Even more experimental than the first album from The Swell Maps – a set that features some longer songs and a bit more tunes, but also a lot more weird sounds as well! Instrumentation is often slightly more conventional here, but usually taken to some very unusual places – odd tones... read more
The remixed version of this excellent bit of modern funk! Includes "Getting Into It (Nu Era rmx)", "Season's Change (philharmonix mix)", "The Reason (sleaze mix)", "Last Night A DJ Saved My Life (FK Dub)", "When The Funk Hits The Fan (Mood II Swing... read more
Beautiful spacey soul from Syreeta – and proof that she was one of Motown's great lost talents of the 70s! Leon Ware did the production, and Syreeta's high Minnie Riperton-esque voice is backed by a smooth set of mellow grooves with lots of cool electronic bits and weird moogy parts that... read more
Horace Tapscott & The Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra —
Call ... CD
Nimbus,
1978. Used ....
$9.99
Large-group genius from the legendary Horace Tapscott – one of the few recordings of his groundbreaking Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra! The music here is totally righteous right from the start – even more searching and soaring than Tapscott's trio or solo work – thanks to help from... read more
One of Capitol's biggest soul bands of the 70s – and a strong sweet group who made the shift from mellow soul to the disco years. Includes the band's massive "Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel", but we prefer their mellower stuff – like their sublime version of "She's... read more
A real stormer! This was one of the few albums ever cut as a leader by the great hardbop drummer Art Taylor – and it's one of the best from the Blue Note catalog at the time! The band is a heavily smoking one – with Dave Burns on trumpet, Stan Turrentine on tenor, and Wynton Kelly on... read more
James Taylor Quartet —
New World ... CD
Real Self (UK),
2009. Used ....
$8.99
Jazzy funk and an all around pretty diverse batch of tunes from the JTQ – with some mighty Rhodes funk tunes, some more groovy jazz tunes, some instro soul, and bits of bossa! James opens up the Rhodes and Hammond funk flavors we best know him for when the mood hits, but we really love the... read more
Lean, mid 80s pop soul and funk from Tease – funky and nicely thumping work from a group that features singer and songwriter Kipper Jones! Kipper would go on to bigger and brighter prospects as a hit songwriter for other artists, but, both of Tease's self-titled sets in the 80s – this... read more
Some of the darkest, most bracing music ever recorded by Throbbing Gristle – and a record that arguably captures the group at their best! The sounds here are virtually the blueprint for industrialism for years to come – loads of low-end sonic rumblings, with instrumentation distorted... read more
Tilly & The Wall —
Heavy Mood ... CD
Team Love,
2012. Used ....
$1.99
Is Bobby Timmons our all time favorite pianist? Well, if he's not, he's pretty darn near the top of the list! This sweet early side for Riverside finds him in his usual trio format, backed up by an agile rhythm section, Sam Jones and Jimmy Cobb, and serving up the hard swinging, soulful bop we... read more
Tindersticks —
Curtains ... CD
Island/Quicksilver,
1996. Used ....
$4.99
A great take on the music of Charles Mingus – played by a combo with a nicely different flavor than the originals! The combo has a soulful, hardbop sort of energy – yet still also manages all the sharp changes, twists, and turns that make Mingus' music so great – a wonderful... read more
Includes "Holy Smoke & Gee Whiz", "Let Me Know", "Thinking Of You", "Top Notch", "Let's Get Down", "Lovin You", "Don't Fall In Love", and "Still A Man". Excellent harmonies, and a warm classic soul sound!... read more
A downtempo classic in the post-K&D world – a selection of dubs of the Tosca tune "Chocolate Elvis", done by talents that include Boozoo Bajou, Rodney Hunter, Babby Mammoth, Quant, and others! The package features 11 different takes on the tune – all in very different... read more
Towering Inferno —
Kaddish ... CD
Island,
1996. Used ....
$3.99
A landmark album from one of the greatest European pianists ever! Stan Tracey first made his mark in the Brit bop scene of the late 50s – breaking out with a fresh style that was infused with modern touches of Monk and Tristano – certainly some of the most striking on his side of the... read more
One of the heaviest albums of the legendary Peruvian scene at the start of the 70s – a record that has all the sharpness, sparkle, and edge of some of the heavy rock giants of the UK at the time – but which also has a sound that's somewhat looser and more inventive too! Traffic Sound... read more
The last Tribe Called Quest LP – one of those "end of an era" type experiences for sure – and record that was fairly slept on it the time given the dizzying heights of their earlier record – and holds up today as an essential! The tracks are all produced by The Ummah... read more
Pac's breakout LP, if you ask us. Just before he got too hot for Jive and jumped to Death Row, this is the album where Pac moves above the Thug Life image he worked so hard to craft and delivered the lyrical goods with both his street stories and more introspective rhymes. Includes "If I Die... read more
Includes "Holler If Ya Hear Me", "Keep Ya Head Up", "I Get Around", "Strictly 4 My NIGGAZ", "Point The Finga", "Last Wordz", "Souljah's Revenge", "Peep Game", "Strugglin", "Guess Who's Back", "Re... read more
Perfect Bob James electric arrangements make this LP by Stan one of his best for CTI! The record's got a laidback dope 70s approach to funky jazz – with loads of nice modal chords, sliced through by some deep soul solos from Stan. Players include Idris Muhammad, Bob James, Harold Mabern,... read more
Two mellow jams from Mr T – back to back on a single CD! On Have You Ever Seen The Rain, Stanley Turrentine blows it sweet, mellow, and soulfully – in a wonderful post-CTI session from the 70s! The set features some swirling larger arrangements from Gene Page – done with a bit... read more
Turtle Island String Quartet —
Skylife ... CD
Windham Hill,
1990. Used ....
$4.99
This beautiful LP was released by Stax in the early 70's, but somehow got lost in the shuffle between all the Isaac Hayes LPs. Fortunately, it was rediscovered by the international groove community about 10 years ago, and it's been at the top of everyone's playlist (and want list) ever since! ... read more
James Blood Ulmer —
Odyssey ... CD
CBS/Sony,
1983. Used ....
$22.99
One of our favorite Ulmer records, probably because there's a nice groove running underneath most of the numbers, in a sort of post-Prime Time 80s out-funk sort of way. It never drops into a flat out back beat, but there's always some sense of time, while Ulmer's guitar and Charles Burnham's... read more
The biggest selling album ever cut by Blue Note – and a festive romp through samples of the label's famous jazz catalog! US3 mix it up on tunes that include "Cantaloop", "I Got It Goin On", "Different Rhythms", "Eleven Long Years", "Lazy Day"... read more
Bobby Valentin was certainly the king of the bass by the time of this record – and a player who'd helped bring the electric instrument from its strong 60s use in Latin Soul to one of the key components in salsa rhythms of the 70s! The set follows very strongly in bold sound of Valentin's... read more
Funky soul from the great Marcos Valle – a great blend of mellow grooves and upbeat tunes recorded at the same time Valle was working in the US with Leon Ware! The style here is very similar to Ware's 2 albums for Elektra – both of which feature work from Valle, and include tunes that... read more