Exactly the kind of record that makes us love sound library records so much – and definitely the sort that sets the style apart from anything else we can think of! Both Sandro Brugnolini and Giorgio Carnini turn in some great work here – a mindblowing mix of modes over the space of ten short tracks – some tunes a cascading array of instrumentation, in a hip groove that's neither American jazz or soundtrack funk, but a special space of its own! Other tunes use an electronic approach that's years ahead of its time – as groovy as 60s analogue, but a lot darker, too – in ways that the rest of the world might not touch until the German new wave. The balance is almost even between swinging groovers and darker electronic cuts – and titles include "Grinta", "Azione CIA", "Scalo Clandestino", "Alambicco Cibernetico", "Strutture Generative", "Omicido Bianco", and "CIA Massacre". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent album of groovy jazz from the European scene of the mid 60s – and one that pairs the talents of the great (and nearly forgotten) Austrian tenor player Karl Drewo with the groovy small band of the legendary pianist Francy Boland! Although he hails from Vienna, Drewo's tone is nice and deep, with a heavy cutting tenor sound that's right up there with American giants like Johnny Griffin or Eddie Lockjaw Davis. He's playing here with a tight hardbop septet, fronted by Francy Boland, and featuring a unique 3-piece trombone section for the rhythm parts. Most of the solos are Drewos', and his tenor cuts nice and deep through the arrangements of the band as they groove with a good solid sound. Titles include "JLK", "Young Bucks", "Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie", "Limehouse Blues", "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" and "Foot Pattin". Nice cover, too! CD

Modal brilliance from Gerardo Frisina – possibly his greatest album ever, and a set that really shows his true transformation into a jazzman! The set's got a wide range of acoustic jazz instrumentation played live, and features none of the rhythm programs you might get on earlier Frisina records – a shift that has him moving in the same classic jazz space as labelmate Nicola Conte! As with Conte's recent records, there's a warmth and soul here that's undeniable – a feel that wraps up 50s Blue Note, 60s Italian jazz, and 70s MPS with ease – delivering something new and fresh for a younger generation in the process. Core instrumentation includes vibes, piano, tenor, flute, and trombone – and the set features guest vocals by Norma Winstone on one track, and Francesca Sortino on another. All other titles are instrumental, and tunes include "Titoro", "Joy Shout", "Will You Walk A Little Faster", "Tata Somba", "Mille E Una Notte", "High Hat", "Bubbly", and "Another Waltz". CD

Gerardo Frisina always seems to give us joyful sounds – but this time around, that might be the case more than ever – as the album's overflowing with all sorts of lively rhythms that are peppered with jazz-based instrumentation! Things are less hard-driving than some of Frisina's earlier work – which allows more space for things to seep into the grooves in a really nice way – warm Fender Rhodes, Hammond organ, and sweet solos on saxes, flute, and trumpet! As always, Frisina's the maestro at the helm – working rhythms both acoustic and electric – but there's also a fair bit of guest players who provide the live instrumentation – on tracks that include plenty of Gerardo's own songs, plus takes on tracks by Joao Donato, Waltel Branco, and Yusef Lateef. Titles include "Misterioso", "Hombre", "Naquela Base (new blend)", "On Again (album version)", "Hechizo Magico", "Dansi Na/Mahaba", "Parkview Theme", "Duende", and "Africa (Brazil)". CD

A great remix here from Afra Kane – who opens up the soulful sound of "Got To Move On" in a really great way! Kane puts lead vocals over the track, which has much more of a Brand New Heavies sort of vibe than anything else we've ever heard from S-Tone – although the man himself also adds in some mighty nice keyboards! "Rosa Da Ribeira" is remixed too – a cut that has more of the clubby Schema vibe of other S-Tone records, complete with vocals from Toco! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Beautiful bossa work from Toco – a session recorded in Rio with production by S-Tone, and featuring some wonderful acoustic guitar from the legendary Roberto Menescal! Menescal's presence here really helps give the record a classic grounding – a sense of depth and history that surpasses even Toco's great debut – and which is made even better by the presence of Rosalia De Souza on guest vocals on a number of tracks! As with Rosalia's recent Rio sessions, there's a sound here that's warmer, jazzier, and even more traditionally bossa-based than previous Schema releases – with a bit less of a dancefloor focus in the rhythms, and a lot more live instrumentation! All numbers feature small combo backing, and titles include "Litoral", "Zum Zum", "Assuntos Banais", "Bom Motivo", "Samba Noir", "Barracao", "Voz Da Lapa", and "Contradicao", which features guest vocals from Coralie Clement! LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of rare jazz from Italy – very much in the mode of some of the older Right Tempo Classics series, or of some of the reissues from Schema's Rearward label! The package is a wonderful introduction to Italian jazz in the postwar years – and is filled with gems from the 60s and 70s that show that Italy not only had a killer hardbop scene, but also a hotbed of modern jazz activity too – all presented here in a wonderful double-length collection compiled by Gerardo Frisina! Titles include "Big Noise" and "Just For Fun" by Piero Piccioni, "Coltrane" by A Tomassi Trio, "Monotonia" by Basso Valdambrini Sextet, "Kosmet" by Dusko Goykovich, "I Giovani D'Oggi" by Vito Tommaso, "Appassionatamente" by New Jazz Society, "Estate" by Dino Piani, "I Quatto Cantoni" by Armando Trovaioli, and "Estate 61" by Quartetto Di Lucca. CD

