Latin Jazz Quintet —
Hot Sauce ... LP
Prestige,
1961. New Copy (reissue)....
$9.99
A lost treasure – one of the few albums ever cut by this fantastic Latin Jazz ensemble, an ultra-hip group led by congolero Juan Amalbert, with a modal vibes/piano groove that's simply wonderful! The combo were one of the hippest early 60s Latin acts – and took equal part inspiration... read more
A wonderful full album from keyboardist Jessica Lauren – a London talent we've loved for years, and have watched mature deeply over the past few decades! Jessica's keyboards have graced a number of key recordings from the past 20 years or so on the British scene – but she's issued... read more
A wicked set from reedman Azar Lawrence – one of the few albums issued under his own name, and a great example of the waves he was making on the 70s west coast scene! There's a depth here that goes beyond most of the other Fantasy Records sessions of the time – a sound that would be... read more
A very nice bit of spacey funky jazz from sax player Azar Lawrence, and one of the great earlier productions by Skip Scarborough, with a feel that's very similar to Gary Bartz's work with Larry Mizell! Azar plays a mix of funk and spiritual soul jazz – and he's got some great electric... read more
A pretty hip set of big band arrangements – very much along the lines of early 50s Stan Kenton, with a tight swing, but a nicely modern undercurrent as well! The arrangements, as the title indicates, are all by Gerry Mulligan – and in addition to the piano of Elliot Lawrence, players... read more
A great little set of Latin jazz – and one of the strongest albums ever from flute man Hubert Laws! At the time of this recording, Laws was playing with Mongo Santamaria's group – and for this second solo outing, he borrows a lot of grooves from Mongo's bag – and also hits a few... read more
A great little set of Latin jazz – and one of the strongest albums ever from flute man Hubert Laws! At the time of this recording, Laws was playing with Mongo Santamaria's group – and for this second solo outing, he borrows a lot of grooves from Mongo's bag – and also hits a few... read more
Sweet soulful flute from the great Hubert Laws – gliding high here in a great session from his post-CTI years! The album's a bit more soul-based than some of Hubert's earlier dates – but that change is a great one, and really helps Laws find some rich new energy – a focus in the... read more
Sweet soulful flute from the great Hubert Laws – gliding high here in a great session from his post-CTI years! The album's a bit more soul-based than some of Hubert's earlier dates – but that change is a great one, and really helps Laws find some rich new energy – a focus in the... read more
Hubert Laws —
Law's Cause ... CD
Atlantic (Japan),
1969. New Copy ....
$15.99
A wicked mix of Latin influences, mod sounds, and 60s soul jazz – all set up beautifully to showcase the flute of a young Hubert Laws! The album's got a nice little bounce right from the start – with some traces of Atlantic soul elements – but it soon moves into some of the more... read more
A wicked mix of Latin influences, mod sounds, and 60s soul jazz – all set up beautifully to showcase the flute of a young Hubert Laws! The album's got a nice little bounce right from the start – with some traces of Atlantic soul elements – but it soon moves into some of the more... read more
Hubert Laws —
Make It Last ... CD
Columbia/Wounded Bird,
1983. New Copy ....
$10.99
Hubert Laws hits an 80s groove here – but the shift doesn't seem to dampen his soul at all! At some points, the rhythms are a bit more pronounced than before – bouncy and funky at points, with a slight nod to the clubs – yet other points still have that soft, airy finish that... read more
Hubert Laws —
Wild Flower ... CD
Atlantic (Japan),
1972. New Copy ....
$15.99
Flute, strings, and soul – a wonderful counterpart to some of Hubert Laws' funkier albums of the time – and a record cut with some tremendous backings! The core group features Hubert on assorted flutes, Gary Burton on vibes, Chick Corea on piano, and Bernard Purdie on drums – all... read more
A pair of classics from Ronnie Laws – back to back on a single CD! On Mr Nice Guy, Laws really makes a big move into the soul field – quite a big record for him back in the day, and a set that helped him reach an even wider audience at the time! Ronnie sings as much as playing sax on... read more
Classic bit of 70's fusion, played by Ronnie on tenor and flute, and with a group that includes some excellent keyboard work by Joe Sample. The highlight of the record is the big sample cut "Tidal Wave", but it also includes the great groover "Always There", which was covered a... read more
