All Categories — In Stock — CDs  

3 rare French jazz soundtracks on one CD! First up is the music from the film Les Loups Dans La Bergerie, written by Serge Gainsbourg, and performed by Serge's arranger Alain Goraguer – in a hip modern mode that recalls some of the best soundtrack work by Barney Wilen, Miles Davis, and Art... read more

Way more than just a Dexter Gordon album – and instead, an important historic document of the bop scene on the west coast! The 3CD set features the complete recordings from an Elks Auditorium concert in 1947 – lots of long jam session tracks that not only feature history "battles&q... read more

Rare Blue Note work from Dexter Gordon – an album that was recorded during Gordon's legendary run for the label in the 60s, but not issued until a brief vinyl pressing nearly 15 years later! The record's got Gordon vamping in tight hardbop formation – a sound that's strongly 60s Blue... read more

A really unusual album for Dexter Gordon – one that has him working in a quintet with vibes by Bobby Hutcherson! Hutcherson's sound really transforms the session, giving it a shimmering middleground that disperses the dominance that Gordon's tenor usually has – and creating a warm,... read more

Obscure material from Dexter Gordon – some rare gems from his early 60s years at Blue Note – unissued back and in the day, but brought together for this sweet package at the start of the 80s! The album's great in that it shows Gordon really trying on some new things at the label –... read more

A great rare discovery from Dexter Gordon – a previously-unissued live set, recorded in Montreal in the late 70s – at a time when Dex was really hitting some new heights in his playing! Although the album coincides with a time when Gordon had returned to these shores, and was getting... read more

A tremendous European meeting of tenorist Dexter Gordon and trombonist Slide Hampton – brought together in this impeccable sextet session for MPS – a real standout in the label's straight jazz catalog over the years! By the time of the set, Gordon had been working heavily in Europe,... read more

Hardly the "intimate Ellington" you might guess from the cover – and instead something even better overall! The album's not just laidback readings of tunes from Duke – as most numbers have this lowdown and gritty sort of vibe – more blues than ballads – played by... read more

Amazing work from Fitz Gore – an overlooked tenor player who made some pretty heady records on the European scene of the late 70s! Fitz originally hails from Jamaica, but worked heavily on the French, German, and Scandinavian scenes of the 70s – blowing some mighty mean tenor that has... read more

Lovely 60s girl pop from Lesley Gore – the sweet, soaring, brightly sunny Magic Colors album – released in full for the first time ever – and with a huge assortment of bonus tracks, too! Magic Colors should have come out on Mercury in 1967, but it wasn't to be. Well, better late... read more

A great double-header – especially since both albums are top-shelf! Don't Go To Strangers is a 60s classic from Eydie Gorme – and a set that showed the world that she had a lot more to offer than just some peppy duets with Steve Lawrence! Sure, Eydie had sung on her own before –... read more

A rare Spanish session from trumpeter Dusko Goykovich – and easily one of the most soulful albums he ever recorded! The set's got a warm, laidback vibe – very much in keeping with the title and cover image – as Dusko blows some great open-ended solos with rhythm from the trio of... read more

A long-overdue album from UK soul singer Jaki Graham – a vocalist who seems to have gotten better and better over the years! As you might guess from the title, a fair bit of tracks on the set are older standards – sung by Jaki in a jazzified approach to soul, with elements that are... read more

Larry Graham's definitely got his groove back – and steps out here with his funkiest album in years! Graham's not content to just recall the glory days of Graham Central Station – as he really goes for a nice range of flavors in the set – including a taste of New Orleans, heard... read more

Grand Slam take plenty of inspiration from the P-Funk universe – and as proof of that fact, they've got Gary Mudbone Cooper on vocals for a few tracks on this sweet little set – a record that definitely offers up a 21st Century evolution of the original P-Funk groove! The combo are... read more

