Vocalists — In Stock  

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Beautiful set of polished soul tracks, sung by Freddie in his deep rich voice, amidst uptown arrangements by Gary Sherman. There's a great batch of cuts that includes Freddie's hit versions of "Hey Girl" and "I Got A Woman", plus "What Do I See In The Girl", "Wher... read more

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A great one from Gil Scott-Heron – and another wonderful collaboration with Brian Jackson – who handled all the arrangements on this set, and gave the record that sweet jazzy sound that makes Gil's work from this time some of his best ever! There's loads of excellent electric piano... read more

Gil Scott Heron's first album for Arista – very much in the mellow soul jazz work of his legendary album on Strata East! The record features some wonderfully moody jazz backing that really marks a shift in Gil's style – never going too far over the top, but hitting a sweet groove that... read more

Gil Scott Heron's first album for Arista – very much in the mellow soul jazz work of his legendary album on Strata East! The record features some wonderfully moody jazz backing that really marks a shift in Gil's style – never going too far over the top, but hitting a sweet groove that... read more

A 70s soul classic – and the closest that Gil Scott-Heron ever came to having a hit! The album's best known for its anthemic classic "Johannesburg" – one of the first popular tunes to really push the cause of a free South Africa – but the whole album's a winner, filled... read more

A 70s soul classic – and the closest that Gil Scott-Heron ever came to having a hit! The album's best known for its anthemic classic "Johannesburg" – one of the first popular tunes to really push the cause of a free South Africa – but the whole album's a winner, filled... read more

A standout set from Gil Scott-Heron – and that's saying a lot, given the strength of his other 70s work! This album's a double-length live set – one that has Gil taking on the familiar format of the 70s, and using it to really push the boundaries of his own music too! Most tracks are... read more

One of Gil's later records, from the period that often tends to get overlooked, but which actually hides some real gems! Gil and the band hit a lot of nice mellow electric grooves with a good jazzy tip – not as angry as on earlier albums, but hitting a strongly soulful vibe which really... read more

One of Gil Scott-Heron's best albums from later years! The record's got some wonderful mellow cuts – the kind that send chills up our spine, and which remind us of Gil's stripped-down jazzy work on the album Winter In America. And in fact, Gil does an excellent remake of the classic track... read more

An 80s collection, but one that's filled with gems from Gil Scott-Heron's legendary early years at Flying Dutchman – a time when he was recording some of his most impressively righteous material ever! The music's a hip mix of protest poetry and sweet jazzy numbers – played with great... read more

A key crossover set from Gil Scott-Heron – still every bit as political as his earlier work, but with a stronger sense of soul as well! The great Brian Jackson is firmly in tow here – bringing warm keyboards and a nice little groove to most of the tracks – and the previous... read more

A key crossover set from Gil Scott-Heron – still every bit as political as his earlier work, but with a stronger sense of soul as well! The great Brian Jackson is firmly in tow here – bringing warm keyboards and a nice little groove to most of the tracks – and the previous... read more

A beautiful jazzy classic, and perhaps Gil Scott-Heron's most perfectly realized album ever! The record has a completely sophisticated jazzy approach – one that's miles ahead from even Gil's previous work on Flying Dutchman, and which shows him to be one of the most distinctive and emotive... read more

Some of the best tracks ever from the pair of Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson – some of most righteous, authoritative and thematically heavy soul music ever created – compiled in one incredible set! Messianic, emotive vocals from Gil and stunningly restrained, magical soul jazz... read more

Almost more jazz than blues or folk – thanks to backing from Ruby Braff on trumpet, Sir Charles Thompson on piano, Freddie Green on guitar, and Jo Jones on drums!... read more

Lovely work from vocalist Seung-Hee – a singer who really knows how to stretch out, even on more familiar numbers – finding an expressive space that makes her voice come across almost more like an instrument at times! Backing here is by a quartet with piano and tenor, but Seung-Hee's... read more

A beautiful second set from Seval – even more powerful and personal than the group's debut – with sublime compositions and cello by Fred Lonberg-Holm, and these fragile yet soulful vocals from Sofia Jernberg! Instrumentation is quite spare – just cello, guitar, trumpet, and bass... read more

Mr & Mrs Jazz – and their cool cousins too – given that the combo also features some sublime tenor sax from JR Monterose, in addition to vocals from Sue and piano from Ralph! The set's a much harder-edged date than you might guess from the cover – and Sharon's approach to... read more

