Dick Jensen —
Dick Jensen ... LP
Philadelphia International,
1973. Very Good+ ....
$9.99
One of the strangest albums ever issued on Philly International – a set of tunes by Dick Jensen, who was part blue-eyed soul singer, part easy male vocalist – sounding here as if he'd almost hit the market about 5 years too late to make a difference. The record's the kind that would be... read more
One of the few secular soul albums ever cut by Genobia Jeter – a gospel singer who broke into R&B with this smooth mid 80s effort – a mix of tracks handled by different producers, taking Genobia from mellow quiet storm numbers into more club-oriented groovers. Hubert Eaves handles... read more
JJ Band (El Chicles & Chakachas) —
JJ Band ... CD
Polydor/Sonorama (Germany),
1970. New Copy ....
$18.99
Incredible funk, soul, jazz, post psychedelia and funk rock from the JJ Band – recorded in Brussels and featuring core players who were also integral members of Chakachas & El Chicles! The JJ Band find a hard grooving style steeped in horns, with heavy drums, bass and percussion, fuzzy... read more
A sublime bit of indie soul from the early 70s – the one and only album by vocalist Benny Johnson, recorded with some totally great backings from funk legend Julius Brockington and his United Chair combo! For the session, Brockington chose a warm, organ-drenched sound that's a fair bit like... read more
Bubber Johnson —
Come Home ... LP
King,
Mid 50s. Very Good+ ....
$49.99
One of the few albums ever from Bubber Johnson – one of the classiest singers to work for King Records during the 50s! Bubber's got a sophisticated style that mixes in plenty of jazz with his R&B vocals – a style that's much more like some of the postwar singers on the west coast... read more
Stone smooth grooves from the overlooked Danny Johnson – a mellow soul masterpiece from the 70s – and one that's well worth checking out! Danny's got a hell of a sweet voice – nice and high, almost in an Eddie Holman style – which is perfect for the album's mellow ballads,... read more
A great solo album by this member of Chairmen of the Board – done with some wicked Holland Dozier Holland production, at a level that almost makes Johnson sound heavier here than in his work with his more famous group! The vocals have that same sort of crazy pinched sound that he had with... read more
A wonder batch of rare Motown material from Detroit singer Marv Johnson – a vocalist who started out working for Berry Gordy in the late 50s, recording the some of the first material to be released on the Tamla Motown label, and recorded all of the terrific material on this set for Motown... read more
A great second-chapter effort from the legendary Syl Johnson – a sweet little record in which Johnson's raw vocals come into play with the tighter, warmer sound of Hi Records – with amazing results that have made the album a classic for years! The blend here is great – as Johnson'... read more
The great Syl Johnson – doing his thing for Hi Records on a record that's more shiny diamond than it is rough – his second album for the label and a truly underappreciated gem from the Chi soul great! Diamond In The Rough is a much sweeter set of tunes than Syl's Chicago work on... read more
The great Syl Johnson – doing his thing for Hi Records on a record that's more shiny diamond than it is rough – his second album for the label and a truly underappreciated gem from the Chi soul great! Diamond In The Rough is a much sweeter set of tunes than Syl's Chicago work on... read more
Syl Johnson —
Dresses Too Short ... LP
Twinight/Numero,
1969. New Copy (reissue)....
$13.9915.99
The funkiest album that Syl Johnson ever recorded – filled with short, tight cuts that play more like a stack of funky 45s than the standard soul album of the time! The record draws from the great run of singles that Syl cut for Twinight Records at the end of the 60s – some of the... read more
A Japanese-only release – and a much-needed LP collection of work from Syl's own Shama Records label – really great stuff that's compiled here from some excellent singles!... read more
One of the best-ever soul albums to come out of Chicago – and it may well be one of the best soul albums ever! The set's the deepest that Syl Johnson ever recorded – and it takes all the hard, raw soul he forged on previous funky 45s – and spins it out in longer album format... read more
Syl Johnson —
Total Explosion ... CD
Hi Records/Ultra Vybe (Japan),
1975. New Copy ....
$19.99
A wicked explosion from the legendary Syl Johnson – one of his smoking sets for Hi Records – done with solid soulful help from Willie Mitchell! Mitchell's familiar Memphis groove is firmly in place here – tightly compressed rhythms and horns, vamping perfectly for Syl's raw... read more
A wicked explosion from the legendary Syl Johnson – one of his smoking sets for Hi Records – done with solid soulful help from Willie Mitchell! Mitchell's familiar Memphis groove is firmly in place here – tightly compressed rhythms and horns, vamping perfectly for Syl's raw... read more
A wicked explosion from the legendary Syl Johnson – one of his smoking sets for Hi Records – done with solid soulful help from Willie Mitchell! Mitchell's familiar Memphis groove is firmly in place here – tightly compressed rhythms and horns, vamping perfectly for Syl's raw... read more
