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A long-overdue compilation dedicated to the work of the great soul jazz vocalist Leon Thomas. If you don't know Thomas' own work, you might recognize him as the vocalist on some of Pharoah Sanders' great recordings, like "The Creator Has A Master Plan" and "Hum Allah Hum Allah".... read more

Wonderful work from Leon Thomas – easily one of his greatest albums ever, and a set that was recorded at the same time he was working with Pharoah Sanders! Thomas really rose to fame on Sanders' classic "The Creator Has A Master Plan" – and this set really takes off from that... read more

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Two sweet bossa groovers from singer Pat Thomas – both of them with backings by Lalo Schifrin! The tunes were pulled from Pat's album of the same name on MGM – issued here in a pic sleeve by Verve, with "first vocal version in English" next to "Desafinado"!... read more

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Excellent work from singer Maureen Tomson – a vocalist who originally hails from Scotland, and who sings here with the well-articulated style of some of the best British singers of the 60s! The album's definitely an old school vocal affair, but Maureen brings a nice sort of punch to the... read more

One of the most beautiful albums ever from the great Mel Torme – and a set that's a bit different than his other work for the Bethlehem label too! The set features Mel singing to lush backings from arranger Al Pellegrini – who brings in a mode that definitely lives up to the blue tones... read more

One of the most beautiful albums ever from the great Mel Torme – and a set that's a bit different than his other work for the Bethlehem label too! The set features Mel singing to lush backings from arranger Al Pellegrini – who brings in a mode that definitely lives up to the blue tones... read more

An incredible album from Mel Torme – easily his best set ever, and a record that helped raise the bar for all other singers back in the 50s! A key part of the success of the set is the presence of Marty Paich as an arranger – as Marty swings the whole thing with a fluid groove that's... read more

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One of the best-ever Mel Torme jazz vocal albums – right up there with his best Bethlehem recordings! The set was recorded with Marty Paich's Dek-tette, who set the tone perfectly for the warmly perfect style of The Velvet Fog – and who, like Mel, manage to be totally polished, yet... read more

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A wonderful little album by Mel Torme – easily one of his best albums of the 50s, despite the tighter focus implied in the title! Although the set's a tribute to Fred Astaire. the album's got a very similar feel to Mel's classic album with Marty Paich's Dek-Tette for Bethlehem –... read more

A wonderful little album by Mel Torme – easily one of his best albums of the 50s, despite the tighter focus implied in the title! Although the set's a tribute to Fred Astaire. the album's got a very similar feel to Mel's classic album with Marty Paich's Dek-Tette for Bethlehem –... read more

One of our favorite-ever albums from Mel Torme – a set that sparkles with the same smooth swing as his best late 50s dates for Bethlehem records! Like those sets, this one features Torme's voice really taking off over some tight jazzy charts – arranged by Johnny Williams, Shorty Rogers... read more

An incredible album from Mel Torme – easily his best set ever, and a record that helped raise the bar for all other singers back in the 50s! A key part of the success of the set is the presence of Marty Paich as an arranger – as Marty swings the whole thing with a fluid groove that's... read more

One of our favorite recordings ever of George Gershwin's Porgy & Bess – done by Bethlehem Records in the mid 50s, and featuring nearly every one of the label's great talents at the time! The choice of the lead characters is a bit odd – as Mel Torme plays Porgy and Francis Faye... read more

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A spiritually-resonant set from vocalist Dwight Trible – one of the greatest jazz singers of the past few decades! Trible's got a depth that few others can match – a quality that takes us back to the glory days of Leon Thomas with Pharoah Sanders, or Joe Lee Wilson on the Paris scene... read more

An excellent bit of LA pop with a nice bossa groove! Triste Janero were a lost combo that mixed Sergio Mendes-ish grooves with some nice vocalization that's slightly in the vein of Free Design. The overall mix of tracks includes some nice bossa groovers, plus other well selected pop material,... read more

Very hip work from one of the coolest cats of the 50s – the amazing Bobby Troup, heard here at the height of his powers in a very sweet setting! The group's actually a quartet – given that Bobby's on piano, alongside Howard Roberts on guitar, Bob Enevoldsen on bass, and Don Heath on... read more

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Joe Turner rides again – but in a style that's a bit more like his Kansas City roots than some of the R&B he was cutting for Atlantic Records in the 50s! There's a nice jazz vibe to the record – thanks to sharp arrangements from Ernie Wilkins, who's really coming into his own here... read more

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Swinging British pop tracks by two of England's loveliest ladies of the 60s – neither of which is well known as a singer, but both of whom sound pretty darn groovy here! The first 4 tracks on the CD are from a 1966 EP by Twiggy – recorded early in her fame as a model, and with some... read more

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Features some great jazzy arrangements from Johnny Keating!... read more

