Following two successful volumes of ‘Journey Into Deep Jazz’ on BBE, proprietor of London’s ‘IF Music’ record store and walking musical encyclopedia Jean-Claude kicks off a new “Introduction To…” album series with this affectionate retrospective of sister labels Black Saint and Soul Note. Cited by some as Italy’s answer to Blue Note, Black Saint and Soul Note have together amassed a catalogue in excess of five hundred albums between 1975 and 2008. Founded by Giacomo Pellicciotti (producer of Enrico Rava’s seminal “Katcharpari” album), Black Saint scored a home run with it’s very first release: Billy Harper’s 1975 “Black Saint” LP, the follow-up to his much lauded “Capra Black” album on Strata-East. Following the blueprint laid down by iconic Italian jazz imprint Horo, Black Saint started life catching recording sessions with American artists as they passed through Italy on tour, as well as releasing Stateside recordings.