Syl Johnson —
Uptown Shakedown ... CD
Hi Records/Ultra Vybe (Japan),
1979. New Copy ....
$28.99
A different sound than usual for Syl Johnson – but a record that still has loads of those amazing vocals we love from Syl! The style's mostly modern soul – with a tightness that's different from the grit of earlier Johnson albums – that mode in which other singers of the time... read more
A strange lost relic from Beach Boy Bruce Johnston – recorded in the mid 70s with some sweet AOR production work by Gary Usher. The album's actually a fantastic slice of late 60s sunny LA pop – and features work by Curt Boettcher, Chad Stuart, and a few other lost pop luminaries –... read more
Excellent work by Glenn Jones – even if the record is only a 5 track EP! The set is one of those strange little records issued in the early 80s, when the music industry was trying to figure out a way to make money between the ever-escalating cost of the LP and the less-popular 12"... read more
Gloria Jones —
Reunited ... LP
AVI,
1982. Very Good+ ....
$2.99
A pretty odd little record from Gloria Jones – a great soul singer back in the 60s when she was pounding out the hard northern numbers, but not so great here, where she's in an odd style that mixes disco with a hard soul approach, and just doesn't work. The "Reunited" in the title... read more
Grace Jones —
Muse ... LP
Island,
1979. Very Good+ Gatefold ....
$4.99
Great work from Grace Jones – still riding high on a disco wave here, but also finding her own space and sound too! The mighty Tom Moulton produced, ensuring some great sound for the set – and arrangements are by Thor Baldursson and John Davis, both of whom bring in nice sense of... read more
Grace Jones —
Portfolio ... LP
Island,
1976. Very Good Gatefold ....
$4.99
A landmark little record from Grace Jones – a set that started off as one of those "hey, let's see if this model can sing" sort of records – but which has gone onto become an enduring classic! Most of the tunes are older ones, but they're remade with a soaring Sigma Sound... read more
JJ Johnson/Quincy Jones —
Man & Boy ... LP
Sussex,
1971. Very Good+ Gatefold ....
$9.99
A strange little film with a western motif – starring Bill Cosby, Leif Erikson, and Yaphet Kotto! Fortunately, Quincy Jones was the musical supervisor – so the tracks are hip enough in the best parts – a bit rootsy at times, but with a 70s soul approach that keeps things real. ... read more
In the early 70s, Quincy Jones surrounded himself with some of the best young soul and jazz talent he could find, plus a few older pros – and the result was a great series of albums that spanned genres and created a whole new approach to modern R&B. This gem of a record was put together... read more
Quincy Jones —
Dude ... LP
A&M,
1981. Very Good+ ....
$1.99
Quincy just never stopped putting out classic soulful albums! This one, from the early 80s, features a smooth jazzy blend of tracks, with a strong nod to the kinds of souped-up studio sounds that were being used by groups like The Crusaders, but also with a lot of the kind of soulfulness that made... read more
A great bit of 70s electric work from Quincy – and probably his funkiest album ever! Quincy's really stepping out here from the straighter and spacier styles of earlier records – going for more of the dirty grooves he was cutting up for soundtrack albums, and hitting notes that were a... read more
A hip little collection of funky work from Quincy Jones – nearly all of it from his key 70s years on A&M Records! The vibe here is totally great – possibly the best-remembered sound of the Q, recorded at a time when he was also gracing the world with a fair bit of funky soundtracks... read more
An excellent Quincy Jones score that stands head and shoulders above the soundtrack to the first film in this series, In The Heat Of The Night. Q is in fine fine form with this material – adding in a lot more funk than before, to fit the uptown theme of the film. There's lots of nice jazzy... read more
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings —
Naturally ... LP
Daptone,
2004. New Copy ....
$13.9916.98
The long-anticipated second album from Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings is a stunner – undoubtedly stronger than the group's fantastic debut – and a record that not only transcends the late model funk revival genre, but stands on footing as solid as the best hard funky soul of the late... read more
The fourth album from Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – solidifying what we learned pretty early on from the indomitable soul spirit that is Sharon and her impeccable combo the Dap-Kings – it's that this is not some retro soul revival novelty act, what they are is the greatest active... read more
A great little set from this solo member of the Jones Girls – and one of the strongest new sets on Philly International in the 80s! Shirley delivers a warm set of sparkling modern soul tracks that really show the growth and the maturity of the Philly sound in the 80s – getting way past... read more