Soaring soul from Marlena Shaw – her last recording for Blue Note, and a set that points the way towards her bigger fame to come at Columbia Records! Like some of her previous sets, there's definitely still some jazzy elements in the mix – yet the overall sound is much more fully... read more

A classic! This is one of the best-ever albums by the legendary Marlena Shaw – and it's a tremendous live set that really lives up to the righteous promise of her earlier work on Cadet Records! The album was cut with a small combo, and the overall feel is incredibly hip – a mixture of... read more

A classic! This is one of the best-ever albums by the legendary Marlena Shaw – and it's a tremendous live set that really lives up to the righteous promise of her earlier work on Cadet Records! The album was cut with a small combo, and the overall feel is incredibly hip – a mixture of... read more

At last! Someone's finally gone and put together a real collection of Marlena Shaw's fantastic jazzy soul work! Sure, there's been other compilations out on the market – but this one's the real deal, and spans her years at Chess/Cadet, Blue Note, and Columbia – years that saw Marlena... read more

Marlena Shaw's first-ever album – and while not as all-out righteous as some of her later work, still a really unique record that quickly put Marlena head and shoulders above the rest of the pack! The record's a mix of jazzy vocal numbers and heavier soul tunes – arranged by Richard... read more

An amazing batch of sophisticated soul tracks – and a favorite with the righteous groove scene! On the surface, the record's a combination of jazz and soul tracks in the same mode that you'd find on some of Nancy Wilson's albums for Capitol during the same time – but digging deeper,... read more

A great record from the mid 70s – one that has Marlena Shaw further developing her style as a sophisticated soul diva with a sharp modern edge! Although already great in the 60s, Shaw emerges here as an all-adult, all-woman singer – dealing with issues that never would have gotten... read more

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Cybil Shepherd sings Cole Porter tunes as they were originally written – meaning that all the double meanings and "blue" lyrics are intact without the editing that was later done for the general listening public. Her singing is not bad, very much in the style of a Broadway musical... read more

Dinah Shore's definitely got a bouquet of blues here – thanks to some backings that echo the moody, late nite image on the cover! The set's one of Shore's most blue-hued ever – a surprisingly beautiful little record that features orchestrations from Henri Rene, Frank DeVol, and Harry... read more

Think what you want about Dinah Shore, she could serve up some pretty great vocals at her best moments – and this album is definitely one of those moments! The style here is laidback and late nite – with Dinah singing alongside backing from the trio of Andre Previn on piano, Red... read more

Recorded in the 70s, but a key document of the songwriting talents of George & Ira Gershwin – thanks to some timeless interpretations by the legendary Bobby Short! The style here is a bit less staid than you might think, and Bobby digs deep into the raspier side of his vocal range for... read more

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One of Ben Sidran's biggest records from the 70s – a smooth combination of jazz, fusion, soul, and a bit of New Orleans groove! There's still a very unique feel to Sidran's music here – a sense of personality that really makes the whole thing sparkle – and which keeps the record... read more

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A mad bit of funk and jazz from Ben Sidran – much more tripped-out than his later work! Ben's got a great bunch of musicians on the album – with either Tony Williams or "funky drummer" Clyde Stubblefield on drums, and Phil Upchurch on bass, laying down a nice dark groove on... read more

An amazing document of righteous soul jazz – the full recordings for Horace Silver's United States Of Mind trilogy – done in collaboration with singers Andy and Salome Bey! The sound is completely different from Silver's work of the 60s – very righteous and message-oriented, with... read more

A real standout 70s set from Nina Simone – a one-off date for CTI Records, done with a sound that's different than her earlier work for RCA, Philips, and Colpix! The groove here is often as soul-based as it is vocal jazz – thanks to arrangements from David Matthews, who brings a... read more

Quite possibly the greatest music that Nina Simone ever recorded – brought together beautifully in one compact yet complete set! Nina Simone recorded some great music before she hit the RCA label in the late 60s – but her time at that company really saw a flowering of her unique... read more

Don't confuse this set with Young Gifted & Black – which got much wider circulation – as the session's a cool indie date from the early 70s, recorded in a moody studio mode with arrangements by Monk Higgins! There's a bit of strings in the background, which colors in the tunes with... read more