Yank Lawson with Chico Hamilton —
Ole Dixie ... LP
ABC,
1966. Very Good+ ....
$2.99
It may be Dixie, but the groove here is plenty darn unique – thanks to some great percussion work by Chico Hamilton, in a mode that really transforms the sound of the set! Yank's definitely playing with a trad jazz sound on his horn, but Chico's rhythms have plenty of bossa nova and Latin... read more
A tight batch of organ groovers with a raw R&B feel, recorded by the obscure St Louis organist Sam Lazar – with a very young Grant Green on guitar! The album's a bit different than Sam's other records for Argo – in that the tunes are all quite short, with a tight fast sound that's... read more
Le Trio Camara —
Le Trio Camara ... LP
Saravah/Dare Dare (France),
Early 70s. New Copy (reissue)....
$14.99
A killer album of jazzy bossa grooves – originally recorded in France in the early 70s, and darn hard to find in any format! The record was cut for the tiny Saravah label – home to groovy French acts like Brigitte Fontaine and Areski, as well as an elite group of jazz and world... read more
John Lee & Gerry Brown —
Mango Sunrise ... CD
Blue Note (Japan),
1975. New Copy ....
$15.99
Fantastic lean low funky fusion – and a lost Blue Note 70s gem – a set that's way different than any other work from the team of bassist John Lee and drummer Gerry Brown! The set's nice and spare – almost CTI in style at times, but with some excellent production work from Skip... read more
Great work from John Lee and Gerry Brown – a pair of fusion stalwarts who added key help to a number of classic 70s sessions for other artists – and got to make a rare few albums like this on their own! Lee's on bass and Brown's on drums, and the pair are in perfect time throughout... read more
Some of the greatest jazz work ever recorded by Michel Legrand! Although Legrand's always been known for his sweet soundtrack work and his famous easy listening sides – he's also a heck of a jazz pianist, and here in this rare 1959 session, he works in a trio format that puts him right up... read more
A really wonderful album from Michel Legrand – one of his few jazz efforts to really capture the same dynamic charm of his soundtracks! The album was recorded live – with a mixed group of electric and acoustic players that includes Joe Beck, Randy Brecker, Ron Carter, Phil Woods, and... read more
A pretty wonderful album by Michel Legrand – way better than you'd guess from the title! Sure, the tunes are mostly numbers by Richard Rodgers, but Legrand handles them here with the best of his soundtrack skills – really opening them up with some amazingly deft arrangements, and... read more
One of a few key efforts done by Michel Legrand for RCA in the 70s – sessions that stand out as some of his best jazz work from the decade, and which present Legrand in unfettered brilliance, both as a player and arranger! This live date still has the original compositions and sense of... read more
String-heavy early genius from a young Michel Legrand – tracks from some of his best travelogue albums for Columbia from the 50s! The first half of the set is Legrand's original I Love Paris album – a sparkling postwar musical fantasy of Paris, made up of a host of famous themes from... read more
Steve Lehman —
On Meaning ... CD
PI Recordings,
2007. Used ....
$9.99
Leiber Stoller Big Band —
Yakety Yak ... LP
Atlantic,
Early 60s. Very Good- ....
$9.99
A very unusual little record, cut at the height of fame for the team of Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller! The session's a rare jazz one from the duo – put together to feature different versions of tunes they'd been penning for acts on Atlantic and some of the other big labels of the late 50s. ... read more
Daniel Levin —
Some Trees ... CD
Hat Hut (Switzerland),
2006. New Copy ....
$9.9919.99
A very fresh-voiced set from the Brooklyn scene – almost an early expression of the rich sounds we've come to expect lately from all the players involved! In addition to Daniel Levin's bass, the set also features Nate Wooley on trumpet, Matt Moran on vibes, and Joe Morris on double bass... read more
O'Donel Levy —
Black Velvet ... LP
Groove Merchant,
Early 70s. Very Good ....