Tamiko Jones —
Love Trip ... CD
Arista/FTG,
1975. New Copy ....
$14.9918.99
A tight little album from Tamiko Jones – one of the most enigmatic singers to come out of the south, stepping proud here in a sound that's almost in the Hotlanta vein! Tamiko's working with an assortment of Muscle Shoals musicians on the set – and the style of the album is a mixture of... read more
Two great slices of work from vocalist Thelma Jones – her late 60s singles for the indie Barry label, and her tighter work for Columbia recorded nearly a full decade later! The first half of the set has Jones hitting hard in a tight Northern Soul mode – a socking 60s approach to the... read more
The first album from Thelma Jones – and a real standout set from mid 70s Columbia! The record is a sweet blend of southern and modern soul, with some fantastic arrangements by Bert DeCoteaux, who also produced the set in a wonderful way that lets Jones retain the deeper qualities of her... read more
Rough and raw classics from Louis Jordan – served up with a bit more of an R&B tinge than some of his work from the late 40s! There's a searing quality here that really hits hard on the instrumentation – guitar parts and saxophone riffs that clearly mark the space that Jordan... read more
Margie Joseph's working here with 70s smooth soul maestro Johnny Bristol – and the resulting album is every bit as great as Bristol's own work from the time! Johnny's in perfect form here – coming up with those slightly funky, slightly polished backings that were his best stock in... read more
Margie Joseph —
Margie ... CD
Atlantic (Japan),
1975. New Copy ....
$15.99
The third album in Margie Joseph's early 70s run for Atlantic Records – and like the rest, a batch of super-tight tunes arranged and produced by Arif Mardin – done with the same sense of sophisticated soul he was bringing to the work of Aretha Franklin at the time! Margie's nicely a... read more
The third album in Margie Joseph's early 70s run for Atlantic Records – and like the rest, a batch of super-tight tunes arranged and produced by Arif Mardin – done with the same sense of sophisticated soul he was bringing to the work of Aretha Franklin at the time! Margie's nicely a... read more
One of THE indie soul treasures of the 70s – a wickedly funky record that blends together jazz, soul, and club – and which stands out with a sound that's all its own! You may well know the tag "moods and grooves" – as the record's had an influence on countless scenes,... read more
A great later album from the Juicy duo – very much in the tightly grooving mode of their debut, thanks to continued production work by Deodato! The style's smooth, focused, and sharp-edged – but all without sounding too chart-oriented or clunky – and although the beats are... read more
Don Julian —
Savage! ... CD
Ace (UK),
1973. New Copy ....
$12.99
One of the greatest blacksploitation soundtracks of the 70s – and one of the rarest too! The album's a crowning achievement for the mighty Don Julian – an artist who's best known for his earlier LA soul with The Larks, but who steps out here with a hip, hard-grooving sound that's... read more
Don Julian —
Savage! ... LP
Money,
1973. New Copy (reissue)....
$9.99
One of the greatest blacksploitation soundtracks of the 70s – and one of the rarest too! The album's a crowning achievement for the mighty Don Julian – an artist who's best known for his earlier LA soul with The Larks, but who steps out here with a hip, hard-grooving sound that's... read more
The first album by this sweet little Hawaiian band from the 70s – a great mix of jazzy rock and smoother AOR styles, with a soulful finish that made the group one of the best of the islands! Titles include "Going Going Gone", "The Hurt", "Nightbird", "Natura... read more
Kano —
Kano ... LP
Emergency,
1980. Very Good ....
$8.99Just Sold Out!
Dark disco from Kano – lots of electronic drums and keyboards, with a sound that's almost equally post-punk as it is early 80s club. Tracks include the monstrous "I'm Ready", "It's A War", "Now Baby Now", "Cosmic Voyager", and "Super Extra Sexy... read more
Kano —
New York Cake ... LP
Atlantic/Mirage,
1981. Very Good ....
$5.99Just Sold Out!
