'ECLECTIC' COMES ALIVE EVERYTHING FROM DJS TO JAZZ DIVAS WILL TAKE THE STAGE SATURDAY AT UNIVERSAL.

Byline: Fred Shuster Music Writer

On their first visit to the West Coast, blissful British duo Zero 7 didn't just break records, they lost them entirely.

The group had been carting around a large metal case filled with rare vinyl records - vintage funk, jazz, reggae and '60s film scores - which principal members Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker sampled in wide-ranging DJ sets. When the pair turned around while waiting for luggage at San Francisco's airport, the suitcase was missing.

The theft wasn't traced to fellow electronic duo Thievery Corporation, the Washington, D.C., group with similar musical ideas.

``It just about did us in,'' Binns recalled ruefully. ``Do you know what rare import vinyl costs in London? Some of these things are harder to find than gold. We have managed to get most of them back, but it's just hard to remember what we had in the first place.''

This time, Zero 7 left the vinyl safely at home for a swing down the coast that includes a full band set Saturday night at KCRW-FM's (89.9) second annual ``A Sounds Eclectic Evening'' at the Universal Amphitheatre. The concert, based on the Santa Monica public radio station's ``Morning Becomes Eclectic'' program, features Norah Jones, Beth Orton and Aimee Mann, while premium ticket holders get to attend an after-party with Thievery Corporation and DJ Shadow on the turntables.

The influential KCRW weekday show, a 9 a.m.-to-noon must-hear for insiders, musicians and fans alike, has spawned two ``Sounds Eclectic'' compilation albums of recordings performed live in the radio studio. Chris Martin of Coldplay, Zero 7, Air, R.E.M., Dido and Jones appear on the recently issued second volume.

``Our track record speaks for itself,'' says Nic Harcourt, ``Eclectic'' host and KCRW music director. ``We seem to expose good new music first. We were the first station in the world to play Dido, the first program to play Norah Jones in the U.S. and the first to play Coldplay. Not everything we spin will go on to that kind of success, of course. But our aim is to feature adventurous, interesting music.''

To that end, ``Morning Becomes Eclectic'' is a winner. A typical Harcourt playlist moves from Philip Glass, Groove Armada and Sigur Ros to Amos Milburn, Cesaria Evora and Chopin.

The program has also made a dent in the United Kingdom, where Zero 7's Binns says he frequently comes across people familiar with the show, which is streamed and archived on the KCRW Web site (kcrw.org).

``If you've got your ear to the ground, you know about it,'' Binns said. ``It's very influential because they dare to play different music. Not many stations do that anymore, even at home.''

Saturday's ``Sounds Eclectic Evening'' reflects the point where Harcourt's taste and that of the serious music fan intersect. Jones' intriguing debut album, ``Come Away With Me,'' was one of the year's surprise hits and is expected to garner Grammy nominations.

The U.K.'s Orton is equally respected for her tuneful blend of electronic and acoustic elements, while Mann is a local favorite thanks to her soundtrack work with Valley-based filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson.

And Zero 7's carefully layered ``Simple Things'' album, which has been favorably compared to Air's fascinating ``Moon Safari'' and ``Virgin Suicides'' soundtrack, was almost as accessible as Portishead's landmark mix of samples, film scores and hip-hop beats.

Harcourt said Zero 7 was one of his first choices for the concert.

``Like everyone else we booked for the concert, it was a matter of scheduling,'' the British-born DJ said. ``That was always the main issue. Zero 7 are here to do a handful of dates, and they're ending their tour at the Universal. I remember asking Norah to do our concert when she came to the station last February to appear on my show. She immediately said OK.''

Last year's ``Sounds Eclectic Evening'' was a quick sellout at the 2,500-seat Wiltern Theatre. Saturday's bash allows more than 6,000 loyal listeners to attend at the Universal.

``We knew after last year we really had to do it at a bigger venue,'' Harcourt said. ``Next year ... I don't know.''

A SOUNDS ECLECTIC EVENING

What: KCRW concert with Zero 7, Norah Jones, Beth Orton, Aimee Mann and more. Hosted by Nic Harcourt. Premium ticket holders can attend an after-party with Thievery Corporation and DJ Shadow.

Where: Universal Amphitheatre, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City.

When: 8:15 p.m. Saturday.

Tickets: $30 to $250. Call [phone] or www.ticketmaster.com.

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DJs Sam Hardaker, left, and Henry Binns of Zero 7 are playing a live full-band set at tonight's ``A Sounds Eclectic Evening.''