Old Fashioned Bar", which has a feel that's somewhere in the territory of Francis Lai, balanced by a lighter, more spacious approach on "Aniki's Theme" The core of the short record features the longest track – a beautiful jazz number with Masahiko Sato on piano, Shinpei Ruike on trumpet, Kosuke Sakai on bass, and Shun Ishiwaka on drums – a number that balances moody trumpet with piano in this warmly cinematic approach to jazz. CD

One of our favorite record labels of all time finally gets its due – in a wonderful package that not only brings together some of the coolest cuts from the legendary French imprint Saravah Records, but also tells the story behind the company and it's groundbreaking approach to music! Saravah was born from the fame of Francis Lai's soundtrack for A Man & A Woman (Un Homme Et Une Femme), and from the lyrical contributions of Pierre Barouh – but immediately after, the company began pursuing a musical path like no other – taking on strands of jazz, world music, and the hippest styles in France – and creating new music that was unlike anything that had ever been recorded! Some of the best moments from the legendary label are here – including tracks that have the Art Ensemble of Chicago working with singers – Marva Broome on "Mystifying Mama", Alfred Panou on "Je Suis Un Sauvage", and Brigitte Fontaine on "Comme A La Radio" – plus more titles that include "Monsieur Chimpanze" by Michel Roques, "Sicilienne" by Maurice Vander, "Delhi Daily" by Baroque Jazz Trio, "Le Bruit Et Le Bruit" by Beatrice Arnac, "EDF Power" by EDF, "Trane's Call" by Georges Arvanitas, "Saudade" by Pierre Barouh & Baden Powell, "Je Jouais Le Piano" by Jacques Higelin, "Desert Angel" by Cohelmec Ensemble, and "80 AB" by Areski. CD

Really wonderful work from Hubert Laws – maybe one of his greatest albums for CTI! The record has a laidback feel that's similar to most of Laws' other work for the label, but somehow the live setting also brings out a bit more edge – and gives the record a gently funky groove that's sometimes missing from his other albums. The core group features Harvey Mason on drums (which may be part of the reason for the groove!) – plus Bob James on keyboards, Gary King on bass, and Glen Deardorff on guitar. A larger string section joins in on a few cuts, but they're really submerged in the mix, and the main sound comes from the smaller group. Tracks are all quite long – and titles include "Feel Like Making Love", "Farandole", "Modadji", and "Scheherazade". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album by Made In Brasil – a great San Francisco combo from the 70s, with a flair for jazzy Brazilian tunes that's every bit as great as groups from Rio or Sao Paulo at the time! The group at this point features keyboardist Claudio Medeiros – who really adds a lot to their sound with his tight work on organ, clavinet, and electric piano! The tracks have a much more expansive sound than before – jazzily grooving in the Brazilian fusion mode of the 70s, touched with all the brightness of the west coast scene. Titles include "Circles", "A Briza", "Slick", "Madalena", "Salt Song", "Carinhoso", and "Ponteio/Asa Branca". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio outing from pianist Nduduzo Makhathini, and one that both shows off a more intimate side of his music, and does a great job of linking his sound back to the older years of the South African jazz scene! The trio features Zwelakhe Duma Bell Le Pere on bass and Francisco Mela on drums – both players who let themselves be moved by Makhathini's flowing lines on piano, in ways that swirl with soulful energy throughout – laidback, but very powerful – and with an inherent warmth that's echoed by some of his vocalizations on the record too. There's a quality here that reminds us of some of our favorite work by Bheki Mseleku from the last century – especially in the way that Makhathini's sense of soul isn't just limited to his work on the keys of the piano – and the set works as a larger suite of tracks, with sections titled "Libations", "Water Spirit", and "Inner Attainment". CD

A celebration of 20 years of Groove Merchant, the haven for disco, funk & soul records on Haight St, in San Francisco – also the birthplace of Luv N' Haight & Ubiquity Records! As an anniversary compilation, it's would be appropriate for Luv N' Haight/Ubiquity to make sure that this is one of the best comps they've ever put together – a difficult task, given that these are the folks behind the great Bay Area Funk, California Soul and other great releases – but they pulled it off! The selection of tunes is diverse, yet oddly connective in a soulful, adventurous spirit – whether it's sun-toasted or spacey keyboard-inflected soul, laidback or harder charging funk, groovy psychedelic folk, or rare disco. A very nicely chosen 14 tracks includes "Crystals" by Ron Forella", "You Lied" by Numonics, "Sunlit Horizon" by April Fulladosa, "Stump" by September, "Be Mine" by Lola Johnson, "Date With With Rain" by Frankie Gee, ""Who Is Your Friend" by Soul Liberation, "Get Up And Dance" by Arthur Foy, "Nick Danger" by "Pataphysics" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Smoking, previously unreleased live material from the great Freddie Hubbard – from a couple of dates at San Francisco's Keystone Korner in the summer and fall of 1980 – invigorating stuff led by Freddie and backed by an incredible group of players! They alternately work in a hard charging, fairly incendiary and spacious style as well as a more finely-honed groove, with great solos by Hubbard and the group. Billy Childs is on piano and Rhodes, Phil Ranelin on trombone, Hadley Caliman and David Schnitter on tenor, Eddie Marshall and Sinclair Lott on drums. The set list is exciting, to boot: with "The Intrepid Fox", "First Light", "One Of Another Kind", "Happiness Is Now", "The Summer Knows", "Blues For Duane" and Giant Steps". CD