Incredible! Although the first album by Balanco had a definite Italian bossa sound (which was very popular in their acid jazz scene a few years ago), this great second album by the group breaks into whole new territory – like French and Italian soundtrack grooves, particularly in the vein of Ennio Morricone (who they covered on their first LP) and the great Francis Lai! The style of the group's changed slightly – and they've developed this amazing keyboard, bass, and vocals sound that's very similar to the instrumentation used in some of Morricone's best 70's work. Titles include "The Bachelor Waltz", "Mrs. Beat", "The Girl From Montenegro", "Dreamflight", "Man & A Woman", and "Bossa Memorandum". One of our favorites recently – and a another delight from the Schema label! CD

Wonderful work from one of the greatest Italian jazz groups of the 60s – heard here in two of their rarest recordings! The set brings together material from two sessions that were only issued on the Fonit sound library label – but both are every bit as sharp and soulful as the best Basso-Valdambrini work for bigger labels – including their early 60s gems on RCA! And like those records, there's a wonderful sense of rhythm here – kind of the soul jazz side of Blue Note, but handled with a fresh sound that's nicely free of any copycat cliches – and which instead really has the group finding their own voice through their writing and solos. The H602 album is billed as "pop jazz" – which is more a 60s soul jazz style – and H603 is called "Californiano", with a bit of a west coast vibe, but still very much the best grooves we've come to love from the combo. The lineup on both includes tremendous trumpet from Oscar Valdabrini and tenor from Gianni Basso – with rhythms from Ettore Righello on piano, Giorgio Azzolini on bass, and Lionella Bionda on drums. Titles include "Pick Up", "Glaucus", "Gold Mine", "From Me", "Maglione", "Muy", "Plinius", and "Transistor". LP, Vinyl record album

Joe Claussell really brings a sense of majesty to this cut from Nicola Conte and Gianluca Petrella – more so than the original, with these righteous vocals from Raashan Ahmad, who begins the cut by speaking – all with a groove that has that warm mix of keyboards and acoustic percussion we always love in Joe Claussell's music! The set features the "Cosmic Arts version" and a "Cosmic Arts dub" – and works like an extended suite, based on the track! 12-inch, Vinyl record

The first single from The Dining Rooms after their bright move to Schema Records – and a real departure! The original version of "Tunnel" is a great little track – sad, slow, with a haunting piano line, and some surprisingly soulful vocals. The track's presented in that version, plus 2 remixes here – both of which kick up the beats and tempo a lot! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Lost European jazz recordings from the vaults of producer Gigi Campi – and a stellar batch of non-US material with Johnny Griffin at the lead – working in the company of Clarke/Boland compatriots who include Benny Bailey, Sahib Shihab, Jimmy Woode, Idrees Sulieman, and Milt Jackson! Despite the "Bags" in the title, Milt's only on a few tracks – but that's fine with us, because Johnny Griffin is the main attraction – and the material is good small group sides with Griff soloing and trading lines with players like Sulieman and Bailey, or with some of the other players on their own. The recordings are different than the usual breed of Johnny Griffin European recordings – most of which have him soloing with a piano quartet on extended tracks. On this release, most of the tracks are short, hard, and very nicely swinging with a good hard bop groove – as with the best of Griffin's Riverside and Blue Note recordings. Kenny Clarke's on drums on nearly all the material, and he pulls out his bop chops to drive Griff's hard solos as fast as he can. The set's a great batch of work, with excellent notes and photos, and some great playing all around. Cuts include "Gamal Sady 'n Em", "Foot Patting", "Lady Heavy Bottom's Waltz", "Blues For K", "Muvaffak's Pad", "The Girl & The Turk", and "Gyson's Bag". 16 cuts in all, and none of them are from the Griffin/Davis LP on MPS (just in case you thought to ask!) CD