The New York in the title is very apt – as the album's got a lot more soul, and a lot more solid club groove than some of Kano's other albums from the 80s! The overall feel is really great – moving along in a post-disco groove that's mostly based around spare rhythms, simple... read more
Wonderful work from Ty Karim – a singer who definitely lives up to the "soul goddess" promised in the title! Ty might not be the biggest name in California soul, but she's a hell of a great talent here – starting out in the 60s with upbeat Northern Soul groovers – then... read more
Wonderful work from Ty Karim – an LA singer from the 60s, just waiting to be rediscovered! Ty might not be the biggest name in California soul, but she's a hell of a great talent here – starting out in the 60s with upbeat Northern Soul groovers – then moving into the 70s with... read more
An early start for Jocelyn Brown, but even in the mid 70s, she was still a formidable voice in the clubs! This excellent track has kind of a rolling funk feel, with less of the disco sound that was later associated with Jocelyn's later work – and some nice touches like a jangly guitar, hard... read more
An 80s soul classic from Kashif – an artist who really helped transform R&B at the time, all without the benefit of a last name! The album's completely arranged and produced by Kashif himself – cementing the reputation he'd begun working behind other artists in the earlier part of... read more
An 80s soul classic from Kashif – an artist who really helped transform R&B at the time, all without the benefit of a last name! The album's completely arranged and produced by Kashif himself – cementing the reputation he'd begun working behind other artists in the earlier part of... read more
A monumental bit of 80s soul – the first solo album from Kashif, issued hot on the heels of a few years spent penning and producing work for a range of bigger artists! Given his experience with the pros, Kashif's emerging here as a very fully-formed talent in soul – a singer with a way... read more
A stunning batch of funky big band tracks from the Kashmere Stage Band – sounding a lot fuller than on their first LP – thanks to an expanded lineup that gives them a whole new sound! The group are grooving here in a mode that's a lot like classic 70s blacksploitation soundtrack work... read more
A massive exploration of the music of Kashmere Stage Band – the legendary Texas funk combo whose work has been pushed heavily over the years by Wax Poetics, Stones Throw, and many others! The double-length set goes even deeper than any of the vinyl reissues of work by the group – and... read more
KC & The Sunshine band definitely live up to the title here – doing it good, and doing it funky with a great early Miami funk groove! The sound has a lot more sharp edges than their later hits – but is still already plenty darn infectious – a wicked bouncy groove that never... read more
Massive massive Miami funk – and a record that seems to sound better and better as the years move on! Sure, KC and crew were a chart-topping act, but this first album's a stellar batch of heavy cuts – featuring great instrumentation on clavinet, conga, guitars, and horns – all... read more
Mega-hit material from KC & The Sunshine band – an album issued firmly into the disco years, but which still had the group hitting hard in their trademark Miami sound! The tracks here are a bit longer and more hook-heavy than before – and represent the kind of material that linked... read more
KC & The Sunshine Band —
Who Do Ya Love ... CD
TK/Collectors Choice,
1978. New Copy ....
$3.9912.98
Classic 70s work from KC & The Sunshine Band – a record that's not as hit-heavy as previous efforts, but still a plenty great set that's filled with catchy dancefloor funk! KC's clearly feeling the heat of the disco fire he helped to ignite a few years before – and there's... read more
Classic 70s work from KC & The Sunshine Band – a record that's not as hit-heavy as previous efforts, but still a plenty great set that's filled with catchy dancefloor funk! KC's clearly feeling the heat of the disco fire he helped to ignite a few years before – and there's... read more
29 tracks in all, with quite a few guest appearances by rappers such as Keith Murray, Jay Z, Nas and others. Includes "Home Alone", "Did You Ever Think", "Ghetto Queen", "We Ride", "OnlyThe Loot Can Make Me Happy", "If I'm Wit You", "... read more
19 tracks in all, including "TP-2", "R&B Thug", "The Greatest Sex", "Like A Real Freak", "Fiesta", "I Wish", "I Wish (rmx – To The Homies That We Lost)" and"Feelin' On Yo Booty".... read more
Classic 80s soul from Johnny Kemp – a sweet-voiced singer who steps out beautifully on this Columbia debut! Johnny's got a sound that's somewhat informed by some of the crossover soul of a few years back – but although his music is commercial, it's still got plenty going on at the... read more
One of Eddie's classic dancefloor groovers for Tamla, with production and arrangements by the hit team of Frank Wilson and Leonard Caston! The album keeps Eddie's hit "boogie" groove going strong – grooving mostly in a midtempo smooth soul style that would become a dominant... read more
A truly amazing album – unlike anything Eddie Kendricks ever did before, or since – and one of those records that really helped shape the sound of soul in the 70s! The music is as rich and powerful as the image on the cover – with some righteous undercurrents that really mark the... read more
A truly amazing album – unlike anything Eddie Kendricks ever did before, or since – and one of those records that really helped shape the sound of soul in the 70s! The music is as rich and powerful as the image on the cover – with some righteous undercurrents that really mark the... read more
A great disco take on the Love Boat theme – one done here withs ome slightly Latiny club touches from Joe Quijano, and fragile vocals that shake a bit more than Jack Jones' on the original recording! There's some nice Miami club moments in the instrumentation – and the compelling thing... read more
A short, but totally killer Ghanaian disco record from KG Band – which is led and produced by multi-instrumentalist Kiki Gyan – and recorded at Lagos' Decca Studios in 1980! Disco Train is a rare one – with one long grooving dancefloor stormer per side. Each cut is a really... read more
The only album we've ever seen from Khemistry – but a heck of a sweet little set, and one that's always been dear to our hearts! The trio features two gals and one guy, all working with a great sing-song approach on the vocals – and a snapping 80s groove on the rhythms! There's a... read more