A Sugar Hill party in one sweet little package – 2CDs worth of music that features some of the biggest hits from the Grandmaster Flash generation, plus a few surprising bits from later years too! The package features a whopping 23 tracks in all – one disc that mostly hovers around the... read more

There's some great spooky touches here from Romolo Grano – including wordless vocals from Edda Dell'Orso, and moog from Grano himself – used beautifully to score this unusual soundtrack from the 70s! The main theme is an older-style Italian number, sung by Luigi Proietti – but... read more

Sweetly grooving early 80s UK soul from David Grant – his first solo album after the breakup of Linx – and it's a nice one! There's a leaner pop soul sound at play here, one that would have sounded right at home on the US charts of the time – but it's never too poppy – and... read more

2 jazzy French soundtracks – both written for films directed by Bertrand Blier. First up is Les Valseuses, a 1973 score written by Stephane Grappelli, played by a small group featuring Grappelli, plus Maurice Vander on piano and organ, Philippe Catherine on guitar, Guy Pedersen on bass, and... read more

A sweet bit of Brazilian experimentation that recalls all the inventive spirit of the work of Caetano Veloso and the Tropicalia generation – put together with lots of great twists and turns, and a spirit that's both playful yet straightforward as well! These guys mix things up as much as the... read more

One of the first contemporary soundtracks on the mostly-vintage Death Waltz label – and a great record that really lives up to the same style as horror scores of yore! The music is mostly spare, but plenty dark – a definite death waltz of subtle sounds brewed together carefully –... read more

The amazing debut of RB Greaves – a soul singer with a difference! RB struck big with this album on late 60s Atlantic Records – yet despite production at Muscle Shoals, and arrangements from Arif Mardin, the sound here is quite different than most of his contemporaries – and... read more

A tasty double-live set from Al Green – one that has him working through longer versions of tunes than you'd hear on his studio albums, and really doing great in front of an appreciative Japanese crowd! The overall approach here is a bit more modern than on some of his older Hi albums –... read more

A windy city hero – the amazing Garland Green, a singer who makes us mighty proud we hail from Chicago! Garland's got an incredible style that few others can touch – partly schooled in the 60s iceman modes of Jerry Butler and Walter Jackson, with all the sophistication that might imply... read more

A rare early chapter in the career of guitarist Grant Green – local material, cut in his hometown of St Louis – in the years before Lou Donaldson picked him up and delivered him to Blue Note Records! Amazingly, though, the Grant Green heard here is every bit as great as the guitarist... read more

A wicked session by Grant Green – one that's very different than any of his other Blue Note records! Here, Grant's going for a "Latin bit" – adding in a trio of percussionists to spice up the groove with a bit of bossa rhythms, and some harder jamming styles that feel a lot... read more

A soaring set from guitarist Grant Green – a really amazing double-length set that caps off his legendary run for Blue Note – done with a vibe that's different than most of his other work for the label! Like some of the other Lighthouse sessions from Blue Note – particularly... read more

A soaring set from guitarist Grant Green – a really amazing double-length set that caps off his legendary run for Blue Note – done with a vibe that's different than most of his other work for the label! Like some of the other Lighthouse sessions from Blue Note – particularly... read more

A fantastic mid 60s album from Grant Green – but one that never got its due originally, because it was unreleased at the time – and didn't come out until a Japanese version in the late 70s! Despite that oddly long gap, Matador is truly one Grant's best ever records – a really... read more

Damn great work from guitarist Grant Green – one of his killer sessions with pianist Sonny Clark – recorded in the early 60s, but unissued until nearly 20 years later! The groove here is a bit different than some of Green's early dates with organ – a bit more soulful hardbop at... read more

An excellent set by Grant Green – recorded in 1964, but not issued until close to 1980, when Blue Note first pulled it out of the vaults, and dropped it on the world! The session's a great one – with an unusual lineup that features Green's guitar in a sextet, with McCoy Tyner on piano,... read more

