The Best of Michael Franks: A Backward Glance is a good 15-track collection that is equally divided between soft rock like "Popsicle Toes" and smooth jazz. Any curious listener looking for a one-stop introduction to Franks would be well served with this collection. Among the highlights are "The Lady Wants to Know," "Antonio's Song," "When the Cookie Jar Is Empty," "Tiger in the Rain," "Baseball," "Your Secret's Safe with Me," "When I Give My Love to You," "The Art of Love," "Soul Mate," and "Hourglass".

Here's Some That Got Away is the second compilation album by The Style Council, released in 1993. As the album cover states, the album contains rarities such as demos and B-sides, many of them previously unreleased. It follows 1992's Extras, featuring rarities by Paul Weller's previous band The Jam. The album is something of a sister album to The Singular Adventures of The Style Council, the band's 1989 singles compilation.

The first presentation of A Man and a Woman on CD in stereo – from the original album masters housed in the MGM vaults, in both French and English versions. One of the finest soundtrack albums of the 1960s came in 1966, when Francis Lai composed much of the music for Claude Lelouch's French film A Man and a Woman (Un Homme et une Femme in French). Most European films enjoy very little publicity in the U.S., but A Man and a Woman was an exception because the soundtrack was so superb. With this classic LP, Lai and his allies (who include arrangers Maurice Vander and Ivan Julien) brought together French pop, jazz, and the Brazilian bossa nova (which Antonio Carlos Jobim, Stan Getz, and João Gilberto had popularized in the early 1960s). The bossa nova was as hot in Europe as it was in North America, and France's interest in Brazilian music is underscored by sensuous, caressing Lai offerings like "Aujourd'hui C'est Toi" and the famous title song – all of which feature French vocalists Nicole Croisille and/or Pierre Barouh. While Lai composed most of the melodies, Barouh provided the French lyrics – including some lyrics that he wrote for Brazilian composer Baden Powell's "Samba Saravah." Barouh has a soft, gentle quality to his voice, and he frequently brings to mind another gentle singer: João Gilberto. A five-star collection of mood music, this soundtrack has held up extremely well over the years.

Quattro dischi all’attivo, premi vinti di qua e di là, partecipazioni a kermesse importanti: Térez Montcalm non avrebbe proprio bisogno di presentazioni. La cantante canadese, originaria del Quebec, anche conosciuta come la Janis Joplin del jazz, ha tale e tanta grinta da non risparmiarla per niente affatto nella sua espressività vocale. Che è dolce, nervosa, increspata e mai soverchiante. Sa passare dai momenti più intimistici (“Love”, “Growing Sronger”, “Parce que y a toi”, “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest World” di Elton John) a quelli più rock (la versione “unplugged” di “Voodoo Child” di Jimi Hendrix, e “Sweet Dreams” degli Eurytmichs), questa gentile Tom Waits in gonnella si diletta con la chitarra, ma anche col contrabbasso.

Although it's slightly uneven, Sense and Sensuality is a rather enchanting collection of sweeping, orchestral pop. Strings and keyboards are inerlaced throughout the record, providing the perfect instrumental bed for Nicky Holland's wispy voice. Considering that she has written hits for a variety of artists, including Celine Dion, Tears for Fears and Cyndi Lauper, it isn't surprising that the songs on Sense and Sensuality are sturdy and well-constructed. What is surprising is that the songs don't sound manufactured, but intimate and personal, and that's what gives the album its edge.

A collection includes: 'Faith' (1987); Listen Without Prejudice (1990); 'Older' (1996); 'Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best Of George Michael' (1998); 'Songs From The Last Century' (1999); 'Patience' (2004); and 'TwentyFive' (2006).

Prelude includes the biggest hit for CTI Records, the Grammy®-winning Also Sprach Zarathustra, an arrangement of Richard Strauss s fanfare used as the main theme in 2001: A Space Odyssey. It rose to No. 2 on the U.S. pop charts and won the 1974 Grammy Award® for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.

Collection includes 9 studio albums, 2 live albums and 4 remixes & compilation albums by British sophisti-pop/jazz-pop group Swing Out Sister, best known worldwide for the 1986 song "Breakout". Other hits include "Surrender", "Twilight World", "Waiting Game" and a remake of the Eugene Record soul composition "Am I the Same Girl?"

