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Singer Cyrille Aimee gets help from some great "friends" here – a tight quintet with Roy Hargrove on trumpet, Joel Frahm on tenor, and Spike Wilner on piano – really helping set up her vocals with a solid instrumental footing! Aimee's got a slight Billie Holiday quality to... read more

A nice sort of change for the lovely Anna Maria Alberghetti – and a record that's got the same sense of poise and class you might guess from her picture on the cover! Anna's still got that great range she first showed in the late 50s, but she's also got a great punch in the arrangements at... read more

One of the earliest albums ever from Anna Maria Alberghetti – and a set that still really shows the singer's strong Italian roots! The style here is a mix of later vocal modes and earlier operatic ones – and Anna Maria definitely shows off her well-documented range throughout –... read more

Obscure album by Lorez, with a mix of jazz and pop stuff, and arrangements (mostly) by pianist Ronell Bright. Bright plays in the group backing Lorez, as does the great tenor player Teddy Edwards. The legendary Paul Gayten produced, and the track list includes "Play Me The Blues", "... read more

A beautiful later set from Lorez Alexandria – produced by Houston Person, and put together with a sensitivity that really stands out! Although Lorez always sparkles on tunes that swing, she really rises to the occasion even more here on the ballads – really gentle tunes that are taken... read more

Always-great work from singer Lorez Alexandria – still sounding wonderful, even at this late date! Her presentation's a bit earthier than before, but no less poised than on earlier sessions – with the same sense of space and timing that's always made her one of our favorite jazz... read more

Mose Allison's last album for Prestige Records – before moving onto even bigger fame at Columbia and Atlantic during the 60s! Unlike Allison's later sets, this one is mostly instrumental – but there are a few sweet vocal tracks that bring out the hip, rootsy lyrical modes that would... read more

The word from Mose is mighty darn hip – served up here in a sweet Atlantic Records session that seems to really hone into all the mod influences his music would have in the 60s! The rootsy quality of Allison's earlier records is still firmly in place – but the group also has a tighter... read more

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One of the only albums ever cut by Maxi Anderson – a hell of a soul singer who's lent her talents to a number of sessions over the years, but who sounds especially great here in the lead! Anderson's got a vibe that's almost like Minnie Riperton at the time – a warmly glowing approach... read more

The debut album from Pier Angeli – equally known for her acting ability as well as her singing – and working here in a swinging late 50s American take on the sound of Italian pop! Pier was married to singer Vic Damone, and while his style's perhaps a bit fuller and more emotive than... read more

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Just to get things straight: Ann's the Beauty and Al's the Beard – and they're paired together in this surprisingly tasty set that stands as one of Ann's jazziest albums for RCA! Part of the strength is from arranger Marty Paich, who has Al's trumpet and Ann's voice working with a small... read more

Ann-Margret at her grooviest – singing the super-groovy theme from The Swinger – perhaps her greatest film appearance ever! There's a mod bounce to the album that goes way way beyond any of Ann's other albums of the period – thanks to arrangements from Marty Paich, Quincy Jones,... read more

A wonderfully moody session from the late 50s – one that features the eerie vocals of Leda Annest over the orchestrations of Phil Moore! Leda's got a haunting voice that's somewhere in the range of Yma Sumac, but a bit less dramatic – more kind of a wordless instrument, used amidst the... read more

A lot jazzier than later work – thanks to backing from the Mundell Lowe Quartet – who really help the group hit some sweet harmonies! Eddie Costa plays vibes and piano, and Phil Bodner is on clarinet and flute.... read more

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Interesting stuff, if not the kind of record you'd put on every day. The album's an interview with Louis Armstrong's wife Lil, and she talks at length about her famous days in the early years of jazz. Segments include "The Young Louis", "Early Life In Chicago", "Return To... read more

A key album in the career of Louis Armstrong – one that helped him forge the fourth or fifth great comeback in his career! As you'd guess by the title, the album's built around Louis' hit version of "Hello Dolly" – sung in a mode that at one level stretches back to his roots... read more

Gentle-going genius from the later years of Satchmo's career – a session that has Louis on trumpet and vocals, backed by the Oscar Peterson Trio! Peterson's usual group with Herb Ellis and Ray Brown is expanded slightly for this outing – bringing in Louis Bellson on drums to syncopate... read more