Funk from Belgium? Believe it or not, stranger things have happened – and we can promise that if you played these tracks back to back with more familiar grooves from other 70s sources, you'd quickly find that these Belgian grooves are right up there with the best of the bunch! The set's maybe a more sophisticated follow-up to the excellent Funky Chicken collection, which documented some grittier Belgian 70s material a few years back – and this one shows off a wickedly sharp batch of tunes that include funky fusion, sweet sound library numbers, and lots of really inventive cuts that are plenty funk, but often take some great chances too – in ways that almost make us think that the nation's scene was so small that musicians from different genres were often hanging out together, and breaking down lots of musical boundaries in the process! Titles include "Funky Chimes" by Francis Coppieters, "My Chinese Girl Likes Kung Fu Fighting" by The Sumos, "Traveling On Rhythms" by Bud Hunga & His Diplomatic Music, "Pink Movement" by Experience, "Tiger Walk" by The Peter Laine Orchestra, "Faded Lady (inst)" by SSO, "Barabajagal" by The Flying Guitar, "Scratch My Back (parts 1 & 2)" by The Soul Scratchers, "Skylab" by Electronic System III, "Free Way Exit" by Guido Carnagy, "Guess We'd Better Break Up Now" by Etta Cameron, "Give It Up Or Turn It A Loose" by Philip Catherine, "Riff For Peggy" by Roland Thyssen, "We Love The Policemen" by Hearts Of Soul & Shampoo, "Smoke Signal" by Indian Sound Of Blackfoot, "Inner City Blues" by Leslie Kent, "Chewing Gum Delirium" by Free Pop Electronic Concept, "Akkerwinde" by Lieven, "Concerto For Right Foot & Orchestra" by George Hayes & His Philarpopic Orchestra, "Punktowiec" by Skleroptak, and "Soul Melody" by R Dero. CD

A trio outing from pianist Nduduzo Makhathini, and one that both shows off a more intimate side of his music, and does a great job of linking his sound back to the older years of the South African jazz scene! The trio features Zwelakhe Duma Bell Le Pere on bass and Francisco Mela on drums – both players who let themselves be moved by Makhathini's flowing lines on piano, in ways that swirl with soulful energy throughout – laidback, but very powerful – and with an inherent warmth that's echoed by some of his vocalizations on the record too. There's a quality here that reminds us of some of our favorite work by Bheki Mseleku from the last century – especially in the way that Makhathini's sense of soul isn't just limited to his work on the keys of the piano – and the set works as a larger suite of tracks, with sections titled "Libations", "Water Spirit", and "Inner Attainment". LP, Vinyl record album

A warm set of groovers from Flip Nunez – a San Francisco-based pianist with a great Latin tinge, working here in a fantastic setting that makes for one of his greatest recordings! The album was recorded in SF in 1976, and it's got the laidback groove of some of the best sides coming from the area at the time – a sweet blend of fusion, Latin, and modal jazz grooving. Nunez plays electric piano, clavinet, piano, and organ – and a few tracks feature his vocals, which have a confident style that's somewhere between Mark Murphy and Tony Benett (in his jazzier mode.) The centerpiece of the album is a long mellow-grooving version of "See You Later", a tune that Flip wrote, and which has been covered on a number of other jazz dance classics over the years – but the album's filled with great tunes, like "D'ju Like Me", "This Time For Good", "Why Did You Come Into My Life", and "Mr Cool", a sweet little funky tune! LP, Vinyl record album