One of our favorite albums ever from guitarist Grant Green – an amazingly stretched-out session that's served up with a good deal of modal jazz in the rhythms – and a date that features killer work from Larry Young on organ and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes! The pair join Green in a... read more

Vivian's in the green room, and more than ready to step out on the stage – sounding tighter, smoother, and more confident than ever – easily one of the strongest leading lights in contemporary soul today! The set's got a nice sort of crackle right from the start – a crispness... read more

A cooking group effort from the Chris Greene Quartet – a great Chicago combo we've watched grow tremendously with each previous release – stepping out here in their first-ever live recording! Greene's got a soulfully sophisticated approach to his saxes that really belies his Windy City... read more

Solo Burton Greene – beautifully recorded – in ways that have his already-wonderful lines on piano echoing out in the performance space, and almost folding back on themselves in waves of sound! Given Greene's striking touch on the keyboard – sharp, yet always melodic, which we... read more

A beautifully tuneful record from Narada Burton Greene – maybe more so than any of his other albums – at least that we can remember! The set's a solo outing, and it's definitely got some of the modern elements that have always made Greene's music so wonderful – but it's also got... read more

The first-ever tribute to this overlooked genius of southern soul – a set that brings together the rare early 70s singles from Dan Greer, plus a huge amount of unreleased work as well! Dan recorded these cuts for the Sounds Of Memphis label, in a style that really shows the changes in... read more

Damn great work from the Greyboy Allstars – a record that's deeper, hipper, and more rewarding than we ever remember from the group – a rich blend of jazz and funk, without any tricks or gimmicks at all! The playing of the members has really deepened a lot since the last album –... read more

Wonderful solo work from Billy Griffin – the man who headed The Miracles after Smokey Robinson left the group – heard here on a string of classic 80s sides for Columbia Records! Billy's got a sound that's almost as sweet as Smokey at his best – but a groove that's a bit deeper... read more

Pre-Bread work from Jimmy Griffin – recording here in a sweet Cali setting, thanks to arrangements from the young Jack Nitzsche! The album's got all the light sounds and sunny feelings you'd guess from the title and cover – but Jimmy's also got a voice that's surprisingly strong, too... read more

Tremendous work from Johnny Griffin – one of those players whose talents never dimmed at all – and who's blowing here with all the same sharp intensity he first brought to his initial work in the 50s! The date's a tight acoustic session – with Johnny's bold tenor firmly in the... read more

One of the only albums as a leader from bassist Henry Grimes – a hell of a great player who'd made his name working with Sonny Rollins, but who steps out here into much freer territory! The group features Grimes at the helm on bass, but also features killer contributions from Perry Robinson... read more

Man, it's been forever since we heard from Groove Stu – and during that time, they've really grown a lot! This excellent set is full of soul and charm right from the very first night – a very unique nu school harmony record – yet done without any chart cliches or some of the... read more

One of the most dynamic George Gruntz albums we've heard in years – a sweet tribute to the Village Vanguard recordings of John Coltrane! The album's a modern one, and done with a large ensemble – but it's a really well-spirited tribute to Trane's famous live material from the Vanguard... read more

A pair of 60s gems – together on a single CD! First up is the original Jazz Goes Baroque from George Gruntz – one of the best blends of jazz and classical music we can think of! Sure, the tunes are from Corelli, Handel, Pachelbel, and other baroque composers – but they're taken... read more

One of the most obscure chapters in the career of Ennio Morricone – important avant garde work recorded in the mid 60s, just at a point when he was beginning to rise in soundtrack fame! The ensemble is a key Italian modernist group featuring Morricone, Giovanni Piazza, Mario Bertoncini,... read more

A classic 70s outing from The Gruppo Di Improvisazione – historically important Italian avant collective, similar to AMM or MEV – with a really groundbreaking approach to their sound! We say "sound" here instead of "music" – because the album's filled with... read more