Although reed player Sahib Shihab made a few records in the US in the late 50's, it wasn't until he moved to Europe and started hanging out with the likes of the Clarke-Boland Big Band that his talents really started to flower. This cool new CD brings together 15 small-combo recordings made by Shihab and other members of the CBBB (like Fats Sadi, Benny Bailey, Francy Boland, and Jimmy Woode) during the mid 60's. All the material was recorded by CBBB manager/producer Gigi Campi, and none of the stuff's been issued before as far as we can tell. The groove is nice and swinging, with excellent rolling grooves by Sadi on bongos and vibes. Shihab plays both flute and baritone, and the set swings with the same sort of modal groove as the best Saba/MPS recordings from the time. Cuts include "Campi's Idea", "Dijdar", "Companionship (I + II)", "Peter's Waltz", "Om Mani Padme Hum", and "Herr Fixit". As with the other titles in this series, the music's accompanied by a great package, with loads of excellent photos, good notes, and stellar sound quality. This is the kind of stuff we collect jazz for, and it's great to have it in stock at a nice low price! CD

Spacey Latin grooves from S-Tone – one of the best recent groups in the mighty Schema stable! "Revelation" is a catchy little track that spaces out on some trippy beats – but hits it hard with some nice percussion snaps and a soulful electric piano line that really drives the tune! "La Boca Del Rio – Cuica" is a Brazilian percussive tune – one that's got cuica darting in and out of more electronic rhythms – all nicely remixed in a way that throws in a bit of heavy conga! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Sublime work from saxophonist Eraldo Volonte – a rare mid 60s session recorded in Italy, and totally hip work all the way through! Volonte's got a tone here that's really tremendous – clearly Coltrane-influenced, especially on the tenor selections – but also stretching out with its own feeling too, especially on some of the album's more outside numbers, which feature Eraldo playing some great lines on soprano sax. There's a very open quality to the record – not exactly free jazz, but almost a "new thing" sense of sonic exploration – one that has Volonte's tenor and soprano sax aligned nicely with trombone from Dino Piana, piano from Franco D'Andrea, bass from Giovanni Tommaso, and drums from Franco Tonani. Titles include "Flamingo", "Mr Arpo", "Eclypso", "Tale", "Explorable", and "Ornette". CD

Fab second volume in this great series that takes older Brazilian rhythms and musical ideas, and filters them through the talents of some of the best modern producers and remixers! This volume features 10 great tracks – many of which were only issued as expensive import singles, and all of which sound great together in this cool mod package of modern bossa dancefloor grooves! Titles include "Bossa Per Due" by Nicola Conte, "Circle (dub club)" by Soulstance, "Samba" by Faze Action, "The Ghetto (Atjazz rmx)" by Bob Sinclair, "Corcovado" by Mr. Hermano, "Saudade" by S-Tone Inc, "Corso" by Beanfield, and "Anjos Ilrmados (Rainer Truby rmx)" by Miyazawa. LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing little set – far greater even than the already-excellent first volume, and a treasure trove of modern dancefloor jazz that includes a fair bit of previously unissued numbers! The vibe here is very firmly in the Schema records old/new blend of jazz and grooves – but it's also expanded nicely to include work from key combos on the current global club jazz underground – that spreading scene that's finally getting around to playing real jazz with real soul, instead of just noodling around with samples of saxophones! The feel throughout is tremendous – a near-classic blend of acoustic instrumental approaches to jazz, with just the right electric augmentation to kick things up a notch or two without dampening the soul. Titles include "Lead The Way" by Soulstance, "1974" by Jukka Eskola, "My Love Samba" by Luis Ferri, "Solifer Lento" by Dalindeo, "Some Kind Of Blues (jazz mood inst)" by S-Tone Inc, "Heroes of The Conquest" by The Invisible Session, "Stars" by Paolo Fedreghini & Marco Bianchi, "Mr Bond" by Quartetto Moderno, and "Yes & No" by Quintetto Lo Greco. 11 tracks in all. CD

