Daniel Carter and Sabit Mateen on saxophone and flute, Matthew Heyner on bass, and Tom Bruno on drums. CD

A late 70s live set from space jazz/jazz rock guitar guru Jan Akkerman – rolling from spacious, sparely haunting atmospherics to tighter, sax and keys punctuated fusion jams! This live set was his Atlantic followed up his self titled album, and it grooves in similar territory – not as reliant on the more rocking side of his sound, but hardly lacking in spacey dynamics – with more of a fusiony jazz funk vibe in the busier arrangements. Players include Jasper Van't Hoff and Willem Ennes on keys, Cess Van Der Laarse on bass, Tom Barlage on sax, Bruno Castelucci on drums, and Neppie Noya on percussion. Titles include "Transitory", "Skydancer", "Pavane", "Crackers", "Tommy" and "Azimuth". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most obscure 70s sides by Johnny Griffin – a really warm and wonderful set, recorded in Italy with an Italian rhythm section of Franco D'Andrea on piano, Giovanni Tommaso on bass, and Bruno Biriaco on drums. Tracks are all quite long, but never sloppy – and in a way, Griff solos with a more unified, to the point feel than on some of his other European albums of the period – rising to the feeling of the session, in which he's clearly admired by the Italian players he's working with. Titles include "Always Forever", "Keep Going", "For The Love Of", and "Music Inn Blues" – all original numbers. LP, Vinyl record album

A set of recordings that must have left every single member in the group completely exhausted – as the 6CD package brings together material recorded over three great nights in early 2020 – all of which feature Barry Guy at the head of a unique version of his London Jazz Composers Orchestra! The material follows very strongly in that mix of structure and free improvisation that Guy pioneered with the LJCO many years back – and the lineup here is a mix of British giants and younger musicians from the European scene – the latter of whom bring some great life to the idea of the group! Guy is at the head on bass – and the larger group plays together on the final two CDs, but then breaks into different groupings on the first four CDs – combinations of players that include Augusti Fernandez on piano, Michael Niesemann and Jurg Wickihalder on alto, Simon Picard on tenor, Torben Snekkestad on tenor and soprano, Julius Gabriel on baritone, Konrad Bauer and Alan Tomlinson on trombones, Henry Lowther and Martin Eberle on trumpets, Phil Wachsmann on violin, Bruno Chevillon on bass, and Lucas Niggli on drums and percussion. The smaller groups work on CD1 through CD4, recorded at Alchemia – and CD5 and CD6 feature full LJCO performances at Manggha Hall on the last of the three nights. CD

Haunting horror work from the great Bruno Nicolai – an album that's got some wonderfully-crafted themes mixed with some lighter, breezier numbers – almost in a Rosemary's baby sort of mode! Bruno really gets to show off both sides of his talents here – and comes up with some spare and melodic orchestrations that recall his work with Morricone, mixed with other numbers that diverge into sweeter territory and dance along nicely. The set features a total of 22 numbers – nearly all of which are more redemptive than the darker horror plot of the film – and titles include "In Cantina", "Servizio Fotografico", "Minaccia", "Scoperta & Sesto Delitto", "Confronto Finale", "In Automobile", "Ufficio Vuoto", and "Terzo Delitto". CD

Haunting horror work from the great Bruno Nicolai – an album that's got some wonderfully-crafted themes mixed with some lighter, breezier numbers – almost in a Rosemary's baby sort of mode! Bruno really gets to show off both sides of his talents here – and comes up with some spare and melodic orchestrations that recall his work with Morricone, mixed with other numbers that diverge into sweeter territory and dance along nicely. The set features a total of 24 numbers – nearly all of which are more redemptive than the darker horror plot of the film – and titles include "In Cantina", "Servizio Fotografico", "Minaccia", "Scoperta & Sesto Delitto", "Confronto Finale", "In Automobile", "Ufficio Vuoto", and "Terzo Delitto". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer set from Italian jazz gurus Cicci Santucci & Enzo Scoppa – an early 70s quartet effort that has a more fiery and overall freer sound than other Santucci Scoppa efforts of the era! This is one of those records that challenges our expectations of a combo, or in this case a pair, of artists that we've loved over the years, and their work is never predictable, but this one moves them in a more exciting and improvisational realm that works masterfully. Trumpet player Santucci and tenor sax player Scoppa work with an intuitive harmony together as always, but the vibe is far reaching a frenetic here in away that moves them away from their more hard bop rooted sounds. Many tense moments, but never far out, or compromising the fluid interplay. The quartet on this record includes a pair of Brunos – Tommaso on bass and Biriaco on drums. There's a Titles include "Colpi Di Flash", "Inumanity", "Tensione", "Toward The Peace", "Dalle Nostre Isole", "Routine", "Integration", "Liveri" and "A Free Way Of Life". CD

A really freewheeling set of improvised jazz from the French scene of the 70s – and a record that's a bit different than some of the more structured material that was usually issued on the Palm label, and maybe a bit more like some of the famous 1969 sessions on the BYG/Actuel imprint! The group's co-led by alto saxophonist Philippe Mate and pianist Jef Gilson – the latter of whom moves from acoustic keys to play electric piano, organ, and some very cool ondioline – an instrument that creates a very spooky sound at parts! Pierre Moret provides additional electric piano and organ, and the group also features Maurice Bouhana on flute and drums, Bruno Di Gioia on cor and percussion, Elie Dos Reis on percussion, Didier Levallet on bass, and Jean-Claude Pourtier on drums – a lineup who work together with unbridled power throughout! Given the amount of percussion on the set, there's some great earthy tones on the bottom – and the set features two side-long improvisations, titled "L'Oeil" and "Vision". CD

With Russ Kassoff on piano and Jerry Bruno on bass. LP, Vinyl record album

A gem from Frank Rosolino – one of his best albums of the 70s, recorded in Italy with a very hip lineup that includes Franco D'Andrea on piano, Bruno Tommaso on bass, and a guest appearance by Gianni Basso on sax on one track. The presence of these younger modernists pushes Rosolino way past his west coast roots – and the overall sound of the set is great, with an approach that's swinging and measured, but also free-thinking in the best moments. Tracks are long, and titles include "Waltz For Roma", "Free For All", "Alex", and "Skylab". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful sound library set from Piero Umiliani, and one that's overflowing with contributions from some mighty hip jazz musicians on the Italian scene of the 70s – including Enrico Pieranunzi on both electric and acoustic piano, Oscar Valdambrini on trumpet, Dino Piana on trombone, and Bruno Tommaso on bass – all working with very cool organ and moog from Piero himself! There's flute on many tracks – played by both S Genovese and N Rapicavoli, both players we don't know at all – and the instrument is often used in these cool, compressed ways that are mighty nice – and which make a stunning sonic counterpart to the other instrumentation, especially when Umiliani turns up some of the odd effects in the production! Titles include "Regalita", "Babilonia", "Chiaroscuro", "Battimenti A Tarantella", "Flauto Notturno", "Penombra", and "Fantasia Italica". LP, Vinyl record album