2 live cookers from Cal Tajder – back to back on a single CD! The set begins with Night At The Blackhawk – one of Cal's best late 50s dates for Fantasy Records – thanks to some smoking tenor sax from Jose "Chombo" Silva! The album has Cal working in the very comfortable territory of San Francisco's Blackhawk Nightclub – in a combo that also features familiar players Vince Guaraldi on piano, Al McKibbon on bass, Willie Boby on drums, and Mongo Santamaria on congas – all musicians who'd previously helped Tjader hit some of his best Latin grooves! But the addition of Silva on a few tracks here really makes the set crackle – giving it a gutsy, soulful fee that you don't always get on some of Tjader's other records. Tracks are longish – and titles include the nice original "Bill B", plus jazzy versions of "I Love Paris", "Blue & Sentimental", and "Night In Tunisia". Live & Direct is great live work from Cal Tjader – one of a number of sets but at his home turf of the Blackhawk Nightclub in San Francisco! The album's nicely laidback, with tracks that stretch out a bit more than Tjader's studio work for Fantasy Records – often hitting a slight Latin groove at times, but with a bit more of a straight jazz vibes feel overall! The great Lonnie Hewitt's on the group on piano, coloring in the tunes with some very soulful notes – and in addition to Cal's vibes, the rest of the lineup includes Victor Venegas on bass, and Willie Bobo on drums. Mongo Santamaria on congas and Rolando Lozano on flute join in on the track "Mambo Terrifico" – and other titles include "Racoon Straits", "Bad & The Beautiful", and "You Stepped Out Of A Dream". Note that the CD omits the track "The Continental" from Live & Direct – due to space restrictions. CD

Funk from Belgium? Believe it or not, stranger things have happened – and we can promise that if you played these tracks back to back with more familiar grooves from other 70s sources, you'd quickly find that these Belgian grooves are right up there with the best of the bunch! The set's maybe a more sophisticated follow-up to the excellent Funky Chicken collection, which documented some grittier Belgian 70s material a few years back – and this one shows off a wickedly sharp batch of tunes that include funky fusion, sweet sound library numbers, and lots of really inventive cuts that are plenty funk, but often take some great chances too – in ways that almost make us think that the nation's scene was so small that musicians from different genres were often hanging out together, and breaking down lots of musical boundaries in the process! As with the other set, the presentation here is wonderful – not just fantastic music we'd never have discovered otherwise, but also very detailed notes and an overall punch that few other funky compilations can match. Titles on this first vinyl volume include "Funky Chimes" by Francis Coppieters, "My Chinese Girl Likes Kung Fu Fighting" by The Sumos, "Traveling On Rhythms" by Bud Hunga & His Diplomatic Music, "Pink Movement" by Experience, "Tiger Walk" by The Peter Laine Orchestra, "Faded Lady (inst)" by SSO, "Barabajagal" by The Flying Guitar, "Scratch My Back (parts 1 & 2)" by The Soul Scratchers, "Skylab" by Electronic System III, and "Free Way Exit" by Guido Carnagy. LP, Vinyl record album

This 2 LP set comprises three stand-up performances that Woody Allen did in the 1960s that were originally recorded as three individual records but not widely released to the public. There was a 1964 show in Chicago, a 1965 performance in Washington, DC and one in San Francisco in 1968. The liner notes claim that only small portions were deleted in order to fit it on this LP set. The album is chock full of the routines and sentiments that he is well known for. LP, Vinyl record album

A warm set of groovers from Flip Nunez – a San Francisco-based pianist with a great Latin tinge, working here in a fantastic setting that makes for one of his greatest recordings! The album was recorded in SF in 1976, and it's got the laidback groove of some of the best sides coming from the area at the time – a sweet blend of fusion, Latin, and modal jazz grooving. Nunez plays electric piano, clavinet, piano, and organ – and a few tracks feature his vocals, which have a confident style that's somewhere between Mark Murphy and Tony Benett (in his jazzier mode.) The centerpiece of the album is a long mellow-grooving version of "See You Later", a tune that Flip wrote, and which has been covered on a number of other jazz dance classics over the years – but the album's filled with great tunes, like "D'ju Like Me", "This Time For Good", "Why Did You Come Into My Life", and "Mr Cool", a sweet little funky tune! LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty great little set from trumpeter Thomas Marriott and his crew – working dexterously between sharp, and fairly energetic kind of post bop numbers, as well as some more laid back and measured material that nicely keep in the some rough edges – solid all the way! The set features a couple of fine originals, takes on classics by Freddie Hubbard and Wayne Shorter, a Rodgers & Hart standard and a couple of sly, surprising covers – with the players given plenty of space shine. The band includes Marriott on trumpet & fluegelhorn, Mark Taylor on sax, Bill Anschell on piano & Rhodes, Jeff Johnson on bass, Matt Jorgensen on drums, and vibes by Joe Locke on a couple tunes. Titles include "Take It To The Ozone", "Masqualero", "Spring Is Here", "Little Francis", "Detours Ahead", "Brothers & Sisters", "You Only Live Twice", "Circadian Rhythms" and "Almost Blue"/ CD