Soprano voice and four different saxophones – a really unusual combination, with sparkling musical results! The title's a bit hokey, but the record's got a wonderfully fresh feel – angular lines from this Dutch sax quartet – very much in the best spirit of 80s experiments in the... read more

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The dreamy vocals and exotica arrangements of Exotic Dream by singer Ethel Azama and the "primitive" sounds of Mganga! by Tak Shindo – back-to-back in a single set! Ethel is a Hawaiian native jazz and cabaret singer from the 50s onward, gamely rolling with the exotica style of the... read more

Titles include "Up In A Tree", "Yonder In Molon", "Midsummer Eve", "Far Away Star", and "Loves Me Loves Me Not".... read more

Insanely wonderful work by Bacharach – in a way that we can hardly begin to describe (but we'll certainly try!) By the time this one was recorded – 1971 – Burt's reputation as a songwriter and arranger were so firmly established that he had an incredible amount of freedom in the... read more

An incredible live recording by Burt Bacharach – and one that wasn't issued in the US! This early 70s concert is great proof that the Bacharach magic didn't come from any studio tricks – but from the genius of Burt himself – as the maestro's working here in a fantastic larger-than... read more

Quite possibly the greatest moment ever for Burt Bacharach – and that's saying a heck of a lot, considering the greatness of all of his work! The record's a slightly-overlooked gem from Burt's 70s years – a record that steps off the compressed sophistication of his best 60s work for... read more

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A really wonderful take on Porgy & Bess and other Gershwin standards by Pearl Bailey – there's just something about her naturally rich, bluesy, husky tone on these tunes that's simply wonderful! The backing is often well measured, but, occasionally a bigger sound and chorus vocals kick... read more

A delightful album of vocal renditions of Duke's tunes by little known singer Eugenie Baird. Baird's wonderfully relaxed takes on these great Ellington tunes begs the question of how she remained sidelined for so many years, and then went on to largely be forgotten except for a spell with Bing... read more

Bessie Smith by LaVern Baker – a great blend of modes that really comes off great! Instead of sounding like a throwback blues album, the set comes across with a nice degree of contemporary class – thanks in part to a jazzy presentation that's a bit different than some of Baker's other... read more

One of the most soulful albums we've heard from Schema in many years – a brilliant batch of jazzy tracks from singer Andrea Balducci – served up with backing by a great lineup of players from both the Ricky Tick and Schema worlds! The core approach is jazz, but many of the songs are... read more

One of the most soulful albums we've heard from Schema in many years – a brilliant batch of jazzy tracks from singer Andrea Balducci – served up with backing by a great lineup of players from both the Ricky Tick and Schema worlds! The core approach is jazz, but many of the songs are... read more

Recorded for a small label in Milwaukee – but featuring arrangements and production from Jimmie Haskell!... read more

In case you've been thinking "they don't make 'em like that anymore", think again – because Jill Barber delivers a sweet set of vocal numbers that take us back to the best crossover years of the late 50s and early 60s! The style is jazz overall, but Barber works in a tightly... read more

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Susan Barrett sings about love's varied moods – and gets some pretty great help here from Kenyon Hopkins – an arranger who's got plenty of great moods of his own! Barrett's vocals have this deep-ranged style that's less swinging than you might expect for a singer working with Hopkins... read more

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Titles include "Promises", "From Now On", "Freeze Thaw", "How Dare You", "Astrud", and "Miles Away".... read more

Titles include "Promises", "From Now On", "Freeze Thaw", "How Dare You", "Astrud", and "Miles Away".... read more

A really unique album from Molly Bee – a singer with country roots, but who comes across here like some of the best jazz vocalists on late 50s Capitol Records! Backings might have a touch of western in the mix – like some occasional steel guitar or backing vocals – but they've... read more

Wonderful early work from Madeline Bell – a great singer with a sound that's equal parts American soul and British 60s female pop! The recordings on the set are from Madeline's earliest years in the UK – long before she achieved greater fame on crossover rock recordings, at a time when... read more

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A classic cheescake set from the 50s – and maybe one of the best records ever from singer Vicki Benet! Benet definitely sings in some of the French modes promised in the title, but she mixes in a fair bit of English language as well – although the musical arrangements are often able to... read more

One of the coolest albums ever from vocalist Sathima Bea Benjamin – and a set that really shows her strong ties to the South African jazz scene of the 70s! The album was done in close collaboration with husband Dollar Brand – who turns in some sublime arrangements for the record, which... read more