Sweet electric piano grooving from Vince Guaraldi – previously unreleased material from the early 70s, but easily one of his greatest later albums! Vince works here both on Fender Rhodes and clavinet, plus a bit of Hammond organ and acoustic piano as well – and the tunes have a... read more

Great early work from the amazing Vince Guaraldi – an album issued in the 60s on the wave of his rising fame, but which was most likely recorded a few years earlier! The group here is Vince's key early trio with Eddie Duran on guitar – grooving with Vince in drumless splendor that... read more

An amazing moment from the Brazilian music scene of the 70s – an album that's both extremely personal for each of the artists involved, yet also a wonderful collaboration between a host of up-and-coming talents! There's a relaxed, intimate feel to the whole thing that's mighty nice –... read more

The coolest grooves we've ever heard from percussionist Henri Guedon – a really wonderful blend of Latin, Caribbean, and jazz-based influences – all filtered into a very special sound! There's plenty of percussion at the core, but there's also some sweet keyboards too – used... read more

A hell of a great record – as you might already guess from the fact that Kassin produced the album, and it also features guest appearances by Chico Buarque and Tom Ze! Yet Thais Gulin is clearly the main draw here – a really lovely, inventive singer with a freshness that comes through... read more

Quite a rare set from this important Swedish player – one recorded in Sweden by Metronome, but issued here in the US on the short-lived East-West imprint of Atlantic. The tracks all feature Gullin on baritone sax – in a variety of settings that range through quartet, quintet, sextet,... read more

A genius album from Swedish baritone giant Lars Gullin – and a set that's from a period that was much less documented on our side of the Atlantic! Gullin was one of the undisputed masters of the instrument, and his American recordings on Mercury and Prestige stand as proof to his talent... read more

A beautiful solo record from pianist Ulrich Gumpert – quite different than some of the more offbeat or avant sounds he recorded with other players – and instead, a great illustration of his more personal, poetic style on piano! Parts of the record resonate strongly with Gumpert's... read more

A wonderful larger-concept piece from reedman Mats Gustafsson – and an important recording that really stands to only complement some of his freer, looser work of the time! The set's got a vibe that's similar to some of the best mixed composition/improvisation works of the 90s – put... read more

A stone classic from the great Gwen Guthrie – a singer who forged some brilliant vocals in the backdrop of other folks' soul sessions – then really exploded forth as a star on her own, with a handful of key albums in the early 80s! This cooker really shows off Guthrie's ear for the... read more

Classic work from Gwen Guthrie – a tight batch of keyboard-heavy cuts that sparkles with a strong 80s groove! Deodato's at the helm on production, and he clearly helps direct the sound of the set – giving it some of the sharpness and focus of his other 80s soul productions – and... read more

Early work from Gwen Guthrie – produced by Sly & Robbie, but with a sweet modern soul sound that's got a lot less of their influence than you'd guess! The sound is much more New York than Jamaica – and that's probably due to some great instrumental backing on keyboards by the likes... read more

Dirty beats with some sweet earthy touches – and a record that we like a lot more than usual for this sort of thing! Guts mixes it up with a host of classic influences – bits of spiritual jazz, cinematic soundscapes, 70s funk, dancehall, and electro – but all wrapped into... read more

Some of the funkiest, clubbiest work we've ever heard from the African scene of the 70s – great grooves that would be right at home on the New York dancefloors of the time! The style here is definitely drawn from disco, yet is a lot more funk-based too – more in the farther reaches of... read more

One of the greatest moog albums ever – all original sounds and tunes from the legendary Bruce Haack! Haack had spent most of the 60s doing small label kiddie records on his own, but this late 60s gem on Columbia is probably his best known work – a masterpiece of short and groovy little... read more

Funky funky solo work from Joni Haastrup – an artist who's also known for his work in Monomono, and who sounds equally great on his own! Joni's got this tight approach that wraps together Nigerian grooves of the 70s scene, and some bolder soul star energy that would be right at home in the... read more