Wonderful work by Nina – the kind of record that once made purists turn up their noses, but which is now being rediscovered as a unique jazz/soul crossover album, filled with loads of nice moments! The instrumentation's pretty darn interesting – and includes sitar, harp, Spanish guitar... read more

A landmark album from Nina – one that broke down countless barriers with the classic tune "Four Women" – a righteous portrait of 4 different women and their struggles, unique for its time, and a key part of the early Women's Liberation movement! The rest of the album has a... read more

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Sinatra at his lonely best – as emphasized by the cover image, which has him sitting alone at a bar, looking sadly into his drink. The album's got backings by Gordon Jenkins, a bit more flowery than some of Nelson Riddle's, but in that sad dreamy mode that Sinatra worked with on the Wee... read more

A wonderfully mature album from Frank Sinatra – a set that has him coming to terms with his time in life, and expressing things with a beautiful quality that almost sets a whole new standard for his work! And in a way, the aesthetic here is almost that which would be picked up by a host of... read more

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One of Sinatra's greatest records ever – pure genius all the way through! Frank's backed here by the orchestra of Count Basie, with some incredible arrangements by Quincy Jones that really have a jazzy, syncopated kick to them. The move seems to be an unintentional way of covering for Frank'... read more

Titles include "Follow Me"," Sunny", "All I Need Is You Girl", "I Like The Sunrise", and "Yellow Days".... read more

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Country, Nancy's way – but fortunately that way includes some great help from Lee Hazlewood, who's working here at the height of his powers! The set's got that sly, sexy twangy cowboy mode that was Lee's greatest contribution to Nancy – and the way the album's set up, it's almost more... read more

Titles include "Son Of A preacher Man", "Long Time Woman", "Big Boss Man", "Light My Fire", "My Dad", and "God Knows I Love You".... read more

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Incredibly groovy vocal work from Japan – a double-length album featuring work by a number of different groups! The first half of the set features the wonderful Singers 3 – a trio of female vocalists who sing together with a soaring, breezy groove that's totally great – one that... read more

Incredibly sweet vocal work from the Singers Unlimited – impeccably arranged by harmony stalwart Gene Puerling, and recorded with sublime perfection by the MPS crew! Backings are by Les Hooper, and titles include "We've Only Just Begun", "Look Around", "Snowfall"... read more

A very cool little 70s set from jazz vocalist Carol Sloane – the kind of small label affair that showed that the genre was alive and well at the time! The feel here is intimate, but never sleepy – with backing by a small combo that's always pretty "live" – backing... read more

Vocalist Al Smith is backed by Eddie Lockjaw Davis' group with Shirley Scott on organ – making for a hip little set that's got a rougher edge than most of the other vocal albums on Prestige! The label delegation for this one was Prestige's Bluesville imprint, but that's not exactly right... read more

The complete Columbia recordings by vocalist Bessie Smith – an insane amount of material recorded in the decade between 1923 and 1933 – all music that went on to have a huge impact on the growth of jazz and blues for decades to come! This comprehensive package brings together all the... read more

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A pretty great record from singer Jennie Smith – not just for her own vocals, but for the unusual batch of tunes on the set! Jennie sang regularly on the Steve Allen show – and Steve penned every tune on the set – giving Smith a batch of music that goes way past overdone... read more

Very groovy work from Jennie Smith – a singer known for her work on the Tonight Show, but who sounds even hipper here! Mort Garson handled the backings, and they've got lots of the playful touches that you'd hear on his groovier 60s instrumental work – mixed with some of the watery... read more

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A great date from the non-Louis Prima years of Keely Smith – a rare radio performance done with backing from the Count Basie Band! Both Keely and Basie are at the height of their powers here – and the album has a format that alternates vocal numbers with some equally great instrumental... read more

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A great little record that's way more jazz than some of Joanie Sommers' other albums – thanks to arrangements from Marty Paich and Tommy Oliver – both of whom help things stay lively, even when sweet – and almost give the album a similar feel to some of the best Bethlehem or Mode... read more

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An incredible relic of the righteous underground of the late 60s from the Spirit House Movers – and one of the few classic albums on the Jihad label! The group was a vocal group of sorts – sometimes singing, sometimes rapping in a Last Poets-styled way – often doing both at the... read more