The only vocalist in history to net Grammy Awards in three different categories (jazz, pop, and R&B, respectively). Collection includes: We Got By (1975); Glow (1976); All Fly Home (1978); This Time (1980); Breakin' Away (1981); Jarreau (1983); High Crime (1984); L Is For Lover (1986); Heart's Horizon (1988); Blue Angel (1992) Single; Heaven and Earth (1992); Tenderness (1994).

Touring behind icons like Michael Bolton and Mariah Carey has no doubt enhanced guitarist Chris Camozzi's sense of a pop melody, and he shares those expert acoustic and electric chops in a solo spotlight of his own on Windows of My Soul, Higher Octave's latest rock guitarist turned smooth jazz cat release. He's found a fitting home on the label, because his rich tapestry of cool yet just aggressive enough to be invigorating sounds blend the rhythmic charms of Craig Chaquico and the smoky after hours passion of Neal Schon. A tender nylon string reading of The Beatles' "Michelle" complements a snappy repertoire of fiery electricity ("Go Wes Young Man" has an obvious influence) and charming romance along the lines of the seductive "The Dreamers." Program a few of the later cuts in sequence and your soul mate won't complain any time soon. For, like his labelmates, Camozzi's production skills are all about creating moodswings which best fit each tune's lyrical lilt. More often than not, these windows look out optimistically, through the eyes of love.

Quartet Records and MGM are proud to present the world premiere release of Michel Legrand’s complete original soundtrack from the highly sophisticated 1968 thriller The Thomas Crown Affair, the story of a Boston millionaire who puts together an insurance scam by committing holdups against himself. Brilliantly directed by Norman Jewison (Fiddler on the Roof, In the Heat of the Night, The Cincinnati Kid), and starring Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway, the film enjoyed great critical and commercial success and has become an icon of sixties style—known for its agile and surprising editing (by Hal Ashby), Pablo Ferro’s designs, the hot chemistry between Dunaway and McQueen, the costumes, and, of course, the music. Having just moved to Los Angeles after the success of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Michel Legrand (The Young Girls of Rochefort, Summer of ’42, Yentl, Never Say Never Again), infused his music with a new, fresh and never-before-heard style, mixing influences of jazz, pop, Baroque and Stravinsky. It was sophisticated and chic—and worked perfectly with the film.

Indigo is the 1988 album by British pop/dance group Matt Bianco. By this point, Basia left the group to begin having a successful solo career. This was released by Atlantic and features the hit songs "Don't Blame It On That Girl", "Good Times", "Nervous", and "Say It's Not Too Late".

Although Idris Muhammad was employed as a sideman on his share of soul-jazz sessions in the '70s, the drummer hasn't been terribly visible as a leader. So it came as a pleasant surprise when, in 1993, he sat in the driver's seat for My Turn, a decent collection of jazz-pop, soul-jazz, and R&B employing such big names as Grover Washington, Jr. (tenor and soprano sax), Randy Brecker (trumpeter and flügelhorn), Hiram Bullock (electric guitar), and Bob James (electric keyboards). Not unlike the type of project Muhammad would have gone for in the '70s, My Turn is far from straight-ahead hard bop but isn't a so-called "elevator jazz" date either. R&B, pop, and funk considerations are emphasized, but not at the expense of improvisational freedom. Washington and Brecker get in some inspired solos on tunes ranging from pianist Neal Creqe's funky "Dracula" to Washington's congenial "Happenstance," and Muhammad does a nice job combining pop and soul's accessibility with jazz's spontaneity. Those who like their crossover meaty instead of fluffy should enjoy this CD.

2009 debut solo album from the singer/songwriter. Hearing Kristina Train for the first time is nothing less than a revelation: her sunny, easygoing demeanor and youthful good looks belie the heart-wrenching power of her voice. Train's Blue Note debut, Spilt Milk, is urbane and soulful, lush in its arrangements but intimate in its emotions, built on a foundation of classic and deeply felt Southern Soul.

Superb album from world-pop outfit Matt Bianco, released in July 2002. Featuring a brillant collection of ten songs with a strong latino flavour, this record just shows how good these guys have become at writing thumping, pulsating popsongs. Together with their new vocalist Hazel Sim they manage to make this album sparkle.