Kid Creole & The Coconuts —
Wise Guy ... LP
Sire/Ze,
1982. Near Mint- ....
$8.99
Ha! This one really takes us back! The set was a massive breakthrough for August Darnell – one of his biggest hits since his day with Dr Buzzard's Original Savannah Band, with an equally appealing approach to the dancefloor. Tracks mix early 80s New York club styles with Darnell's mad... read more
Junior Kimbrough —
First Recordings ... CD
Big Legal Mess/Fat Possum,
1966. New Copy ....
$11.99
Wicked early work from Junior Kimbrough – sides that are quite different than some of his better-known recordings over the years! The material was cut in Memphis in 1966 by producer Quinton Claunch – and it's got a spare, rootsy quality that's totally great – slow moving drums... read more
A well-titled record, as Albert King here plays with the large sound and big tone that would make him one of the best up-and-coming bluesmen of the 60s – a key player in the already-electrified generation, and possibly the greatest example of the new confidence that was coming into the genre... read more
Sweet electric blues from Albert King – recorded with some great full production, in a burning Memphis style that's got plenty of soul in the mix as well! The set's got a quality level that takes it past some of the cliche-ridden blues of the time – really soulful overall, with a sound... read more
A tight date from 1977, and one that follows nicely in the spirit of King's later Stax sides, but with a slightly smoother groove. There's a bit of the Detroit 70s mode going on in the set – that rough-and-smooth quality that you'd find on a Don Davis production, which proves to be a... read more
BB King in London – not playing live, but working in the studio with a host of British musicians he'd inspired over the years! The lineup varies from track to track, giving a nice sort of variety to the album – and the overall feel is a bit like some of the Chess London sessions of the... read more
There's some bigger arrangements here than you'd usually get on a BB King album of the 60s – but they're used in a really great way that makes the album one of our favorites by King from his years at ABC! Johnny Pate arranged and produced, and he gives the whole thing a Chicago soul punch... read more
BB King soars into the 70s with this smoking little set – a record that still holds onto all the raw energy of his best 60s recordings, but which also gives the whole thing an even more soulful focus too! There's no arranger credited for the core of the record – which is attributed to... read more
BB King hips up his groove a bit here – picking up some of the crossover soul and rock touches used by contemporaries over at Chess/Cadet, and expanding his sound with a range of guests that include Leon Russell, Joe Walsh, and Carole King! Despite the presence of these bigger names, the set'... read more
BB King not just live, but well-recorded in the studio too – in this classic ABC set that showcases both sides of his talents! Side one is the live set – and it's arguably better than any of the previous other concert recordings he did for the label – with a tighter, moodier feel... read more
An excellent set by BB King – one of his best from the 60s, and a smoking live set recorded at Chicago's legendary Regal Theatre! The enthusiasm at the venue shows that BB's Memphis-honed style is a perfect fit for the electrified Chicago sound of the 60s – and the recording really... read more
BB King live at the Cook County Jail in Chicago – and given the amount of great live shows going on in the institution during the early 70s, the jail must have been one hell of a place to be incarcerated! This classic features BB King entertaining the prisoners with a wickedly sharp blues... read more
A mid 70s meeting of two seminal blues talents from the Memphis scene – singer Bobby Blue Bland, and legendary guitarist BB King! The pair were both working for ABC at the time – major label fame after years woodshedding in the indies – and hitting well-deserved fame for their... read more
Ben E King —
I Had A Love ... CD
Atlantic (Japan),
1976. New Copy ....
$15.99
A great one from Ben E King's "Supernatural" comeback years in the mid 70s – recorded at Sigma Sound with a really stellar approach on both the groovers and the mellow tunes! Ben's really letting his vocals open up on the set – going for that richness that was sometimes held... read more
Ben E King in a few different modes – all of them great, and a great demonstration of the continuing strengths he brought to his work at Atlantic Records in the 70s! The album features the work of three different production forces – Lamont Dozier, who serves up some sweet warm grooves... read more