One of the best albums in years from Henri Salvador – a set that still has some of the French Caribbean touches of other albums, but which also shows a bit of a Brazilian influence as well! The album was co-produced by bossa maestro Jacques Morelenbaum – who brings in some great guest work from Joao Donato on piano, plus vocals from Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil – who each sing on a track apiece. Henri's still the main star of the set, but the bossa inflection on a good part of the record helps him hit a mature, contemplative mode that's really great – just perfect for his aging vocals. Titles include "Mourir A Honfleur", "Cherche La Rose", "Tu Sais Je Vais T'Aimer", "Italie", "D'Abord", "Les Amours Qu'On Delaisse", and "Dans Mon Ile". CD

The title's a bit of a pun – that's "home studio", not homme studio – a reference to the fact that most of this work was recorded by 60s French pop star Henri Salvador in his own private studio – music that makes for some of the most interesting sounds in his career, at a time when Salvador had completely retreated from the mainstream! If you know Salvador's jazzy blend of island modes from the previous decade, you'll be stunned at what you hear here – as Henri's become a really cool, groovy, almost experimental talent – effortlessly blending together so many different strands of music to fit the mood of a tune, maybe a bit like Pierre Barouh over at Saravah – in the way he still stays tuneful, but is always willing to throw in some unusual elements and sounds! We've always loved Salvador's music, but have never heard any of these cuts before – a fantastic array that includes instrumentals and even a project for Disney too. Titles include "Hello Mickey", "Rock Star", "On L'A Dans L'Baba", "Kissinger Le Duc Tho", "J'Aime Tes Genoux", "Sex Man", "Siffler En Travaillant", "Pauvre Jesus Christ", "Le Bilan", and "Et Des Mandolines". LP, Vinyl record album

An overstuffed package of classic work from the Caribbean – most of it from midcentury, at a time before reggae and other styles would bring even more exposure to the scene! The music here is in a nice mix of modes – separate by island identity, but drawn together in a good way by the package, and given more detail in the large booklet of notes – which features details in both English and French. Styles run the gamut from mambo to voodoo, biguine to goombay, calypso to cha cha, and lots more in between – with a total of 48 cuts by artists who include Compay Segundo, Facundo Rivera, Dioris Vallardes, Luis Quintero, Joe Harriott, Ruben McCoy, Theophilus Beckford, Sidney Bean, Josephine Premice, The Mighty Terror, Blind Blake, Cout Ossie, Cecil Lloyd, Mongo Santamaria, Henri Salvador, and many others! CD

A very unusual collection – one that features all sorts of rare French advertisements from the previous century – a good number of which are songs performed by some of the bigger names of the time! The set's got an unusual format, in that it mixes straight radio ads with songs and jingles – a really striking sort of presentation, and one that will make you feel like you've tapped into Parisian radio at mid-century, spinning through the years as you spin the dial! Most of these tracks were never issued to the public at all, and are pulled from rare tapes and transcriptions – serving up a whopping 88 tracks in all – performed by artists who include Charles Trenet, Jean Valton, Louis Aragon, Ray Ventura, Pierre Daragon, Nicole Ratte, Henri Salvador, Maurice Chevalier, and others – to advertise products that include Cinzano, Gilette razors, Ricard, and even the comic character Tintin! CD