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Man, Akiko always knows how to keep things interesting -- always moving between different genres and styles, to serve up a fresh new groove with each release! This set's got the singer hitting a host of British rock tunes, mostly from the 80s -- doing them with a harder edge than you might expect... read more

One of the greatest albums ever from Lorez Alexandria -- an ultra-hip singer who recorded for Impulse and King, but who sounds especially wonderful on this rare date for Chess Records! The album's got a groove that definitely lives up to its title -- a jazzy, bouncy sort of rhythm that's... read more

One of the greatest albums ever from Lorez Alexandria -- an ultra-hip singer who recorded for Impulse and King, but who sounds especially wonderful on this rare date for Chess Records! The album's got a groove that definitely lives up to its title -- a jazzy, bouncy sort of rhythm that's... 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 in a... 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 singers! And as... read more

The second album by this excellent all-female San Francisco jazz combo -- a live date that's even more cooking than their debut! As before, there's a sweetly breezy style to the record -- that hip SF sound of the 70s -- with echoes of Braziliana and soul amidst the group's jazzier leanings -- all... read more

A really unique singer from a time when male jazz singers were almost fading from view! David Allen has a sense of phrasing that's different than mainstream crooners -- an approach to tunes that's a bit more personal, especially on the sadder, mellower tunes, which he really does nicely. It's... 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 make Mose a... read more

One of Mose's best early albums -- even though he hardly gets a chance to sing on it! The album features some great work by Allison's trio of the time -- Addison Farmer on bass and Ronnie Free on drums -- simple piano-driven groovers, performed with a slight gutbuckety approach, and lots of sweet... read more

A pivotal album for Mose Allison -- and one of the first records to ever feature his voice, even if only on one track! During the 50s, Allison was mostly known for his work as a bop-styled pianist -- on records by Stan Getz and others -- but at the end of the decade, he really returned to his... read more

Brilliant work by a singer we know little about -- but who really sparkles on this session! Singer Laurie Allyn was making something of a name for herself on the Chicago scene of the mid 50s when she was courted by Mode Records, and brought to LA for this rare studio session -- but unfortunately... read more

A beautiful live set from these two legendary A&M Records talents -- united for years at a personal level, and working beautifully here at an artistic one as well! The setting is a small combo one -- a jazz quartet led by Herb's trumpet, and mostly featuring Lani's wonderful vocals in the lead... read more

Early work by Amanda Ambrose -- Chicago-based singer who sang in a variety of styles that approached work by folk/soul/jazz singers like Oscar Brown Jr. and Nina Simone. This rare Dunwich album was recorded live at Chicago's Mother Blues nightclub, and it features Ambrose running through material... read more

Ok, we'll admit that most of this album is kind of weak -- and Amanda's a sort of Nina Simone wanna-be -- but there are a few nice songs on here with a pretty good groove! Both "Sad Songs" and "That's It" have some great arrangements that mix complicated guitar/bass/drum parts... read more

Easily the greatest album ever by the Ames Brothers -- from the fantastic space age cover, right down to the excellent arrangements from Sid Ramin! The whole thing's done in a swinging hi fi sort of mode -- one that really pulls a heck of a lot of range out of the vocals! Tunes dip and turn and... read more

A great slice of work from the early years of Ernestine Anderson -- one of her key swingers for Mercury, and the kind of record that should have made her huge at the time! There's a hip-stepping quality here that points nicely towards the 60s -- a bit more of a bounce in the backings, almost a... read more

One of the few albums ever cut by singer Mildred Anderson -- a bluesy vocalist, but one with a strong touch of jazz as well! The format of this record really helps bring out the jazzier side of Mildred's music -- as it features small combo backing, with work from players that include Al Sears on... read more

One of the few rare recordings by west coast vocalist Ernie Andrews -- a great little singer with an extremely soulful sound! Ernie's got a feel here that's quite a bit like that of his contemporary Lou Rawls during his Capitol years -- a mix of jazz and soul with traces of earlier R&B -- all... read more