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Early Mercury magic from Sarah Vaughan – pressed up here on a rare 10" album issued before the full LP with "divine" in its title! Things here are pretty mellow and laidback, a perfect illustration of the sound that made Vaughan stand out from the rest of her contemporaries... read more

Titles include "Interlude", "Mean To Me", "No Smokes Blues", "Signing Off", and "East Of The Sun".... read more

A really rich album by Sarah Vaughan – recorded in Paris in 1958, with orchestrations by Quincy Jones – and large group backing that includes some great tenor work by Zoot Sims! The session's one of Vaughan's most cohesive albums of the period, and although it's got "violins"... read more

Vaughan is backed by an orchestra for this collection of standards that she does in a style all her own. Tracks include "Tenderly", "Don't Blame Me", "I'm Thru With Love", "I Cover The Waterfront", "The Man I Love", "I've Got A Crush On... read more

One of Sarah's few albums for Columbia – and quite possibly the best, thanks to some great small group backing, heard on 8 of the album's 12 tunes! The group's a really great one – with Miles Davis on trumpet, Benny Green on trombone, Buddy Johnson on tenor, Tony Scott on clarinet,... read more

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With backings from Leonard DePaur – and titles that include "Strange Fruit", "Lamento Esclavo", "Partisian Song", "Oh Freedom", and "Cry The Beloved Country".... read more

Funky rhythms and modal grooves – all held together nicely by the raspy vocals of JJ Vianello! The record's got echoes of other recent work from Italy – particularly some of the Mario Biondi recordings, in its mix of well-chosen modes from the 60s! But JJ's also got a bent that's more... read more

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A groovy set from Tommy Vig and family – with a nice version of "SWAT" – plus "In A Persian Market", "The Last Bird From Madrid", "Love Song To A Country", and "On The Budapest Seoul Express".... read more

That's "swinging pool", not "swimming pool" – a distinction that's easy to get once you hear the first few notes of the album! The set's an obscure 80s vocal jazz date from East Germany – recorded by female singer Pascal Von Wroblewsky in a style that feels more... read more

A stunner from the Scott Walker – and possibly the most archly-dramatic, unique and alluring work he'd done up to this point! Since Scott Walker albums have become once per decade events, a lot more is at stake with each one, and it's nothing short of amazing that he manages to get more and... read more

Amazing! Although Scott Walker had issued one solo album before this one, Scott 2 is the record that really has his true genius beginning to shine through! The record still features Scott singing dark moody takes on 60s pop tunes – like "Best Of Both Worlds" and "Black Sheep... read more

Quite possibly the greatest moment ever from the legendary Scott Walker – a set that strongly steps beyond even the genius of his first two solo albums, thanks to an amazing assortment of original tunes! Scott's dark vision of masculinity is emerging full-blown here – in an array of... read more

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It's plenty easy to make way for Dionne Warwick with an album as great as this – the kind of set that spawned countless imitators in later years, but which still sounds better than most of the rest! Hearing the record is almost like going back to the headwaters of 60s pop – especially... read more

Dionne's certainly winning the "soulful" tag on this albums – working with Memphis producer Chips Moman, in a mode that's clearly designed to give her more credibility with the hipper soul scene at the end of the 60s! Burt Bacharach's still in the shadows, but Moman's the real... read more

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Titles include "September In The Rain", "Mixed Emotions", "Harbor Lights", "What A Difference A Day Makes", and "Time Out For Tears".... read more

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A pair of London Records albums from Margaret Whiting – back to back on a single CD, with bonus tracks too! Maggie Isn't Margaret Anymore is cool crossover pop from Whiting – a late 60s album that still draws strongly on her roots in jazz, but which also has Maggie trying on some... read more

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An unusual 60s comeback for singer Margaret Whiting – and a set that firmly established her as both a country singer, and a singer of jazz! The set's got full backings from Arnold Goland – often done in a way that carries a slight undercurrent of Nashville – not full-blown... read more

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A beautiful little concept for a beautiful little album – a "duologue" in which Lee Wiley sings one track, then Ellis Larkins plays the next, and so on – making for a split LP, but one with a lot of variety along the way! Wiley sings on about two thirds of the tracks on the... read more

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One of Joe Williams' standout classics from the 50s – just the sort of record that put him on top of his game at the time! The album's one of Joe's classic outings with Count Basie – one recorded for Roulette with a slightly looser, slightly rawer feel than their work together on Verve.... read more

Joe Williams was really reviving his career as a vocalist at this point – working with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis big band on a few well-selling records, and on this smoother set with arrangements by Horace Ott. The overall feel is kind of in a swinging Grady Tate mode, with jazziness... read more

A classic set from this massively underrated singer/songwriter! Paul Williams was definitely at the height of his mainstream popularity by the time of this set – with endless appearances on countless TV shows, not to mention work in The Planet Of The Apes films – yet the record's got a... read more

