Clarke-Boland Big Band - Fellini 712 (1969)

This record is as cool as it gets for a big band. Music you would expect from a noir crime flick soundtrack (with the obscure sexy lady whose husband got shot). But still classy. Here's some info about the band (stolen from Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music): "An all-star international big band based in Europe. Gigi Campi (b Pierluigi Campi, 15 December 1928; d 6 January 2010) was an architect and restaurateur who became a jazz producer. From 1949 to 1980 he ran the gelateria cafe Campi in Köln (Cologne) Germany, described by George Avakian as the 'best ice cream parlor in the world', where he hosted jazz concerts, and which soon became a meeting place for musicians. In the 1950s he founded the Mod and Old record labels. Accepting a dare, he organized a band around co-leaders pianist/arranger François 'Francy' Boland (b 6 November 1929, Namur, Belgium; d 12 August 2005) and drummer Kenny Clarke (see his entry): Campi had the band in the studio within weeks. Most of the albums were made in Köln, most available on Hans-Georg Brunner-Schwer's MPS label, not well distributed outside Europe. [...]" Lots of one-shots on this one also. Enjoy!

Track list:
A1 Villa Radieuse
A2 Tween Dusk, And Dawn In Via Urbana 
B Rosati At Popolo Square

Thelonious Monk - Locomotive / Hackensack (1957)

I really don't know what I'm talking about here. I mean Jazz. I sat down with this 7" – actually it had been the first record that caught my attention from the pile – I played it, loved it, and was very pleased with me and my Jazz enthusiasm. Only a few days later I found out I had been listening to it at the wrong speed... anyway, on 45 rpm it's still magic. Especially the first track, which sounds so wonderfully wrong and right at the same time. Other musicians on this one are: Frank Foster on tenor sax; Ray Copeland on the trumpet; Curly Russell on bass; and Art Blakey on drums. Enjoy.

Track list:
A Locomotive
B Hackensack

Don Ellis - Shock Treatment (1968)

So here it is, my first rip. A great fusion LP by Don Ellis and his orchestra. Wild, loud, (not too) experimental, at times smooth and gentle, and with some funny moments too. This record has a tad of everything, and a quite cineastic sound without getting kitschy. Also a nice long drum break and some loopy nuggets in there, if you're into that sampling business. Enjoy!

Track List:
A1 A New Kind of Country
A2 Night City
A3 Homecoming
A4 Mercy Maybe Mercy
A5 Opus 5
B1 Star Children
B2 Beat Me, Daddy, Seven to the Bar
B3 Milo's Theme
B4 The Tihai