An obscure little disco album from singer Ann-Margret -- one put together with the help of club maestro Paul Sabu, whose jamming little combo provide some of the nicest moments of the set! Ann-Margret herself is in that lusty 70s mode -- singing very breathily, very much from below the belt --... read more

A sweet blend of jazz and soul from Patti Austin -- recorded at Muscle Shoals studios, with a sound that's surprisingly rootsy on a few numbers! Patti's still got all the polish she picked up from her years with Quincy Jones, but she's also stepping out a bit more as an artist with a stronger... read more

A relatively recent set from Patti Austin, but a great one too -- an album that has her working in warmly jazzy arrangements that are much more restrained than her soul work of a few years before! There's a relaxed, easygoing feel to the set -- one that's somewhat smooth, as you might expect from... read more

Warm jazzy soul from Patti Austin -- a record that still holds strongly in the sound she pioneered with GRP Records in earlier years, proof that Austin was one of the leading lights of the label during its classic years! There's a few tinnier keyboards here than a decade ago, but there's plenty of... read more

A true treasure from Scandinavian singer Alice Babs -- previously-unissued work from the mid 60s, and arguably one of her hippest records ever! The music here has Babs at her most modern -- working with backings from pianist Jan Johansson and the larger band of Georg Riedels -- all in a style that... read more

Looking for classic Chet Baker vocal tracks? This is the stuff! 14 tracks of haunting vocals by a young Chet, sung with small groups from the LA scene, and featuring trumpet solos next to his vocals. Titles include "That Old Feeling", "Look For The Silver Lining", "There... read more

Very groovy work from The Barry Sisters -- and quite different than their better-known early work for Roulette Records! This set's still got the hip harmonies of the pair in place, but is done with a warmer 70s sort of glow -- orchestrated by Jim Tyler with a relatively full feel, but one that's a... read more

Funky Shirley Bassey! This is a great set tof Shirley's groove-happy work cut in the late 60s -- hip tunes arranged by UK easy maestro Johnny Harris, best known for his fantastic work on the Stepping Stones record under his own name, forever a beathead classic! Features the great, funky big band... read more

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Two early calypso albums on Capitol Records -- both pretty unique! First up are some of the first-ever recordings by Harry Belafonte -- material recorded in 1949, with Pete Rugolo backings that are really amazing -- as jazzy and modern as anything Rugolo did for other singers of the time, with... read more

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The complete recording of Tony Bennett and Bill Evans as a duo -- the Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album from '75 and the '76 follow up Together Again -- back to back, plus a bonus CD of alternate takes! If you've ever doubted the real jazz sensibility of Tony Bennett, the Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album... read more

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 unlike... read more

Wow, we never thought we'd see this one reissued! But then again, Bey's had a nice comeback these days, and his work from the past more than deserves another look. Andy Bey was originally a member of the jazz group Andy & The Bey Sisters -- but by this time, he'd gone solo, and had done... read more

A double-length live set from Mario Biondi -- a hip Italian jazz singer we first discovered through his work on Schema Records, and one who sounds equally great here in a live big band setting! Biondi's got a really raspy style on his vocals -- one that's instantly captivating, and which sounds... read more

An amazing session recorded by Bill Black -- a singer known best for his work with Gene Krupa in the 40s, but whose life took a sad turn in the 50s, and was barely heard from again! This album's a really unique session recorded by Bill in the early 50s -- one that features very spare accompaniment... 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

Recent work from Janice Borla -- a Chicago-area singer who's never gotten the national credit she deserves, but who's made some really great music in and around the Windy City over the past few decades! The album's way more than just your standard set of jazz vocals -- given Janice hip choice of... read more

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 lovely Gracinha... read more

Routines include "Toga Saga (A Greek Fantasy)", "Sahara", "Carmen", and "Orchids To Alice".... read more

A really charming little set from vocalist Bobbi Boyle -- a singer in Encino during the late 60s, working here with a great mix of jazz, bossa, and all things groovy! The album's almost a Sunshine Pop take on jazz vocals -- one that has Bobbi singing with a sweet small combo, and vocalizing in... read more