A landmark album for Dusty Springfield – one in which she more than proves her soul music talents, by taking a trip to Memphis, and recording in a sweet Atlantic soul mode! The album's handled by stellar talents all the way through – arrangements by Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin, production... read more

Great work from this British singer of the 50s – a vocalist whose tones match those of the best American gals on the west coast scene of the time! Rosemary Squires sings here with a well-crafted approach to the lyrics – never too over the top, but never too staid either – a... read more

Rare work from British singer Rosemary Squires – a vocalist we hardly know at all, but one who really stands out strongly in these excellent 60s recordings! Rosemary's got a mature, sophisticated style that's very much the best female mode of the time – that all-adult style of singing... read more

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A wonderful pairing of talents – the ever-evolving vocals of Mary Stallings, and the rock-solid piano talents of Eric Reed! Stallings is one of those singers who just sounds better and better as the years go on – working with a depth and individual sense of structure that recalls Betty... read more

Beautiful work from Kay Starr – a set that's still got that remarkable vocal style in place, but which also comes across with a more mature sound too – a mode that's never too emotive, but which is full of feeling – and really makes great use of that classic Starr twang! The... read more

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Bluesy vocals from Dakota – recorded for the Groove Merchant label, but with a stripped down and mellow sound that's more like her older recordings. Norman Simmons is on piano, leading a quartet that includes saxophonist Peter Loeb – and Simmons' piano really brings a wonderful aspect... read more

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A standout early album from singer Gale Storm – and a set that boasts a surprising crossover with R&B of the time! The album steps out with Gale's big hit version of "I Hear You Knocking" – a version of the Fats Domino tune, and one of those unusual 50s moments in which a... read more

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Genius work from a singer who makes us proud to live in the Windy City – vocalist Milton Suggs, who emerges here as a hell of a writer and arranger too! Milton's easily one of the best new voices in jazz we've heard in years – filled with a rich sense of imagination on his lyrics and... read more

Genius work from a singer who makes us proud to live in the Windy City – vocalist Milton Suggs, who emerges here as a hell of a writer and arranger too! Milton's easily one of the best new voices in jazz we've heard in years – filled with a rich sense of imagination on his lyrics and... read more

Beautiful duets between vocalist Milton Suggs and pianist Willie Pickens – two Chicago generations coming together beautifully in a very intimate setting! Unlike some of Sugg's other work, which is all self-penned, this set features some Ellington standards – done in a wonderfully... read more

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The notes say that the album is "the rare plum of authenticity". We don't know if we'd go that far, but we can tell you that the record features Yma performing songs of the legendary Jivaro headhunters! Supposedly, Yma learned them in her "South American jungle-home", but we... read more

Yma Sumac on ESP Records – a unexpected meeting that's given us a rare concert performance from 1961! The CD features Yma singing live in Romania – working with backings from longtime partner Moises Vivanco, on a set of tracks that mixes older Peruvian roots with some newer, jazzier... read more

Hardly the surf music set you'd expect from the title – but still a set that's plenty surf-washed, thanks to a great choice of exotic numbers for the record! The Surfers are a vocal group, not a guitar-based instrumental combo – and they harmonize with a mixture of jazz and pop modes... read more

A groovy groovy treasure! The work of The Swingle Singers is well known to any fan of 60s French tunes – as their groundbreaking approach to vocalese had a huge influence on other pop, easy, and soundtrack work of the time. This nicely-done set features jazz scat versions of tunes by all... read more

One of our favorite albums by the Swingle Singers – a really cool batch of tracks that has them working with compositions by French composers – rococo tunes that have a bit more of a flourish for them to work with their vocal trickery! The sound is great, and tunes are short, very... read more

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Sylvia's Decca recording with backing by the Ralph Burns Orchestra, tracks include "Lilac Wine", "My Ship", "Woman's Intuition", "I'm So Happy I Could Cry", "Experiment" and "Honey In The Honeycomb".... read more

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Grady's most obscure album – and one that's got much more of a jazzy tip than his other ones. Richard Tee plays electric piano, and the band includes Billy Butler, George Coleman, and Ron Carter – all of whom do their best to keep things hip, and not fall into some of the schmaltzier... read more

Vocal jazz, but with plenty of tripped-out touches – hardly what you'd expect from a Norwegian group with plenty of Christian leanings! That's Why were one of the key groups to reform the sound of church music in Norway at the end of the 60s – and work here with a unique hybrid of jazz... read more