His second LP is foundational bossa. With the spotlight on acoustic guitar and his caressing voice, these are spare, intimate renditions of songs which would become much-versioned standards, severally revisited by Valle himself. Listen out for the blueprints of Astrud Gilberto’s hits The Face I Love and So Nice, for example.

Blissed-out, refined electronica, with synths, piano, and guitar, from 1976.
The numbered, 50th Anniversary edition of the LP.

His unmissable debut as leader in 1960, bringing with him Sam Jones and Jimmy Cobb from the Adderleys’ set-up. Highlights include the reclamations of three mighty Timmons originals — Moanin’, already recorded by Art Blakey, and Cannonball’s This Here and Dat Dere — and a near-solo rendition of Lush Life.
Unmistakable, irresistible jazz pianism — grooving, direct, gospelised, funky.

Modern Nigerian music starts here.
‘*****’, Mojo; ‘these songs leap out of the past like madeleines soaked in palm wine’, The Observer; ‘impeccably curated and packaged’, The Wire.

‘***** beautiful, deeply affecting… hard to beat as the year’s most worthwhile reissue’, The Guardian; ‘magnificent… wonderfully austere’, Time Out.

A blistering selection, with the series’ signature mixture of classic hits and recovered treasure.