On earlier recordings, Clea was much more of a bluesy singer with a strong R&B sound. On this one, arranger Jim Tyler nicely uncovers a sweeter, more sophisticated side to her singing -- and sets her voice in some larger arrangements with a very mellow sound. In a way, the overall approach is... read more

One of the greatest jazz vocal albums of all time -- and one of the first true moments of genius from a young Dee Dee Bridgewater! The album's a Japanese only release (proof that they're always hipper to our jazz artists than we are!) -- and it features Dee Dee singing material that's quite... read more

This one's a real shift from her earlier jazz-based work, or her recent recordings for Verve -- and a sweet funky fusion album that Dee Dee recorded for Elektra in the late 70s. The set was produced by Stanley Clarke, and has a soul/fusion sound that's not that different than his own work of the... read more

One of the most creative albums we've heard from Dee Dee Bridgewater in years -- a set of tracks recorded with a host of Malian artists -- in a unique cross-cultural mode that's unlike anything else Dee Dee has ever recorded! The core style here is still very firmly rooted in Bridgewater's jazz... read more

An unusual album from Dee Dee Bridgewater -- a set that carries forward some of the soul styles she had at the start of the 80s, but one that also points the way towards her return to jazz in the 90s as well! The production is fairly electric -- lots of keyboards and guitars, and mostly beats in... read more

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Not socking soul, but laidback jazz -- an under-acknowledged side of James Brown's career, presented fully in this excellent collection of work from the 60s! The package shows a growing sophistication in James' music as the 60s moved on -- not just in his vocals, which were surprisingly suited to... read more

A great collaboration between Oscar Brown Jr. and the breezy Brazilian singer Luiz Henrique! Henrique was one of Brown's "discoveries", as was Sivuca, who also plays and arranges on the LP -- gracing it with his classic bossa/jazzy kind of groove. The whole thing's an excellent mix of... read more

One of Oscar Brown's 70's efforts for Atlantic, when he was stretching his groove a bit, and trying to give it more of an soulful feel, and less of a theatrical one. Oscar's longtime accompanist Floyd Morris is on piano, and other musicians include Seldon Powell, David Spinozza, Chuck Rainey, and... 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, like Henry... read more

Trend-setting vocal work from Oscar Brown Jr -- one of the hippest singers of his generation, and a vocalist who really took things to the next level in the 60s! Brown's got a sound that's partially influenced by the vocalese of Eddie Jefferson, Jon Hendricks, and other singers of the 50s -- but... read more

Like Esther Phillips, during the early 70s, Ruth Brown moved away from the hard R&B vein, and cut a few nice albums in a more stripped-down jazzy style. This session features Ruth with Richard Tee on organ, David Spinoza on guitar, and Bernard Purdie on drums -- and it includes a number of... read more

Reissue of this rare album featuring Kenny Burrell on vocals, as well as guitar! Believe it or not, he's actually got a nice easy vocal style, and it fits right in with the tight group on this LP. Tommy Flanagan plays piano, and he's sort of at the prime of his playing at this point, and Bobby... read more

An album and a half from Ann Burton -- two rare gems together on a single CD! First up is He's Funny That Way -- a unique 45 rpm album, recorded in Japan during the 70s -- and a set that features Burton at all her intimate best! Backing is by a trio that features Ken McCarthy on piano, and the... read more

A label-spanning look at the music of Terry Callier -- one that starts with his folksy roots, runs through his sublime soul at Chess, and ends with some of his overlooked modern soul numbers from the early 80s! There's been a few other Callier collections on the market, but this one's got the best... 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 amazing edge by... 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 sound is the... 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 sound is the... read more

Terry Callier's first album for Cadet -- and the kickoff of one of the greatest three album runs that any soul artist ever recorded! This one's got a different feel than the later two, as it takes songs by Terry, and structures them with these little musical "seque" tracks in between... 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 London's always... 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 -- and... 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 -- and... read more

Later work by Cab -- but proof that he was always one heck of a singer, even at this later date. Arrangements are by Dick Jacobs, and the orchestra is directed by Henry Jerome -- and the tone of the tracks is more sombre and straight ahead than some of Cab's earlier, madder work. Tracks are all... read more