$14.99
A stone laidback set from O'Donel Levy – one of the greatest soul jazz guitarists of the 70s, and a player who sounds fresher and fresher to us over the years! This album's a bit more laidback than some of Levy's other sets for Groove Merchant – with larger arrangements that feature... read more
Amazing music from trombonist George Lewis – five different albums that each show a different side of his talents! First up is Shadowgraph 5 – a great early Black Saint, and a key example of the way the AACM spirit thrived overseas, thanks to the efforts of labels like this! The work... read more
Serious compositional material by John Lewis – a series of work based upon the Italian tradition of commedia dell'arte, written for a larger group of brass instruments – and given a real "classics meets jazz" sort of vibe – but also handled with a gentle swing, too! ... read more
Way more than just "abstractions" – as the set's a very focused batch of some of the larger ideas that John Lewis had about jazz – explored beautifully here away from the Modern Jazz Quartet! The album has Lewis working with frequent partner – and fellow third stream... read more
John Lewis & Albert Mangelsdorff/Zagreb Jazz Quart —
Animal Dance ... CD
Atlantic (Japan),
1962. New Copy ....
$15.99
One of the hippest albums that John Lewis ever recorded – and a set that's noteworthy for the presence of two European modernists! Most of the record features Lewis in a wonderful group with trobmonist Albert Mangelsdorff – who gets plenty of space here to play in his stepping,... read more
John Lewis & Svend Asmussen —
European Encounter ... CD
Atlantic (Japan),
1962. New Copy ....
$15.99
A uniquely European Encounter between pianist John Lewis and violinist Svend Asmussen – and one that makes for a different blend of instrumentation than you'd get on some of John Lewis' other albums as a leader! The pair are supported by Jimmy Woode on bass and Sture Kalin on drums –... read more
As the title implies, Lewis takes eight different styles of boogie-woogie, including his own, and gives the listener his interpretation of the styles via piano. Tracks include "Pinetop's Boogie", "Cow Cow Blues", "Yancey Special", "Mr. Freddie Blues", "S... read more
A classic late 50s side from the Mode label – and one of those great LA sessions that was almost more noteworthy for the sidemen than the leader! Drummer Mel Lewis heads up the group, sure, but the real strength of the set is in its three piece frontline – which features Charlie... read more
One of the strongest early albums by the Ramsey Lewis Trio – especially because it features some great original material! The group – with the usual Redd Holt and Eldee Young lineup – is augmented by Chris White on a few tracks, who plays bass while Young switches to cello, an... read more
Ramsey Lewis —
Funky Serenity ... LP
Columbia,
1973. Very Good+ ....
$9.99Just Sold Out!
Sweet electric funk from Ramsey Lewis! The album's one of his best from the 70s – and it's got Ramsey on Fender Rhodes, electric harpsichord, and other keyboards, grooving away in an open-ended 70s mode that still retains all the heavy soul of his classic work for Chess. Morris Jennings... read more
Two electric killers from Ramsey Lewis – back to back in a single package! Funky Serenity is sweet electric funk from Ramsey – one of his best from the 70s, and a set with Lewis on Fender Rhodes, electric harpsichord, and other keyboards, grooving away in an open-ended 70s mode that... read more
Goin Latin, and goin groovy too – thanks to some wonderful arrangements from Chicago soul legend Richard Evans – who really helps Ramsey Lewis open up his sound on the set! The format's less straight Latin than you might expect from the title – and Evans brings in a bouncing,... read more
Ramsey Lewis —
Groover ... LP
Cadet,
Mid 60s/1972. Very Good ....
$1.99
A set of classic Ramsey Lewis recordings with his trio of Eldee Young and Redd Holt, all of which were recorded during the 60s for Argo/Chess, but not released until this set in 1972. The tracks all came from the same live set that spawned the group's hit single version of "Hang On... read more
Ramsey Lewis —
Hang On Ramsey ... LP
Cadet,
1965. Very Good ....
$0.99Just Sold Out!