The drums do plenty of talking here – in a wonderful set that looks at the return of deeper rhythms and percussion to the global house music underground! Just at a point when some pretenders were trying to claim too-strong influences from Cuba, Africa, and other deeper cultures – artists like these came into the fray and reminded us that if you're going to make a musical statement, you better have the sound to back it up – which they did wonderfully, with the kind of creative reworkings of percussive modes that you'll hear on this set! Gabriele Poso did a really wonderful job of choosing the tracks here – a no-nonsense batch of work that will make you throw away every "fake" Afro-remix you've got in your collection. Titles include "Naja" by Guem, "Cafe De Ochun" by Gabriele Poso, "Injection Of Blackness" by Malika B & Dave Hucker, "Polyrhythm Jizm (Lay-Far edit)" by Free Association, "Long Distance Lover" by Babatunde Olatunji, "Tembandumba" by Toto La Momposina, "Drum It Up" by Dudu Tucci, "Coming Home" by Mustapha Tetty Addy, "Ven Francisco" by Silvestre Mendez, "Guiro Elegua" by Bobby Matos, and "Ninu Opon Ori Tiwa (Kiko Navarro re-edit)" by Sola Akingbola. LP, Vinyl record album

The finale of Newbury's American Trilogy of LPs spanning '69 to '73 – timeless, atmospheric and excellent material from an acclaimed songwriter, but wholy underappreciated singer and performer. Titles include "Heaven Help The Child", "Good Morning Dear", "Why You Ben Gone So Long", "Song For Susan" and "San Francisco Mabel Joy". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare later date from tenor giant Arnett Cobb – and one of the few to match the groove of his Prestige Records sessions! There's an easygoing groove here that takes us back to the brilliantly understated soul of Cobb's Party Time Records – as the set's got a similar laidback rhythm vibe – with piano from Junior Mance, bass from George Duvivier, and drums from Panama Francis – all players who really keep things cool, while Cobb steps out with some well-blown solos in the lead. The album also features a bit of guest work on two tracks from Joe Newman on trumpet and Al Grey on trombone – and titles include "Cheatin On Me", "Blues For Lisette", "Keep On Pushin", "Stardust", and "Deep River". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost early 70s gem on Milestone – kind of a laidback and openly-flowing set of soulful jazz tracks – played by a group led by guitarist Michael Howell, and featuring Henry Franklin on bass, Ndugu Chancler on drums, and Hampton Hawes on electric and acoustic piano. Hawes' work is the surprise hit of the session, as he's got a cool approach to the grooves that's quite different from his playing in the 60s – almost snaking around the chromatic notes laid down by Howell, and going for a very moody 70s-styled approach. Titles include "Five Weeks", "Half Blues", "Invitation", "Micheline", and "A Day In San Francisco". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the leading lights of the Munich club scene – the mighty Silver Convention, who topped the charts with a number of disco classics in the mid 70s! Silver Convention took the Philly female style of disco – popularized by First Choice, Three Degrees, and others – and pumped it up with the Munich sound of throbbing bass and repetitive beats, one of the first steps towards house music in the 80s – although still very much in a disco vibe here! The CD features all sorts of key singles by the group – some of which never even got much play in the US – and in addition to the tracks "Get It Up", "Summernights, "There's Always Another Girl", and "Cafe Au Lait", the set features single edits of "Fly Robin Fly", "Tiger Baby", "San Francisco Hustle", "Save Me", "No No Joe", "I Like It", "Fancy Party", "Telegram", "Hot Shot", "Everybody's Talking Bout Love", "Dancing In The Aisles", and "Spend The Night With Me". CD

Stanley Turrentine's a hell of a soloist in a large ensemble setting – and there's possibly no better place to hear that talent at work than on this classic 60s date for Blue Note! The format's a bit different than other Turrentine records of the time – no small group romping, nor larger band soul jazz – and instead this laidback and classy mode that's handled with a heck of a lot of soul by arrangers Thad Jones and Duke Pearson – with this sophisticated vibe that almost points the way towards some of Stan's ballad work of the 70s. Strings are balanced nicely with jazz inflections from players who include Hank Jones, Roland Hanna, and Duke Pearson on piano – plus Kenny Burrell on guitar, Benny Powell on trombone, and both Snooky Young and Jimmy Nottingham on flugelhorn. Titles include "The Look Of Love", "Emily", "I'm Always Drunk In San Francisco", "MacArthur Park", "Blues For Stan", "This Guy's In Love With You", and "Here There & Everywhere". LP, Vinyl record album