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One of the best records ever cut by jazz vocalist Betty Carter! Why? Well, because the session's got a tight stripped-down feel -- but not as stripped down as some of Carter's mellower records -- and it's also one of the first to show her in the straight jazz setting that would become her... read more

Excellent work from Betty Carter -- much more sophisticated than some of her 60s work! The tracks on the 2CD set were recorded for the Roulette label in the early 70s -- most of it live, and most of it featuring Betty in that hip trio format that she developed to fantastic heights during the... read more

A great album, released in the 80s, that brings together some of Betty Carter's rare vocal recordings for the Epic label from decades earlier. There's a total of 11 tracks in the set -- with 6 from the Meet Betty Carter and Ray Bryant album, which features piano by Bryant, arrangements by Quincy... read more

A great little album from Charito -- a bit more subtle than some of her other efforts, but in a really great way -- showing even more depth than usual to her vocals! Backing is by a piano trio on most numbers -- keys handled either by Mulgrew Miller or Manabu Oishi, with bass by Lonnie Plaxico and... read more

We might argue with the mathematics in the title -- or at least joke that Ray was using equations as titles years before Anthony Braxton -- but you can't contest the fact that this one's a classic treat, and a legendary attempt to class up Ray's bluesy style for the masses. Quincy Jones and Ralph... read more

A stunning standout from Ray Charles' years on ABC Records -- and a set that brings in a bit of hard-swinging jazz to the country-styled groove Ray was hitting at the time! Backings are by Ralph Burns, who keeps things pretty hip -- not as modern as some of his 50s charts for other singers, but... read more

Brilliant work throughout -- both of Ray Charles' classic country albums on a single CD package! Volume one is the stuff of legends -- and what seemed a silly idea at the time was true proof of Ray's genius -- the most successful album of his career and a bona-fide number one hit that rode the... read more

A very hip little local set from Chicago -- breezy jazz tracks with some hip soulful vocals from Elaine Hamilton -- all recorded in a way that sounds like some lost west coast set from the 70s! The group features piano, guitar, bass, and drums -- but Elaine's vocals are the star attraction here --... read more

A rare album from a great little singer -- a swinging jazz vocal set from the 60s, originally issued on a tiny label in Rock Island, Illinois! Sue Childs has a nicely personal feel here -- a bit less polish than some of her mainstream contemporaries, but in ways that make the record stand out --... read more

A late treasure from June's years at Capitol -- an album that easily earns its "intimate" tag, by featuring June with almost no musical backings at all! Instrumentation on the set is provided only by Don Bagley on bass, Al Viola on guitar, and some occasional flute work by Bud Legge --... read more

From its booze-soaked title cut, to its haunting selection of lonely ballads like "Midnight Sun" and "Stranger Called The Blues", this is one of the most fantastic vocal jazz albums of all time -- and a record that we'd recommend instantly to anyone! June Christy has an... read more

From its booze-soaked title cut, to its haunting selection of lonely ballads like "Midnight Sun" and "Stranger Called The Blues", this is one of the most fantastic vocal jazz albums of all time -- and a record that we'd recommend instantly to anyone! June Christy has an... read more

From its booze-soaked title cut, to its haunting selection of lonely ballads like "Midnight Sun" and "Stranger Called The Blues", this is one of the most fantastic vocal jazz albums of all time -- and a record that we'd recommend instantly to anyone! June Christy has an... read more

June Christy's rarest album -- and one of the saddest Christmas records you'll ever buy! The set features all original tunes written for the album by the team of Connie Pearce and Arnold Miller -- and they're perfectly suited for June's late boozy style, much more lanquid than on earlier bouncier... read more

An unusual session for singer June Christy -- and a set done in tight collaboration with husband Bob Cooper! Bob and June work together here to interpret work from the musical Do Re Mi -- with June singing about half the tunes, and Bob playing the other half instrumentally -- on tenor, and working... read more