Easily one of Ramsey Lewis' most successful records – featuring the hit soul jazz style that he forged with the Young/Holt rhythm combo, honed to perfection before a live crowd at The Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach. The record's a key part of Ramsey's live recorded output – showing the... read more
Easily one of the biggest selling jazz albums of the 60s – a crowning achievement for Ramsey Lewis and his popular trio with Eldee Young on bass and Redd Holt on drums! The set was recorded live at the Bohemian Caverns in DC, and the trio are perfect in the setting – going at the... read more
Easily one of the biggest selling jazz albums of the 60s – a crowning achievement for Ramsey Lewis and his popular trio with Eldee Young on bass and Redd Holt on drums! The set was recorded live at the Bohemian Caverns in DC, and the trio are perfect in the setting – going at the... read more
In case you think the folks at Chess were putting too fine a point on the earthy origins of Ramsey's jazz, the title's actually one that follows from an earlier album Ramsey cut for Mercury – and features a similar cover of a shovel digging in the dirt! The tracks are a great blend of the... read more
One of our favorite Ramsey Lewis albums of all time – an incredible reworking of tunes by The Beatles, done in collaboration with Cadet Records studio maestro Charles Stepney – who brings in some amazing arrangements and production styles to the record! The tunes are familiar, but the... read more
Ramsey Lewis —
Movie Album ... LP
Cadet,
Mid 60s. Sealed Gatefold ....
$4.99
Jazzy and classy – and one of the first of Ramsey's albums to feature him working with larger arrangements instead of the usual trio. In this case, the whole thing was arranged and conducted by Richard Evans – with a spacey hip sound that's not too far from some of Ramsey's later work... read more
Ramsey Lewis —
Ramsey ... LP
Columbia,
1979. Very Good+ ....
$5.99
A sweet late 70s groover from Ramsey – not as all-out electric as some of his earlier work for Columbia, but done with some nice arrangements that have a full and soulful feel! There's a bit of Kalimba/Earth Wind & Fire soul to the mix – and some tracks have production by James... read more
Ramsey Lewis —
Sun Goddess ... LP
Columbia,
1974. Very Good- ....
$3.99Just Sold Out!
One of our favorite Ramsey Lewis albums ever – and a perfect summation of the genius that was brewing on the Chicago scene in the late 60s and early 70s! The album has Ramsey working strongly with Earth Wind & Fire – no surprise, given his close ties to Maurice White, who was the... read more
A nicely done compilation of pivotal work from the great Ramsey Lewis – focusing on his work for Columbia/CBS Records from the 70s and early 80s – and very well chosen at that! Of course the title comes from Ramsey's iconic album of the same name, and this 2CD set features a few tracks... read more
One of the hardest-hitting electric sets ever cut by Ramsey Lewis – a live performance from the start of the 70s, done with a really gritty groove! Ramsey's on both Fender Rhodes and acoustic piano – the former of which is played with even more forces than on his Cadet studio... read more
Sublime electric work from Ramsey Lewis! Ramsey's working here with his hip 70s group that included Morris Jennings and Cleveland Eaton, and he's playing some fantastic electric piano – a blend of funky grooves and soulful spiritualism, stripped down into a sound that's one of his leanest... read more
A late date for Brit bandleader Vic Lewis – but a great one too, thanks to a strong focus on the bossa nova sounds of the 60s! The mode's a real change for Lewis, who could sometimes be a bit stiff – and the new groove definitely opens things up nicely – as does the album's work... read more
