George Russell and His Orchestra, Featuring Bill Evans - "Jazz In The Space Age" Clear Vinyl, Album, LP, Limited Edition, 2016/1960 (Doxy)

The ultimate and very obscure Mid-Century America, with a ting of the Space Age, the jazz album. "Jazz in the Space Age" is John Cassavetes walking down Time Square in the middle of the night, and there's rain and he is smoking.  Or it could be "Sweet Smell of Success."  Nevertheless, this is a classic noir jazz album that sounds like an original soundtrack recording, but alas, it is not the case.  At the crisp of the 60s, this is an album that theme wise looks to the future, but in reality, it's a brilliant work with Bill Evans at his peak, with Paul Bley on the piano as well.  In fact, it's dueling pianos.  

George Russell plays "beats and timed drums."   He also wrote all the pieces on this album.  It's a combination of orchestrated jazz but with interesting 'bop' type of solos and improvising sections within the orchestration.  especially from Evans and Bley.  I was sort of expecting a Joe Meek like recording, and that is not the case.  Still, the playing by Evans and Bley are incredible.  Since I got this album last week, I have played it a lot in the house.   The album cover is great, but the music is not kitsch whatsoever or even space exotica.  But it is Evan/Bley-tastic. 

Jean Ledrut - "The Trial" OST, Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, 2017/1962 (Doxy Music)

I know very little to nothing about the musician/composer Jean Ledrut.  Looking at his Discography, I can only find this album 'The Trial," as well as the original release of the same title but as a 7" EP and the full-length album as well.   This is the original soundtrack to Orson Welles' film of 1962, "The Trial" based on the novel by Franz Kafka.  It's a great film, and I think it's an Orson Welles masterpiece. Beyond that, I have a thing for Tomaso Albinoni's "Adagio in G Minor."  The music is used throughout the film, which gives it a slightly sad and depressed presence to "The Trial." The fact that the film/novel is very black humor in its practice, but seen as some as a 'heavy' statement of our culture, is an additional layer of pleasure for both the film and the soundtrack. 

Beside Ledrut, the other strong presence on the album is the great jazz pianist/film track composer Martial Solal.   He also wrote the score for Jean-Luc Godard's "Breathless."  Here he does piano work for the jazzy score that is very much part of this project.   The main theme is Albinoni's music - arranged with strings, but also with solo organ (my favorite) and then various 'jazz' versions of the theme.  Ledrut I believe did the arrangements of the "Adagio in G Minor" but also wrote the Incidental music that's on the album as well.  

There's not a whole lot of information on the album, which is a real minus, especially since the composer/artist is an unknown figure in the English speaking world, but on the other hand, Doxy once again has made a work that wasn't available to the music market, and one has to appreciate their taste and expertise in getting this soundtrack out to the world.  I have written about Doxy (the label) in other posts/commentary, but I don't know anything about them. I suspect that they're from Italy, but even that is a mystery.  They do a lot of reissues of soundtrack albums and jazz/pop recordings. All good if not excellent taste in music and presentation.  Still, I suspect that they are a bootleg company that puts out music in between official labels, or works that become public domain.  Nevertheless, I never had a bad recording from this record label, and again, their taste is superb.  

Giovanni Fusco - "L'Eclisse" Vinyl, LP, OST, Album, Limited Edition (500), 2016 (Doxy Cinematic)

"L'Eclisse" is an Italian film made in 1962, starring Monica Vitti and Alain Delon, directed by Michelangelo Antonioni.  The soundtrack to the movie is by Giovanni Fusco, who also did the music for Alain Resnais'"Hiroshima, Mon Amour," as well for other Antonioni films.  About a week ago I saw "L'Eclisse, " and I loved the soundtrack.  I located a copy very recently, and I'm very impressed with Fusco's music.   The music is so much of the visuals, but here, I try to not think of the film, and just focus on the music. 

On this album, we get six versions of Mina's "Eclisse Twist."  One in Italian (of course), French, Spanish, English, an instrumental, and a slow-downed version.  That alone is worth the price of the album.   The additional greatness is Fusco's moody music that is minimal and dramatic.  While listening to Fusco's music, it reminded me of Angelo Badalamenti's work with David Lynch.  Perhaps due to the juxtaposition of a rock n' roll tune ("Eclisse Twist") with Fusco's borderline avant-garde composing.  In the same manner of a Roy Orbison song fitting into Badalamenti's score for "Blue Velvet," the same goes for the dynamic combination of Mina (an Italian 60s pop singer) and Fusco. 

The film "L'Eclisse" is slow-paced and takes its time to unveil its seductive relationship between Delon and Vitti, as well as presenting the world that is empty.  The music also conveys that unbalanced where things are not settled.  "Eclisse Twist" throws a wrench in the process, and it's very effective to go from one mood (celebrating) to the other (contemplating).   And back again.  The film and the soundtrack is a beautiful piece of work.  

Also, I want to give praise for the label Doxy or Doxy Cinematic.  I suspect that they operate in the gray area of bootlegging, but do a superb job concerning the sound of the vinyl, as well as the design work, and even more important, their ability to curate their series in a thoughtful and excellently manner.  

Pierre Henry - "Le Voyage" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1962/2013 (Doxy)

For the past two years, I have been picking up albums by Pierre Henry.  I have a fascination with the nature of electronic music or Musique Concréte.  The 'noise' have called out for me, and it's a hard habit to break.  "Le Voyage" is a big Henry project.  I believe it's music with dance choreographed by Maurice Béjart.  I know very little of this piece except that it's based on The Tibetian Book of the Dead, and it represents from birth to death.  Seems like a topical subject matter for a ballet and its score. 