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There weren't many vocal albums on the Mainstream label during the early 70s, and this rare soul side is a real overlooked gem! Alice Clark has a rich soulful voice, with a style that sounds a bit like Esther Marrow, mixed with some of the lead vocalists in Voices Of East Harlem -- a really right-o... read more

A pretty sweet little collection of Christmas tunes from Petula Clark -- numbers from the 60s, 70s and 90s she had record -- plus a few brand new originals! Despite having recorded some wonderful seasonal material over the years, there has never been a full Petula Clark holiday release before this... read more

A rare gem from Rosemary Clooney, and a great set done with arranger Nelson Riddle -- grooving nicely in a bigger band mode, but inflected with plenty of great Riddle touches on the instrumentation -- in a way that matches the playful quality of Rosie's vocals! The overall sound is quite dynamic --... read more

A rare gem from Rosemary Clooney, and a great set done with arranger Nelson Riddle -- grooving nicely in a bigger band mode, but inflected with plenty of great Riddle touches on the instrumentation -- in a way that matches the playful quality of Rosie's vocals! The overall sound is quite dynamic --... read more

Fantastic stuff, and proof that Rosemary Clooney was always one heck of a great singer -- with strengths in jazz that you didn't always hear in her pop work! As you'd guess from the cover, Duke Ellington's leading the group on the album -- and most of the tracks here are older Ellington standards,... read more

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Great pre-Captiol sides from Nat King Cole -- mostly trio material, played by his great group with Oscar Moore on guitar! Nat sings and plays piano on the cuts -- in the same mix of instrumental and vocal modes that mark the early Capitol years -- a sweet blend of jazz, swing, and some early R&... read more

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A great example of the Muse Records charm of altoist Richie Cole -- bop-fired creativity at its peak, mixed with some added contemporary elements to keep things fresh! In this case, Richie's horn takes on some key bop classics, but also opens up a bit with vocalsits too -- Eddie Jefferson on... read more

A cool kind of set -- of the sort that you'd probably only find on the Roulette label! Rocky Cole's both a singer and a pianist -- surprisingly soulful and fluid as the latter, and nicely raspy and personal as the former -- a nice change from the usual, and a perfect example of the kind of talent... read more

Possibly the strongest album ever recorded by mellow-voiced jazz vocalist Earl Coleman -- a singer with a deeper style that's very much in the classic Billy Eckstine mode, but which swings a bit more freely in a small combo! The set's got a nicely open style -- with longer tracks than usual for a... read more

A very cool little album from the Chicago scene of the 80s -- one that features the lovely Colette on both piano and vocals, working here in a nicely stripped down trio! The album's an unusual 2LP set -- quite odd for a small label pressing like this -- and the added space really lets Colette... read more

A taster of tracks from this cool Estonian jazz collective -- a very unique group whose sound reminds us of work we've heard from hip French soundtracks, and from some of the cooler reaches of the European jazz scene in the 60s! Most tracks here have vocals -- kind of scatted, with a breezy feel... read more

We can't think of anyone we'd rather have sitting round the Christmas tree than ol' Perry Como! The guy's more relaxed, laidback, trusting, and honest than any of our old relatives combined -- and all of his old barber charm comes through perfectly on this set of Christmas tunes from Como's... read more

One of the most sublime albums we've ever heard from Perry Como -- a set that definitely takes its Latin lightly, and instead really goes for the best sort of mellow side of the Como sound! There's definitely a few bossa touches in the mix -- a bit of acoustic guitar or light percussion -- but... read more

The scene's definitely changed here for Perry Como -- moved down to Nashville, where he gets some great gentle backings from Anita Kerr! Anita both arranged the set, and contributes her own vocal quartet to the record -- that warm, wonderful harmonic ensemble who provided so many great sounds on... read more

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An excellent LP that brings together a dozen tracks from some of Chris' lesser-known recordings for the Bethlehem label -- originally released as eps and early 10" LPs. Backing on the set is by The Ellis Larkins Trio, The Vinnie Burke Quartet, The Ralph Sharon combo, and Sy Oliver's orchestra... read more