A bright new groove on the Schema Records label – but one that features work from some of the company's real heavyweights in recent years – as the album was conceived and produced by Lucio Cantone (aka Invisible Session), and features tunes written by the funky Alex Puddu – all in a style that's heavy on the 70s funk influences that grace the music of both artists! The lineup's nice and jazzy, too – and features lots of tenor work from Timo Lassy, next to vibes, trumpet, guitar, and warm lines on both Hammond organ and Wurlitzer piano – all with a feel that's part funk, part soundtrack – yet served up in the best Schema way, which means that things go far past just being a retro rehash of the past! Titles include "Fire In Acapulco", "Heat In The City", "Everybody's Going Uptown", "Red Light District", and "The Crowd Pleaser". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing work from the early years of Schema Records – a set that really helped set a whole new tone for a generation – and which still sounds wonderful all these many hears later! Balanco work up a perfect blend of bossa rhythms and soulful jazz – all wrapped up with the kind of slinky, sexy vibe the Italian scene first perfected back in the 60s – when they were borrowing lots of Brazilian elements for their best soundtracks! Balanco's sound here really recalls those glory days – mixing together sweet female vocals, lively bossa rhythms, and great work on Fender Rhodes – all under the guidance of Nicola Conte, who manages to make everything sound beautiful together. Highlights include versions of Morricone's "Metti Una Sera A Cena" and the classic "Cinnamon & Clove", but there's loads of other cool originals – like "Butterfly", "Fantasia", "Sister Bossa", "Aguadream", and "Blue Skat Samba". CD

Not a set of Strauss recordings, but a fantastic set of lost European recordings by the legendary Clarke/Boland Big Band – put together with the same beautiful packaging and selection as the other sets on Rearward! This volume features the band playing a lot of modal waltz-type tracks – some groovy updatings of Strauss material, others original compositions by Francy Boland, and a few of them covers like "Wives & Lovers" or "My Favorite Things". The band's filled with the usual great batch of European and American players, like Benny Bailey, Ake Persson, Johnny Griffin, Sahim Shihab, and Karl Drewo – and the liveliness of the material gives strong testament to the band's current rediscovery by the jazz cognoscenti. As with the other sets in this series, there's a nice amount of liner notes and photos, and the album's brimming over with great tracks, including "Lotus", "Just Give Me Time", "Peter's Waltz", "Keep On Keeping On", and "Cara Fea". Many tracks unreleased before, and lots of others are quite rare! CD

Wonderful wonderful wonderful – and one of the best albums we've ever heard of modern bossa and soundtrack grooves! For years, Nicola Conte has been a seminal force in the new Italian scene – working as a DJ, promoter, producer, and sometimes recording artist under the odd 12" single. This album marks his first full effort – and after years of bubbling under in the Italian scene, Nicola emerges as one of the most perfect-formed artists we've heard in years. The whole album's a breathtaking mix of 60s bossa, soundtrack, and easy themes – put together with never a dull moment, and always a focus on the kind of mid and uptempo grooves that have been pushing the Italian and German scenes for the last 5 years. The record features great mixes from a few of Nicola's 12" singles, plus a wealth of excellent new material that really expands his groove wonderfully – with a totally real, totally honest sound that pushes past the gazillion retro remix throwaway albums that you'll find stuffing the listening stations at the megastores! Tracks include "Fucco Fatuo", "Il Cerchio Rosso", "Dossier Omega", "Trappola Mortale", "Mambo De Los Dandies", "Jazz Pour Dadine", and "The In Samba". This 2010 remastered edition comes in a digitpak. CD

