A bossa jazz session, but one with a different twist than usual! Franco Cerri plays acoustic guitar here, but his sound is a fair bit different than that of contemporaneous guitarists from Brazil – almost a bit earthier, with the rasp you might have heard from earlier European guitarists, particularly those of the Django generation. Yet despite that sound, Cerri's music here is very much in a 60s mode – sweetly grooving with great bossa rhythms from drummer Franco Tonani and bassist Giorgio Azzolini – in a combo that also features work from Nando Nebuloni on flute and Dino Piana on trombone. There's a breezy, jazzy feel to the whole set – with plenty of room for Cerri's solos – and titles include "Bossa Nova USA", "Desafinado", "Chega De Saudade", "Stringmi Forte I Polsi", "Sambalanco", "Perche Perche", "Samba Di Una Sola Nota", "Blues Bossa Nova", and "Voce E Eu". CD

A fantastic rare set from this excellent Italian guitarist – a set that has Franco out front of some light strings – in a setting that really lets him shine on his solos! Arrangements are by Ennio Morricone, Gianni Ferrio, Franco Pisano, and other hip talents. LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual album from 1973 – one that has Italian guitarist Franco Cerri working with larger backings, in a style that's almost a bit like soundtrack work of the time! Franco's guitar lines are clean and clear – right up front in the mix, over a range of strings, plus bits of organ, harpsichord, and flutes too – all directed by the great Nando De Luca, with a feel that's warm and sweet, but never too mellow! The guitar glides nicely over the top – making for a really light sort of groove, and a change from Cerri's straighter work of previous years – on titles that include "Miss Iva", "Bostrizione", "Toilette", "Lady Stinta", "Penelope Jane", and "Vado E Tornio". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those really great Italian sessions recorded by Chet Baker at a time when he was working away from the west coast scene – music that really helped the trumpeter find a new sort of magic in his approach, and really shift his phrasing from before! The set was recorded in Milan with Len Mercer and his orchestra – with a lineup of all-stars that includes Glauco Masetti on alto, Fausto Papetti and Gianni Basso on tenor, Mario Pezzotta on trombone, Franco Cerri on bass, and Gene Victory on drums. Titles include many standards, but handled with a fragile care by Chet – on tracks that include "I Should Care", "This Song Is For You", "When I Fall In Love", "Angel Eyes", "Street Of Dreams", "Goodbye", "Forgetful", and "Deep In A Dream". LP, Vinyl record album