Yes, that's right – THE Paul Williams: the short blonde guy who was a bit of a celebrity in the early 70s, showing up on countless variety and talk shows, and even making an appearance in the later Planet Of The Apes movies. Despite Williams' short stature and strange looks, he was actually... read more

Subtle sounds and gentle soul from Paul Williams – the wonderful singer/songwriter who cut some real gems for A&M Records in the early 70s! The album's filled with Williams' wonderful compositions – including a few penned with Roger Nichols – those great songs that other... read more

That's Paul Williams, lost amidst the whiteness of the cover – kind of fuzzy around the edges, just like the warm feelings in his music! The album's got all the best elements that Williams had to offer in the 70s – some incredible songs that are instantly more personal and more upfront... read more

A real gem from Paul Williams – the kind of well-penned, subtly-arranged record that marked his best work for A&M! Williams is getting a bit more confidence in his songwriting, yet also knows that he sounds best as a singer when he's got a slightly fragile feel – often recorded... read more

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Beautiful work from Cassandra Wilson – a record that's every bit as great as some of her best from previous years – and one that also has a new sort of vibe, too! There's a quality to the set that's nicely laidback – a feeling that comes from the album's strong use of acoustic... read more

Don't let the title put you off, because Cassandra Wilson's sounding as soulful as ever – with none of the fluff that you might think from an album called "Glamoured"! The sound is mellow and laidback, with a group that includes Wilson on guitar, alongside a few other guitarists,... read more

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A real sweet soul gem from Nancy! The record has her working with arrangements and production by Gene and Billy Page – who give the record a great smooth 70s soul finish, and a feel that's a lot more unified than some of her other efforts from the decade. Nancy sings some great versions of... read more

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A sweet set of soulful numbers from Nancy Wilson – tracks that offer up a perfect fusion of her jazzy roots and soul-based styles of later years – wrapped up in lush arrangements from Japanese jazzman Masahiko Satoh! The record follows a similar approach to Wilson's Keep You Satisfied... read more

A pair of stunners from Nancy Wilson – back to back in a single set! Music On My Mind is an overlooked gem from Wilson's excellent 70s run on Capitol Records – a set that goes way beyond the spirit of some of her earlier records, and features a very unified vibe overall! The set was... read more

Not only a great follow-up to the first Echoes Of An Era session, but also a standout 80s performance from Nancy Wilson – quite possibly her best of the decade! The setting is nice and laidback – a live date with a core combo that features Joe Henderson on tenor, Chick Corea on piano,... read more

A bit of soul, a bit of jazz, and some nice funky touches at the bottom – a killer little set from the great Spanky Wilson! Wilson's got a really unique place in music – at one level a soul singer with enough sophistication to rival the sound of Marlena Shaw or Nancy Wilson – but... read more

Spanky Wilson really takes off here – hitting some of her boldest soul modes to date – and serving up a few funk-heavy classics in the process! Production and arrangements are by HB Barnum – who draws on his own rich legacy of soul projects for the set, and finds a way to let... read more

Heavy soul from the great Spanky Wilson – an album that explodes with energy right from the start – in a groove that definitely lives up to the title! Spanky's got a great mix of funk and class on this set – a punch in the rhythms at points, yet also a poise in the way she... read more

A very different album than usual for trombonist Kai Winding – one that has him blowing along with some great backing vocals! The set's got an incredibly groovy feel – hardly what you'd expect, given Winding's bop roots – but a real gem overall in the best sweet 60s Verve mode! ... read more

One of the greatest albums ever from vocalist Norma Winstone – a set that really helps bring her talents into sharp focus! Like Karin Krog, Annette Peacock, Sheila Jordan, and other female jazz singers of her generation, Winstone was always pushing the boundaries of her craft – taking... read more

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Arguably one of the greatest albums ever cut by Jimmy Witherspoon – recorded live at an early Monterey Jazz Festival, and done in a style that shows the strong link between jazz and blues in Jimmy's work! The group on the set includes Ben Webster, Roy Eldridge, Coleman Hawkins, and Woody... read more

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One of the most deeply soulful sets we've ever heard from singer Lizz Wright – a record that has an even more acoustic feel than before, which really opens up the sound nicely! Given the depth of Wright's vocals, this shift is a really great move – one that lets her really stand out... read more

A really unique little record – and a wonderful cross-section of the Japanese scene at the start of the 70s! The album features work by three trios – hence the title – some avant, some straight, and all if it pretty great! First up are the Yosuke Yamashita trio – who... read more

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One of the grooviest sets ever recorded by Swedish singer Monica Zetterlund – a cool late 60s album that has some really wonderful songs! At some level, Monica's still very firmly in jazz vocal territory – but she's also letting in strands of hipper 60s pop work, in a mode that's... read more

Really wonderful work from vocalist Monica Zetterlund – recorded at a time when she was really coming into her own! The album really has Monica stepping past her initial influences from American jazz – working in an idiom that's equally well suited to expression in her native Swedish,... read more

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