Wonderful wonderful wonderful – and one of the best albums we've ever heard of modern bossa and soundtrack grooves! For years, Nicola Conte has been a seminal force in the new Italian scene – working as a DJ, promoter, producer, and sometimes recording artist under the odd 12" single. This album marks his first full effort – and after years of bubbling under in the Italian scene, Nicola emerges as one of the most perfect-formed artists we've heard in years. The whole album's a breathtaking mix of 60s bossa, soundtrack, and easy themes – put together with never a dull moment, and always a focus on the kind of mid and uptempo grooves that have been pushing the Italian and German scenes for the last 5 years. The record features great mixes from a few of Nicola's 12" singles, plus a wealth of excellent new material that really expands his groove wonderfully – with a totally real, totally honest sound that pushes past the gazillion retro remix throwaway albums that you'll find stuffing the listening stations at the megastores! Tracks include "Fucco Fatuo", "Il Cerchio Rosso", "Dossier Omega", "Trappola Mortale", "Mambo De Los Dandies", "Jazz Pour Dadine", and "The In Samba". We only had this one out of the box for about 3 hours, and we'd already played it twice – that's how great it is! LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime album through and through – and another essential slice of work from the legendary Nicola Conte! Conte's only given us a few full length sets under his own name, but they've all been amazing, and this album's no exception – a record that mostly features live jazz instrumentation, turned towards some of the groove-heavy modes that Conte forged from his earliest sides on Schema Records – a style that was clubjazz before anyone was using that tag, but which also has done plenty to revive a huge range of classic modes from decades past! The record's got echoes of bossa, modal jazz, and more – served up by combos with players that include Timo Lassy on sax and flute, Fabrizio Bosso and Till Bronner on trumpets, Pietro Lussu on piano, and Conte himself on guitar. Vocals are by Alice Ricciardi, Jose James, Chiara Civello, and Kim Sanders – and the album's got an even deeper feel than Conte's previous album on Blue Note. Tracks include "Karma Flower", "I See All Shades Of You", "Black Is The Graceful Veil", "Caravan", "Rituals", "Awakening", "The Nubian Queens", and "Like Leaves In The Wind". CD

A more spiritual soul-based setting than usual for the talents of Nicola Conte – a long-awaited full length set, served up after a host of 12" single collaborations with Gianluca Petrella! Petrella's presence is felt in the way the tunes unfold – often with strong contributions from contemporary soul styles, and vocals on most numbers – although the longstanding quality that Conte brings can definitely be heard in the jazzier elements, and the record's great way of mixing older roots with a forward-thinking spirit! Vocals are by singers Debo Ray, Carolina Bubbico, Bridgette Amofah, and Raashan Amad – sounding great over strong use of percussion, Fender Rhodes, and jazzy instrumentation. Titles include "Nigeria", "Imani River", "The Higher Love", "Mother Of The Earth", "Tribes", "African Spirits", and "Inner Light". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

The real groover here is on the flipside – Nicola Conte's great reworking of Gerardo Frisina's "Gica's Dance" – played live by Conte's own jazz combo, and given a really classic twist! The original tune was already plenty great, but Conte serves it up with lots of bongos, basslines, and plenty of jazzy solo work on piano, vibes, and some especially nice alto sax – really hitting a great raspy tone towards the end, and pushing the track into key club jazz territory! "Beyond The Moon" is a nice one too – a bit electronic on the Spiritual South remix, but back to the warmth of Frisina on the Lava mix! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Gerardo Frisina really deepens up his groove with this one – taking on an even stronger soul jazz presence than before, and really living up to the righteous spirit of the title! "Gods Of The Yoruba" is a brilliant bit of club jazz played live by a group that includes tenor, soprano sax, trumpet, and lots of the dancing piano and percussion that make Frisina's work so great – plus a haunting female vocal that drifts in near the end and really adds some spirit to the tune! "Cohete" is even more highly percussive – a flurry of drums and drum programs, all set to a Latinized mode and topped off by a bit of flute! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Latin jazz jammers – both of them excellent! Gerardo Frisina is, in our book, the number 2 man at Schema (next to Nicola Conte) for coming up with classic-styled jazzy grooves – and both of these numbers support our case! "Intenso" is incredible – a modal tune that skips along at a nice little clip, finding room for solo work on trumpet and vibes, while still snapping bongo and conga percussion bits into the mix! "Saeta 03" starts with a killer piano riff – building with the bass and percussion as the tune moves on, and hitting some wonderfully jazzy solo moments! Both tracks tremendous – Bari club jazz at its best! 12-inch, Vinyl record