Webster Lewis —
8 For The 80s ... CD
Epic/Expansion (UK),
1979. New Copy ....
$16.99
Genius jazzy soul from Webster Lewis – one of his amazing late 70s sets for Epic Records! By this point in his career, Lewis had honed his keyboard craft to perfection – and on albums like this one, he laid down some excellent smooth soulful fusion that soared in a righteous way that... read more
A jazzy soul masterpiece from Webster Lewis – light years away from the rougher funk he cut at the start of the 70s! The album's beautifully put together – almost perfect at all points, at a level that we'd rank right up there with the best work by Leroy Hutson, Roy Ayers, or other... read more
The earliest work we've ever heard from keyboardist Webster Lewis – and a set that's quite different than his late 70s groovers for Columbia Records! The music here is equal parts jazz, soul, and funk – spun out of over a set of long tracks recorded in Oslo at the start of the 70s... read more
Dave Liebman —
Distance Runner ... CD
Hat Hut (Switzerland),
2005. New Copy Gatefold ....
$8.9919.99
One of the most beautiful albums we've ever heard from saxophonist David Liebman – a set of solo numbers that build slowly, with this haunting, soulful sound that we've almost never heard from Liebman this well before! David uses soprano, tenor sax, and wooden flute on the date – and... read more
Dave Liebman —
Last Call ... LP
Ego (Germany),
1977. Near Mint- ....
$29.99
With Dave Liebman on tenor and soprano sax – plus Mark Isham on trumpet, Michael Formanek on bass, and Mike Barsimento on drums.... read more
With Terumasa Hino on trumpet, John Scofield on guitar, Ron McClure on bass, and Adam Nussbaum on drums – and titles include "Reunion", "Moontide", "Move On Some", "Autumn In New York", "If They Only Knew", and "Capitstrano".... read more
A great example of the sound of ECM in the early 70s, with Liebman playing in his post-Miles band angular modernist style with warm electric and acoustic accompaniment from Richard Beirach, Frank Tusa and Jeff Williams rounding out the quartet . The set is made up of three long, spiralling numbers... read more
David Liebman —
Opal Heart ... LP
Inner City,
1979. Very Good+ ....
$4.99
David Liebman —
Pendulum ... LP
Artists House,
1978. Very Good+ Gatefold ....
$6.99
Players include Dave Liebman on tenor and soprano sax, Randy Brecker on trumpet, Richie Beirach on piano, Frank Tusa on bass, and Al Foster on drums – and titles include "Pendulum", "Picadilly Lilly", and "Footprints".... read more
David Liebman —
Sweet Hands ... LP
Horizon/A&M,
1975. Near Mint- Gatefold ....
$4.99Just Sold Out!
With Liebman on reeds and Richie Bierach on piano – plus percussion from Badal Roy!... read more
A great step forward for Gianmarco Liguori – an album that's got a much deeper, more texture-based sound than some of his previous work – almost an experimental ECM mode for the 21st Century! Gianmarco's sound really lives up to the "musical directions" promised on the cover... read more
Incredibly groovy work from Brazilian organist Ed Lincoln – a quick-fingered player on the Hammond with a talent to rival the skills of Walter Wanderley! Like Wanderley, Lincoln worked in Brazil during the early bossa years – and had a great ear for mixing up samba and bossa rhythms... read more
Two wonderful sessions from pianist Nils Lindberg – easily one of the most important Swedish modernists at the start of the 60s! The first half of the CD features a jazz symphony, commissioned by Swedish TV for a European broadcast in 1963 – and penned by Lindberg with a really amazing... read more
A great blend of choppy reeds, soaring keys, and romping rhythms – handled here by an extremely inventive 70s group! Listen is the brainchild of reedman Mel Martin – who plays soprano sax, tenor, flute, and piccolo on the record – but it also features some wicked keyboards and... read more
A fantastic sextet session recorded in 1961, shortly before Booker Little's death – and filled with all the promise and power he ever packed into his playing! There's a sharp, angular groove to many of the numbers here – that mix of modern and hardbop that was cresting best in the... read more
A killer from trumpeter Booker Little – one of the last few records that Book cut before his early death, and one of his only ones as a leader! The album features an excellent soulbop quintet with Wynton Kelly and Tommy Flanagan on piano, Scott LaFaro on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums –... read more
The late 50's work of Max Roach is some of the most crucially overlooked material in the history of modern jazz. His various groups at the time were filled with some of the brightest young players of the time – like George Coleman, Julian Priester, and Booker Little – all of whom were... read more
A compelling LP, especially on side one – which features material by a quartet led by bassist Wilbur Little, with Frank Foster on tenor, Danny Mixon on piano, and Billy Hart on drums – on titles that include "Soul Mama" and "With Love". Side two features solo piano... read more
Overseas excursions from the Charles Lloyd Quartet – a group who were already breaking down plenty of boundaries at home in the US! The lineup is a bit different than some of the other Lloyd sessions of the time, in that Cecil McBee is in the group on bass – adding in some wonderfully... read more
Charles Lloyd in the Soviet Union – blowing beautifully on an open-ended set that must have really loosened things up in Red Square! The album features Lloyd at his freewheeling 60s best – working in his group with Keith Jarrett on piano, Ron McClure on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on... read more
Charles Lloyd —
Discovery!/Nirvana ... CD
Columbia/Superbird (UK),
1964/1968. New Copy 2CD ....
