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5x7" BOX
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FLIESBX 003EP
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$110.00
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 1/23/2026
"The Modern Sound Quartet represents one of the most treasured, yet least documented, outfits in the history of Italian library music. An exceptional studio band of session musicians with a formidable groove, they released only a handful of albums under this name in the second half of the 1970s. However, their sound indelibly shaped dozens of 'invisible' soundtracks, often without ever receiving an official credit on the back sleeve. Led by pianist and composer Oscar Rocchi, and featuring Andrea Surdi (drums), Luigi Cappellotto (bass), and Ernesto Verardi (guitar), the quartet embodies the more jazz-funk, cinematic, and irresistibly groovy side of the 1970s Milan scene. They established themselves as a compelling alternative to the already established groups operating primarily out of Rome, such as I Marc 4 or I Gres. Juggling late-night club jam sessions, tours supporting Italian pop giants like Ornella Vanoni, and creating rhythmically intense library records, the Modern Sound Quartet forged a unique sonic aesthetic: sophisticated, electric, and profoundly metropolitan. This boxset celebrates their funkiest side -- an irresistible combination of incandescent drum breaks, tight grooves, and high-intensity fusion passages -- bringing together some of the most sought-after tracks from legendary LPs like Erbe Selvatiche (1977), Floreama (1977), Horoscope (1978), and I Tarocchi (1980). The selection also delves further back to the roots of their sound, including two powerhouse tracks from Pop-Paraphrenia (1973), a project where Oscar Rocchi -- backed by a young, lethal Tullio De Piscopo on drums -- sowed many seeds that would fully blossom in the subsequent Modern Sound Quartet output. Created with DJs, beatmakers, and collectors of Italian library music in mind, this boxset deliberately features tracks that were never previously released on 7" -- an ideal format for maximizing the rhythmic punch of the quartet's sound. Available in a limited worldwide edition (500 copies), enriched by iconic '70s-style artwork conceived and designed by Eric Adrian Lee."
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LP
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HBR 001
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"Originally released in 1976, Cocktail Bar was the first release of the Modern Sound Quartet ensemble lead by Oscar Rocchi, one of the most brilliant yet unrecognized composer of the library music era. As the title might already suggest, the 14 songs bring an incredibly fresh mix of sounds and flavors, each one named after a different spirit, with every single track floating around different soundscapes and atmospheres. Whether it be a gin & tonic poolside, a melancholic drink of Strega on the hills of southern Italy or some Kümmel by a Dutch canal, this masterpiece has got something for every taste. Now available on vinyl for the first time since its original release as a limited edition of 500 copies."
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LP
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HBR 002LP
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"Following the work previously made on Cocktail Bar and Erbe Selvatiche, Modern Sound Quartet released their third full-length Floreama in 1977, this time focusing their work around the world of flowers. The twelve tracks on this recording boast the highest form of Italian jazz-funk vibes, with some rock, disco and spacey moods thrown in for good measure. Each flower sets the track in a different mood and brings the listener in a different dimension, alternating upbeat funky moments to some more mellow atmospheres. Now available on vinyl for the first time since its original release as a limited edition of 500 copies."
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CD
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EM 1072CD
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The Modern Sound Quintet was formed by Rudy Smith, a Trinidadian master of the "pans" and a genuine jazz bebopper, in late 1960s Sweden. This international group of musicians features John Rochford (piano) from Barbados, Sigfried McIntosh (bass) from Surinam, George Allyn (drums) from Trinidad and Kofi Ayivor (congas) from Ghana. Lars Samuelson, a jazz trumpet player and producer in Sweden who heard this quite unique quintet, was captivated by their concept and sound, and asked them to record an album. Otinku, the resulting album, was recorded in Stockholm in 1971, produced by Samuelson, and originally released on the Odeon label, a subsidiary of EMI Finland. With an Afro-jazz/Caribbean orientation, the selections are a rich mixture of jazz standards and original compositions, including recently re-discovered killer funk tunes "Otinku" and "Sugar Daddy,"and a fine steel jazz version of "Bags Groove." The album was their only release and is now a sought-after item for steel pan/Caribbean music fans and vinyl diggers.
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