One of the most percussion-heavy numbers we've ever heard from Gerardo Frisina – and that's saying a lot, given his usual rootsy vibe! "Calle De Candela" features Frisina working with the Candela All Stars – a great combo with plenty of congas in the mix, as well as piano, tenor, and trumpet over a bit of drum programs from Paolo Fedreghini! The "vibes version" is especially nice – with lots of that instrument soaring out over the groove, really spiraling into a strong solo in the middle! "Es Diferente" is full-on Frisina all the way through – strong piano vamping from Marco Bianchi, and great work on tenor from Gabriel Clemente and trumpet from Pepe Ragonese – both of whom make the track a strong club jazz number! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Classic-styled funk from Alex Puddu – not only the greatest record we've heard from him so far, but a set that's definitely worthy of its "golden age" claim in the title! The music is all new, but it was done for a series of short Danish porno films from the 70s – and Puddu gets a sound that's right on the money for the vintage – loads of great short funky soundtrack modes that are perfect for the time – handled with tight rhythms, great basslines, and some wicked jazzy solos that really send the whole thing home. Puddu plays a range of instruments – including electric sitar – in a group that also features some great Fender Rhodes, organ, sax, and flute – and the tunes are really wonderful throughout – like finding a lost soundtrack from the 70s that never got issued as an album. Titles include "Kinky Hairdresser", "Miss Butterfly", "Madam Delight", "Sex Bar", "Lusty Nurses", "Black Triangle", "Naughty Girls At The Wild Party", "The Dirty Games Of Dr Love", and "Piano For Lovers". LP, Vinyl record album

"Um Dia De Sol" is a really hard jammer from S-Tone – a cut that has a fiercely percussive groove, based around a guitar riff from the classic "Funky Nassau" – all pumped up with lots of dancefloor intensity! "I'm In The Mood For Love" is a slow torchy number – female vocals drifting over beats, in a way that almost sounds like Portishead. "Amazonia" is done here in the "sax version" – which gives the fast bossa groover a nice alto solo right in the middle! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Gerardo Frisina takes Toco to a very groovy place with this one – using lots of additional percussion to really transform the tune! The original mix of "Guarapiranga" features plenty of Fender Rhodes, acoustic guitar, and vocals from Rosalia De Souza – but for his version, Gerardo drops out the keys and kicks in the percussion – and uses an additional bit of programming from Paolo Fedreghini to give the cut a driving, Schema-styled Latin groove! 12-inch, Vinyl record

A beautiful batch of jazzy grooves, and even better than the first volume! This stuff's all super-rare, and culled from strange European sources – and the cuts have more of a jazz-groove than an easy-groove kind of sound, in a way that's different from some of the other Italian comps we've been stocking. The set includes a number of fuzzy guitar groovers by The Revelations – like "Sweet Daniela", "Soul - III", and "Lively" – plus a cool version of "The Beat Goes On", sung by Dee Dee Bridgewater. Other stuff include "Alameda" by Luciano Simoncini, "Los Palos" by Hingross, "Strictly For Beat" by Big Band Sound, and "Sgambata" by Remigio Ducros. Nice nice stuff, and worth the wait! LP, Vinyl record album

Rare tracks by the Clarke-Boland Sextet – a small group offshoot of the funky Big Band that was led by Kenny Clarke and Francy Boland – and which featured some of the key soloists in the group! The lineup here includes Sahib Shihab on flute, Fats Sadi on vibes and bongos, Joe Harris on percussion, and Jimmy Woode on bass – plus Clarke and Boland on drums and piano, respectively – a wonderful group that has an incredible sense of rhythm, and comes up with loads of wonderful modal numbers throughout! The vibe is wonderful – and the collection's a great look at this unusual combo – filled with fire and soul – and proof that in the jazz world, at least, great things can happen when global boundaries are crossed. Titles include "Con Alma", "Invitation", "Sconsolato", "Lilemor", "Just Give Me Time", "Love Hungry", "Ensadinado", and "Man From Potter's Crossing". CD

A more spiritual soul-based setting than usual for the talents of Nicola Conte – a long-awaited full length set, served up after a host of 12" single collaborations with Gianluca Petrella! Petrella's presence is felt in the way the tunes unfold – often with strong contributions from contemporary soul styles, and vocals on most numbers – although the longstanding quality that Conte brings can definitely be heard in the jazzier elements, and the record's great way of mixing older roots with a forward-thinking spirit! Vocals are by singers Debo Ray, Carolina Bubbico, Bridgette Amofah, and Raashan Amad – sounding great over strong use of percussion, Fender Rhodes, and jazzy instrumentation. Titles include "Nigeria", "Imani River", "The Higher Love", "Mother Of The Earth", "Tribes", "African Spirits", and "Inner Light". CD