Very early work from South African singer Sathima Bea Benjamin – recorded in Paris in 1963, with backing by longtime partner Abdullah Ibrahim, plus additional piano and production by Duke Ellington! The album was cut around the same time as Ibrahim (Dollar Brand) did his famous Reprise album... read more

Warm backings from Marty Manning – and a set that really has Tony Bennett coming into his own for the 60s! Titles include the classics "I Wanna Be Around" and 'The Good Life" – plus "Once Upon A Summertime", "If You Were Mine", "Someone To... read more

A real "lost" session from Tony Bennett – recorded after his long stint at Columbia, but before his own label – although the set's produced by Tony himself! Don Costa handles arrangements, and titles include "If I Could Go Back", "Love Is The Thing", "... read more

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An overlooked gem! The set's got Tony singing to some great mellow backings from the Ralph Sharon trio – nice and jazzy, with versions of "Rules Of The Road", "Green Dolphin Street", "When Lights Are Low", and "Speak Low".... read more

Titles include "Strike Up The Band", "Guess I'll Have To Change My Plans", "Poor Little Rich Girl", "Are You Havin Any Fun", "Anyting Goes", and "With Plenty Of Money".... read more

A famous pairing of talents from the early 60s – Columbia Records giants Dave Brubeck and Tony Bennett, both recorded at a time when that label was at the forefront of jazz in the US – joined up for a special performance at the end of the set! The special performance was done at the... read more

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One of the rare few records recorded by a young Andy Bey and his sisters! The group was an obscure jazz harmony trio formed by Andy in his earlier years – and it features him on piano, joining with the vocals of his two sisters Salome and Geradine Bey – in a soulful, moody style that's... read more

Although we've been fans of Andy Bey for years (ever since his early 60s recordings with Andy & The Bey Sisters), we've got to admit that we're stunned at how successful his recent revival has been! This CD is probably the main reason for Andy's success – as it's a compelling batch of... read more

3 lost vocal gems from 50s Paris! The set pulls together some rare eps on the Barclay and Fontana labels – all the picture of Left Bank hip! The first 8 tracks are by Harold Nicholas – singing in French and English with a swinging combo on tunes that include "Que Reste-t-il De... read more

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A double-length set from Mario Biondi – and a record that really shows him growing a lot as a singer! Biondi's still got all the raspy charm we loved in his work for Schema Records, but he also seems to have a deeper sense of soul here too – especially on the ballads and mellower cuts,... read more

The sun shines brightly on Mario Biondi – really making this record sparkle with a charm that goes way beyond Mario's previous albums – a quality that's less retro than before, and which shows Biondi as a growing soul star with really universal appeal! There's still some of the old... read more

An incredible full length debut from vocalist Mario Biondi – a jazz singer we'd rank right up there with the legendary Mark Murphy – supported here with great backings from the High Five Quintet! The grooves here are in a soaring, tightly-stepping style – very much the best club... read more

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Classic work by one of our favorite pop singers ever – the full-voiced Cilla Black, a vocalist we'd trade for Petula Clark or Dusty Springfield in a minute! During the 60s, Cilla was working in a strongly Bacharach-influenced mode – a style that picked up a lot of uptown touches from... read more

Sultry vocals from Sallie Blair – one of the hipper singers of her generation, and an artist with a sound that's unlike anyone else we can think of! Blair's a bit bluesy, a bit soulful, but ultimately a jazz singer at heart – and her already-cool style gets some sweet extra help on... read more

Excellent work from this fab French vocal group – their second LP, and infinitely harder to find than the first! The group was led by Blossom Dearie – the American singer, living in Paris at the time, and in the vein of groups they inspired (Les Double Six, The Swingle Singers) The... read more

Excellent vocal jazz from postwar Paris! The Blue Stars were a legendary combo that were led by Blossom Dearie, and which featured a host of great vocal talents that would later go onto form groups like Les Double Six or The Swingle Singers, including Mimi Perrin and Christine Legrand, as well as... read more

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A groovy bossa gem from the glory days of A&M Records – an ultra-hip group recorded with production by Sergio Mendes! The feel here is a lot like that of Brasil 66 – bossa rhythms, sunny CA instrumentation, and lovely female vocals – in this case sung singularly, by the... read more