$15.99
2 Columbia killers from Charles Lloyd – back to back in a single set! Discovery is a wonderful bit of soul jazz – much less trippy than some of Lloyd's later work, and handled with a soulful flair that's a mix of Coltrane spiritualism, with an even larger dose of the sort of post-Trane... read more
Charles Lloyd —
Dream Weaver ... CD
Collectables/Atlantic,
1966. New Copy ....
$8.9912.99
A classic set from reedman Charles Lloyd – a set that really pushes forward all the experiments he'd begun in the Chico Hamilton group – and shows a bold move forward for rhythms in 60s jazz! The tracks are long, and spiral out wonderfully – but in ways that are different than... read more
A great title for this one – as the set really features reedman Charles Lloyd flowering strongly – blooming into a richer expression of his talents than any one might have expected a few short years before! The album features Lloyd working with his groundbreaking quartet of Keith... read more
A great 60s moment not just for reedman Charles Lloyd, but also for pianist Keith Jarrett – who was a key part of Charles' group for a few years at the time – and who really opens up on this classic set! Tracks are long and very open – reaching in a spiritual sort of way with... read more
Charles Lloyd —
Love-In ... CD
Atlantic/Collectables,
1967. New Copy ....
$8.9912.99
A classic batch of modal grooves from Charles Lloyd – recorded during the height of his mind-expanding years, with his famous quartet that included Keith Jarrett on piano and Jack DeJohnette on drums! The tracks are long and magical, done with that spiritual spiraling sound that Lloyd was... read more
Charles Lloyd —
Nirvana ... LP
Columbia,
Mid 60s. Very Good ....
$2.99
Lovely work from Charles Lloyd – recorded at the point when he was just pushing off from Chico Hamilton's group, and before he got too noodly for his own good! Side one of the record features Lloyd with his own group – jazzing it up in a mix of flute, guitar, and percussion on a number... read more
Beautiful music from Charles Lloyd – a great package that brings together all the important Norwegian recordings the tenorist made for ECM in the 90s – music that really helped renew interest in this legendary player! The style here is wonderful – laidback and flowing, in a mode... read more
Charles Lloyd & Jason Moran —
Hagar's Song ... CD
ECM (Germany),
2013. New Copy ....
$16.9918.99
Beautiful duets between this richly creative pair – a stripped-down set that really showcases the warmth and intimacy of Charles Lloyd's reed styles in recent years – and one that also has Jason Moran warming up a bit more than usual too! Lloyd plays tenor and alto, both with a very... read more
Charles Lloyd & Jason Moran —
Hagar's Song ... CD
ECM (Germany),
2013. Used ....
$11.99
Beautiful duets between this richly creative pair – a stripped-down set that really showcases the warmth and intimacy of Charles Lloyd's reed styles in recent years – and one that also has Jason Moran warming up a bit more than usual too! Lloyd plays tenor and alto, both with a very... read more