The cover says "built around a chord version" – and we couldn't think of a better way to sum this one up! Skittish beats start the track – snapping snare, in an almost noir-ish mode – as one piano chord rings out, and builds slowly – adding in warm space and sound, and paving the way for some great Koop-esque vocals! Both mixes really get at the jazzy feel of the cut – and the track's a wonderful new addition to the always-perfect Schema catalog! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Great grooves from S-Tone – the best album so far from Stefano Tirone, thanks to a range of great singers and musicians on the set! There's a warmly acoustic vibe here – one that's rooted in bossa, but which also has some of the club jazz elements you'd expect from Schema Records – a mix of live instrumentation and a few rhythm programs – blended together beautifully with impeccable production that gives the whole record an "instant classic" sort of feel! Horn parts bring in a depth of feeling that we've never heard before on an S-Tone record – and the singers really open things up too – adding layers of soul that further expand the warmth at the core of the compositions, taking the music into some really bold territory. Only about half the tracks have vocals – from singers who include Angie Brown, Rosalia De Souza, Laura Fedele, Daniel Richards, Kai Dos Santos, and Adi Souza – and titles include "Universe Of Love", "Ponta Da Pedra", "Lua E Xango", "Stormy (bossa mix)", "Copacabana Soul", "Queen Of The Night", "Better Than A Lie", "Dona Lua", and "My Only Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing work from the legendary Piero Umiliani – a perfect soundtrack to show the warmer sound of his talents, which are sometimes eclipsed by his weirder electronic modes! The soundtrack's from an erotic film starring sex-goddess Zeudi Araya, but despite the kinky origins of the material, the music's actually got a lot more sophistication than you'd expect – and the score feels more like a Morricone cerebral one than a cheesy sexy one – with dreamy wordless vocals floating around in the mix, and these sweet-stepping basslines that are especially wonderful – setting a slow funk current at great moments, in that Euro easy way of blending some hip bass with warmer strings and other instrumental touches. There's some haunting piano at points, too – and Umiliani has a great way of making the music sound emotive, but never sappy at all. Titles include "Pelle Di Luna", "Addio All'Isola Felice", "L'Ultima Spiaggia", "Seyga Seyga", "Nostalgia Dell'Isola", and "Tanto Tempo Fa". CD features 14 more bonus alternate takes! CD

Not the sort of psychedelic music you'd expect from an American rock band of the late 60s – and instead, a stunning set of funky genius from Italian soundtrack maestro Piero Umiliani! The record's actually a precursor to Umiliani's famous global score for Sweden Heaven & Hell (Svezia Inferno E Paradiso) – and shares many of the themes that went onto that record, complete with romping funky rhythms, sweet jazzy Hammond lines, and mod fuzzy guitar! Many numbers are upbeat groovers, without any of the longform indulgence you'd expect from psychedelia – and Umiliani draws on his jazz background to allow just the right space for solo instruments to take the lead in the instrumental setting. Titles include "Birra Vermouth E Gin", "Contestazione", "Hippies", "Nel Cosmo", "Stoccolma My Dear", "Notte Di Mezza Estate", and "Viva La Sauna Svedese" – a version of the classic "Mah Na Mah Na". CD

Modern tunes – but with a very classic groovy feel! Of all the Italian efforts to take an older lounge sound and update it for the modern dancefloor, the work of Nicola Conte and the Schema label has been some of the best. This 13 track set offers proof of Conte's genius – and offers up some sparkling groovers all graced with the careful selection you've come to expect from Conte's Fez Studio. Titles include "Meeting With His Majesty" by Theivery Corp, "The Hip Sheik" by The Karminsky Experience, "Funky Bikini" by Ursula 1000, "Arabesque" by Nicola Conte, "Girl On A Mission" by Les Hommes, "Whenever" by Les Gammas, "We Don't Need No Smurfs Here" by Cosmo Vitelli, and "Hi Fi Trumpet" by Stereo Action Unlimited. Very nice – especially if you've enjoyed other Schema modern releases, like Break N Bossa or the Soulstance album! LP, Vinyl record album

Stunning compilation of Italian grooves from the early 70's – and one that has a slightly different twist than some of the other one's we've been stocking. The folks at Schema have put this one together, and the set's got a feel that's similar to some of the newer releases they've been working on over the past few years. The grooves are funky, yes, but they also have a light and airy sound, with lots of groovy bossa tinges, cool vocal parts, and the kind of smooth Italian feel that you'd never find on American records from the time. The tracks are played by groups like Expo 80, The Paris Studio Group, The Psycheground Group, The Black Fire, and The Hawksworth Big Band and String. Most of the tracks are breezy and groovy, with a sound that's similar to some of the best stuff on the Sound Gallery compilation – and different than the other funky Italian grooves we've been stocking! Nice one. CD