A wonderful album of straight ahead jazz – cut by a current combo from Italy, but done with a really classic sound! The style here is a bit like that of the straighter jazz albums on Schema Records – all acoustic, but often highly rhythmic – and focused in styles that explore older Italian modal jazz of the 60s, as well as some of the deeper shadings of the Blue Note scene from years back! The lineup is incredibly strong – with tenor from Daniele Scannapieco, trumpet from Fabrizio Bosso, and piano from Luca Mannutza, whose firm work and bold notes on the keys really give the album a lot of drive and fire! CD features Nicola Conte remixes of the leadoff track "Conversation" – which is actually great enough in its original version by the group – and other tracks include "Wide Green Eyes", "The Driver", "Shade Of Gira", "Dubai", and "Campagna". CD

An excellent set of Italian jazz from tenor sax player Max Ionata and his stellar quartet – with Lucas Mannutuza on piano, Nicola Muresu on double bass and Nicola Angelucci on drums – plus special guest Fabrizio Bosso on trumpet and flugelhorn! It's a wonderful, more classic styled set with kind of an early 60s feel, with some great solos by the players. Titles include "Astobard", "Coltrane Meets Evans", "La Talpa", "Turn Around", "Who Can I Turn To", "Lode 4 Joe", "L'Altalena" and "Attila (Lease)". CD

One of the all-time classic Italian film scores – a groundbreaking soundtrack from Nino Rota, and one of the first Italian works of this nature to hit the record racks in the US! The music is a beautiful blend of whimsy and sadness – penned by Rota with a variety of light themes that dance together with a dreamy sort of quality – romantic one minute, dramatic the next – always handled with Nino's inventive sense of musical play! Larger orchestrations come into play with smaller combo elements that evoke the new world of jazz and rock on the scene in Rome – and the whole thing is a musical delight throughout – with titles that include "La Dolce Vita", "Cadillac", "Via Veneto", "Titoli Di Testa", and "Valzer". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Les Baxter's greatest records – and one of his rarest too, one of the few he cut for Reprise after leaving Capitol! The record is a continuation of Baxter's exotica sound of the late 50s – played with some great help that includes Larry Bunker on vibes and percussion, Clare Fischer on celeste and piano, and Leo Acosta on gourd! The sweetly dreamy sound of Fischer is an especially nice addition – and often creates a gentle flow to tunes that have a more driving approach overall – but it's Les' genius with the arrangements that make the album sparkle most of all, because even familiar tunes are transformed by his exotica magic! Titles include "Slave Ship", "Congale", "Via Veneto", "Night With Cleopatra", "Peking Tiger", and "Fiesta Brava". LP, Vinyl record album