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Extremely strange work from Rae Bourbon – a female-impersonating entertainer who was received a famous early sex-change operation! The album has Rae speaking her way over a set of musical numbers and monologues – talking about his gender change, wants, wishes, desires, and other... read more

A well-fitting title for this sweet little set – a record that mixes together jazz, samba, and bossa styles wonderfully – with Cristina Braga on both vocals and harp, and backing from a tight little combo! Bassist Ricardo Medeiros put the grooves together for the set – and he's... read more

Titles include "Do I", "Always Been The Best", "A Simple Song", and "Save The Children".... read more

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Sweet 70s funk from the great Oscar Brown – quite a change from his jazz-based work of the 60s, but a great new sitting for all of his wonderful wit and warmth! Brown's still a hell of a songwriter, and one with a very socially-conscious eye – sharper here than before, with lots of... read more

One of the last albums ever from the legendary Oscar Brown Jr – a set that features the famous vocalist working with daughter Maggie Brown – in a setting that's one of the most jazz-based that Oscar's used in years! Backing us by a hip small combo – and Oscar brings a hell of a... read more

Oscar Brown moves into a funky 70s mode – working here with some great soul-based arrangements by Chicago soul legend Richard Evans! There's lots of funky clavinet grooving on the record by Tennyson Stephens and Marvin Yancy – and other players include Chess/Cadet session groovers,... read more

A sweet bit of funky jazz vocals from Oscar Brown Jr – recorded during his early 70s stay at Atlantic Records, in a style that's very different than his early work! The tracks are all still original numbers by Oscar – penned with that clever bad-rapping approach to the lyrics that... read more

One of Oscar Brown's great ones, recorded live at the Cellar Door in Washington before an enthusiastic crowd of hipsters! The record's a beautiful mix of soul, jazz, and folk – in the same Chicago tradition that spawned Terry Callier (although Brown's style has a bit more of a "show"... read more

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Experimental vocals and offbeat reed sounds – a really great pairing of singer Uschi Bruning and reedman Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky! We know Ernst-Ludwig and Uschi from a range of other projects, but they really sound different here together – especially because Petrowsky's reeds are often... read more

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Some of the greatest work we've ever heard from Dutch singer Ann Burton – rare recordings presented here for the first time ever, and arguably even better than some of the commercially-issued material she cut back in the day! There's a light, swinging style to many of these tunes we really... read more

A beautiful, sweetly jazz-based set from LaVerne Butler – and we can't imagine why you'd lose the love for her voice and style, if you've ever found it in the first place – but this is a great place to find it! Bruce Barth is on piano and handles the arrangements, with the great... read more

One of the great albums from Terry Callier's "second chapter" on record – a time when he was working for Elektra Records, and doing work that was a bit straighter soul than before – and also slightly jazzy as well! The record's kind of a mix of jazzy grooves and smoother soul... read more

One of the best albums that Terry Callier ever recorded – and a masterpiece of the baroque soul crossover style that was going down at the Chess/Cadet label at the time! Terry's own folksy singing and playing would be more than enough to make this record great – but it's given an... read more

Terry Callier's first album – recorded in 1964 when he was a wee teen hanging around Chicago's folk scene! As the title indicates, the album's definitely got a folk-styled sound – but also as the "new" implies, it's got a sound all it's own, fresh and free – and that... read more

The best work we've heard in years from Terry Callier – the legendary soul singer from Chicago who's finally getting his due! This album avoids many of the mistakes of Terry's recent comeback efforts – and has him working with the best of the London scene – extremely fitting, as... read more

Possibly the greatest album ever by the legendary Chicago soul singer Terry Callier! Terry's rich mellow voice is mixed with superb arrangements from the Cadet studio team, with Charles Stepney at the head, and the result is completely sublime. The songs are longer than on earlier albums –... read more

Possibly the greatest album ever by the legendary Chicago soul singer Terry Callier! Terry's rich mellow voice is mixed with superb arrangements from the Cadet studio team, with Charles Stepney at the head, and the result is completely sublime. The songs are longer than on earlier albums –... read more

A 22 track collection of work by Mike Cambpell – a little-known Bay Area vocalist from the 80s, with a sweetly swinging style that's very much in the tradition of Mark Murphy, another San Francisco contemporary. The CD features 12 tracks from Campell's 1982 album Secret Fantasy, originally... read more

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