Out of Sweden comes new jazz sounds from guitarist Anders Nilsson's group Aorta, a group that glances briefly back at the late '60s and '70s, then forges ahead, showing some possible directions for the music to go if it is to remain vital. Aorta probably won't be doing a week at the Vanguard any time soon, but if there's any music that can even remotely be called jazz and has any chance of capturing the ears of teens and twenty-somethings (the holy grail in music sales), this is it.

A jazz, funk, and hip-hop hybrid group hailing from France, Electro Deluxe formed in 2001. Their lineup (Thomas Faure – sax, programming; Jeremie Coke – bass; Gael Cadoux – keyboards; and Arnaud Renaville – drums) was assembled from a very well-trained and well-educated musical pool, and made its main intent to fuse a jazz-funk sound that used elements of electronica to back up the live musicians, rather than the other way around. Their first album, Stardown, was released in 2005. A follow-up appeared soon after in 2007, entitled Hopeful.

Caro Emerald came out of nowhere in 2009 with the summertime hit "Back It Up," a catchy jazz-pop song with a dance beat. The follow-up single, "A Night Like This," was an even bigger hit, topping the Dutch charts. By the time Deleted Scenes from the Cutting Room Floor came around, Emerald was well established as one of the most exciting new artists to emerge from the Netherlands in some time, and her full-length album debut was eagerly awaited. It includes the smash hit singles "Back It Up" and "A Night Like This," both written by Vincent de Giorgio, David Schreurs, and Jan van Wieringen. The latter two Dutchmen are Emerald's producers. They released Deleted Scenes from the Cutting Room Floor on their Amsterdam label Grandmono Records.

Snarky Puppy Duo Releases Thrilling Debut Album As Ghost-Note. If someone asked another to identify Ghost-Note within a genre, one would have trouble coming up with a good answer. The brainchild of Robert “Sput” Searight and Nate Werth has been capturing the attention of Snarky Puppy fanatics for a while now, but their debut album, Fortified, is a game changer that deserves recognition from all types of music-lovers. Immediately blasting to the #1 spot on the iTunes jazz chart upon release, Fortified is more than just a percussionist’s wildest dream, it’s a collaboration of world-class players featuring 18 of today’s rising musicians in Shaun Martin, N’Dambi, Mark Lettieri, Caleb McCampbell, Jason “JT” Thomas, RSVP, Nick Werth, Cleon Edwards, Taron Lockett, Marcelo Woloski, Wes Stephenson, Bob Lanzetti, A.J. Brown, Frank Moka, Ben Bohorquez, and Sylvester Onyejiaka.

“Amkeni”, a collaboration between Snarky Puppy and Burundian refugee Bukuru Celestin, has been released on GroundUp Records (groundup.ropeadope.com/). The album (the title of which means “wake up” in Swahili) combines Central African folkloric and gospel musics with Snarky Puppy’s inventive jazz/funk twists to create a joyous, infectious sound. (Read Happiness in the Groove review of here).

Standard CD reissue of this 2010 album from the New York-based instrumental fusion band. With the release of the TELL YOUR FRIENDS (and the 2012 follow-up album GROUND UP), Snarky Puppy has gone from an underground secret to one of the most internationally respected names in contemporary Jazz. Over the last four years of touring, the group has gained a reputation for putting on a live show unparalleled in energy, virtuosity, and musicianship. They seamlessly fuse a deep knowledge and respect for the Jazz tradition with sonic and conceptual innovation in a way that is able to reach the most critical - or most carefree - audience.

Snarky Puppy's third studio album is the first recording of the band after it melded with the Dallas music community. Featuring keyboardists Bernard Wright and Bobby Sparks as well as drummer/keyboardist Robert "Sput" Searight, Bring Us The Bright is a noticeable departure into a brand new landscape of grooves and textures. It was recorded in Dallas, TX in April 2008 and mixed by Chris Godbey (Timbaland).

The second studio album from Snarky Puppy, The World is Getting Smaller features two live drummers (Rob Avsharian and Steve Pruitt) panned left and right (as well as a guest appearance from master percussionist Jose Aponté), and marks a compositional departure from The Only Constant. It was recorded as most of the band was leaving college at the University of North Texas in 2007.

Here's where it all started! Made all the way back in 2005 and released in '06, The Only Constant is a snapshot of the band in its infancy as students at the University of North Texas. It features 5 very, very different tracks by Michael League and has a more open and acoustic sound than any other of Snarky Puppy's albums.

Monsieur Blumenberg is the nom de plume of Federico Montefiori, twin brother of Francesco, and one half of Italy's legendary lounge duo, Montefiori Cocktail. Monsieur Blumenberg's first release in 2001 - Musique et Couleurs - was a wonderful, experimental, electronic lounge symphony. Compositions such as L'Altra Sera al Ristorante, Sciabadabada, Caprice des Dieux and Escamotage mixed with some interesting sampling created a fun, compelling, aural adventure into the land of the musical unknown.

At the Vintage Music Festival in the elegant ski resort of Lech-Zürs, Swing meets crisp electro beats, modern pop songs to vintage sounds, skiers to music lovers.  Combining a compelling mix of swing, electro-swing, nu-jazz and Latin, this superb selection brings unforgettable melodies to life in the guise of the 21st century - interpreted, remixed and edited by top international artists such as Tape Five, [Bebo Best] , Leslie Clio etc.

With just three albums to her credit, Adele has become the most popular female singer of the 21st century. It was only a matter of time before her fantastic catalog received the Electro-Bossa treatment. The most recent volume of our hit series features the biggest hits from Adele's repertoire including Set Fire To The Rain, Someone Like You, Chasing Pavements and Hello among many others, who become brand new songs with recreations by Michelle Simonal, São Vicente Feat. Shelly Sony, Banda Do Sul Feat. Natascha, Amazonics and Scubba Feat. Anekka. With luxurious artwork, Bossa N'Rihanna is another essential addition to your lounge music collection.

Ton Liebt Klang Presents Best Of Electro Swing Elite Compilation album 22 original hits and the original artists. Includes tracks by Phos Toni, Wolfgang Lohr & Alice Francis, Jamie Berry,Sound Nomaden feat. MSP, Jazzotron & Manivi and more.

"Butterfly" is the 2000 single by Japanese producer and musician Shinichi Osawa, who is also known as Mondo Grosso. Released by Sony Music in Japan, this came out in support of his 4th album, appropriately titled MG4 and features Monday Michiru on vocals. The song appears here in four different mixes, with the "Main" version appearing here longer than the album version, plus an accompanying instrumental and two remixes, done by Sleepy Tongue and Francois K respectively.

MG4 is the 2000 album by Japanese producer and musician Shinichi Osawa, who is also known as Mondo Grosso. Released by Sony Music in Japan, it features a nice blend of the different styles of music Osawa enjoys, from Latin jazz to house to pop and soul, and he brings in N'Dea Davenport, Amel Larrieux, bird, Ed Motta, Tania Maria, and Monday Michiru to help him on vocals.