As far as my ear can tell this is music that is entirely electronic.  No organic sounds processed through electronic means, but machines manipulated by Henry making music.   Some parts are almost ambient but with an intensity where you can't really ignore the music.  Toward the end, it becomes a majestic piece of noise that's an incredible ear wash.  I listened to this vinyl in a room with a very high ceiling, and the music just encaptures the landscape that is the room.  I don't know who Doxy is, although I suspect that this record company takes advantage of copyright laws in Europe. Still, they do a great job in curating album titles with great sound. 

The Shadows - "Meeting With The Shadows" Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue 2015/1962 (Doxy)

Such a fantastic album cover.  Originally this specific album came out in Italy.  Sort of a greatest hits collection at the time, it shows the strength of The Shadows.  The hits are here, "Apache," "Guitar Tango," and more.  I'm intrigued by their sound.  It seems simple, but there is something quite complex about how their music is put together.  All four are fantastic, but the stand out (for me) is Jet Harris' bass playing, and Hank Marvin's guitar work.  

Total showbiz act, but a very mysterious one to me.  Among their incredible dance choreography, while playing their guitars and the smiles plastered on their faces, there is something manic or demon like in their presentation.  I know very little of their personal lives, except I heard Jet went through tough times - still, it's a band that reshaped their world, and sort of spit it out to the public.  A beautiful album, that's in mono.  I think that format is the best way to listen to The Shadows.  And yes, another amazing release from Doxy, that mysterious label from Europe. 

Georges Delerue / Piero Piccioni - "Le Mépris, The Complete Original Soundtrack" 2 x Vinyl, LP, 2014 (Doxy)

The Georges Delerue score for "Contempt" (Le Mépris) is perfect. A haunting theme that expresses the down mood of the Jean-Luc Godard film.  I have so many versions of this particular soundtrack - mostly all on CD, except for this vinyl set.  The unusual aspect of this package is that it has the obscure and Italian soundtrack to the film by Piero Piccioni.  How did that happen?  That, I don't know.   I think the nature of the cinema movie world at the time of the 1960s were complicated, and for whatever reason, the Italian distributor decided on the Piccioni score for its Italian release. 

I prefer the Delerue music, just because it has been a consistent reminder of this cinematic masterpiece as well as being a great piece of music, with or without the images attached to the work.  The Piccioni score is a good listening experience, but nowhere near the genius French take on the soundtrack.  

Doxy is an excellent and a very mysterious label.  It's a borderline bootleg record company that seems to make use of the copyright laws in Europe.  Saying that I find the recordings themselves pretty great, and their packaging, although often vague, is superb.  The vagueness comes to solid information, for instance,  where did they get their sound resource?  From the original tapes, or is it from a digital resource?  I don't know.   On the other hand, they either take the original packing of albums or do their own take on whatever the album is.  I have at least a dozen titles from Doxy, and I'm happy with all of their albums in my collection.  Also, they are very much a curated company that they only release albums and artists that are truly great - and, or, very hard to find as an original (official) release.  So they're serving a purpose to the vinyl fan, and "Le Mépris" is a fantastic and fascinating double album.  To get both recordings in one package is pretty amazing. 

BARNEY WILEN: Un témoin dens la ville & Jazz sur seine (Doxy) 45 rpm, 12" Vinyl Record

Another in the great series for the label Doxy, of Jazz music, composed for French films.  Here we have a very young French sax player Barney Wilen, who became known internationally after working with Miles Davis, on his score for Ascenseur pour l'échafaud.  Un témoin dens la ville is a classic noir-like score to its film, which one can smell the alcohol from the streets of the right bank.   Well, it does have one of the great French stars, Lino Ventura (born in Italy I think, but still...) in a film I have never seen.  I must make note... but if it's anything like its soundtrack, it's a must.  Sadly, I don't know the other musicians on this recording, but this 1958 piece of wonder really reflects on what is on the above album cover.  The mood is tense, with moments of intense beauty.

Side two is Jazz sure seine, which is Wilen playing with various members of the Modern Jazz Quartet, such as vibe player Milt Jackson on piano and the great Kenny Clarke on drums. I'm not sure if this was originally made for a film track, but it clearly brings pictures in one's head.  The music is touched with a lightness that's superb.   This is a fantastic album that will melt your brain, and bring warmth to your soul.

À BOUT DE SOUFFLE Musique de Martial Solal (un film de Jean-Luc Godard) Doxy 45 rpm vinyl

Over the years, and especially on CD there has been many re-issues of the soundtrack to à bout de souffle.  Mostly various collections of French New Wave music throughout the late 20th century and 21st century.  But, I have to say the best is from the mysterious label Doxy, who issued this album sometime in 2015.  It's a single disc, but in 45 rpm, and one side is the score by Martial Solal, performed by the great pianist as well as with top-notch French Jazz musicians from 1958.  What makes this specific album unique is that on the other side, it's "Concert pour clarinet et orchestra by Wolfgang Mozart; performed by an orchestra conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham. 

For those who are fans of the film, you know the Mozart recording is played in one scene, where Jean-Paul is in hiding from the police and he's with his love.   Now, as far as I can gather, Doxy is very much a bootleg record company that puts out fantastic out-of-print albums or recordings that somehow lost their copyright - nevertheless, this mysterious label has released incredible albums on vinyl, and always with wonderful packaging. 

So, as I mentioned in the opening paragraph, I would buy this edition of the soundtrack, not only for the Mozart piece, but also the sound / mastering is great.  Not sure where they get the original sound source, it can be digital, but still, you're paying for their great curating taste.  Solal's music and performance are superb.  It mirrors the film's sense of wonder and adventure, and it's supreme French Jazz, which to me is über-cool.