Charlie Haden and Hank Jones reunite as a duo – working through a set of songs with spiritual sources, in ways that really seem to unlock the warmest elements of both players! Jones is no stranger to this sort of mode, especially in later years – and his gentle, spacious touch on the... read more

The complete collection of Hag's 60s singles at Capitol – with some of his most legendary songs – along with some equal treasures that just didn't hit as big on the charts! It's a pretty tightly-focused set that starts with the formative, Bakersfield honky tonk-honed style of the... read more

One of the coolest projects we've heard from Bongolian in years – a great collaboration with vocalist Fay Hallam, who really helps his grooves find a great sense of focus! Unlike other efforts of this nature – the usual "soul diva with funk group" outing – Fay and... read more

Maybe the best work so far from trumpeter Matthew Halsall – and a wonderful continuation of the spiritual vibe he's been giving us for the past few years! Halsall's a real up-and-comer – a trumpeter with a spiritual sensibility that rivals the best players on 70s Impulse or Strata East... read more

A gem of an album from trumpeter Matthew Halsall – his third on the Gondawa label, and like all the others, a set that we'd easily rank right up there with the best 70s spiritual jazz on labels like Strata East or Black Jazz! The set's got a fluid sound that's extremely compelling –... read more

Chico Hamilton in the 70s just can't miss – he's really changed loads from his mellow 50s work in LA, and has a tendency to go for a hard grooving sound – but also one that's slightly left of center than the work of most other 70s jazz drummers – and we mean that in a good way! ... read more

Unusual material from Chico Hamilton – recorded around the same time as his groundbreaking work for Pacific Jazz – but for the smaller Crown/Modern label in LA! The format's a bit unusual, and changes a bit throughout the record – showing Chico's already-strong ear for creative... read more

Different is right – as this obscure early 60s side shows Chico Hamilton really opening up, moving past the modern chamber style of the late 50s, into the freer modal rhythms that characterized his incredible work of the 60s! The group's the beginning of that sound too – with Charles... read more

Quite possibly the best album to feature the talents of Chico Hamilton and Eric Dolphy – a set recorded at a time when Dolphy was an up-and-coming player on the west coast scene! Although Chico Hamilton had recorded with unusual reed players before, Dolphy brings a depth of soul and spirit... read more

An obscure release by Chico Hamilton – but with some really great moments that more than rival his famous sides for Pacific Jazz in the 50s! The set was issued on the obscure Crown label, and is a bit short on notes – but side one features work by Chico's early trio – a cool... read more

One more amazing chapter in the mighty development of drummer Chico Hamilton – a killer 70s session for Blue Note – and a record that goes way beyond his earlier experiments of the 50s, modal grooves of the 60s, and funk work for the Flying Dutchman label! The style here is fusion, but... read more

Very interesting work from Chico Hamilton – one of his most compelling albums of the 50s! The three "faces" of Chico are as follows: his vocals, his solo percussion, and his quintet. Forget the vocals, because they're just OK (and Chico hardly embarked on a singing career after... read more

Killer work from Chico Hamilton – and a key batch of sides recorded between his 50s quintet sessions for Pacific Jazz and his later modal magic at Impulse! The work here was originally done for the Navy Swings series of radio shows – and features a Chico with the group that included... read more

One of the best records that Chico Hamilton cut during the 50s – and one that features Eric Dolphy, who was with Chico's group for a short while! The record's got the quintet (which also includes the excellent Dennis Budimir on guitar) fronting larger string arrangements by Fred Katz (no... read more

A jazz soundtrack double-header – one that features both the small combo and larger band version of the soundtrack to The Sweet Smell Of Success! The first half of the CD features the Chico Hamilton Quintet's album of music – a wonderful bit of cinematic jazz from the 50s. The combo... read more

Soulful reggae legend Beres Hammond – still going strong on 2012's double album One Love, One Life – which is a nice, timeless take on his tried-and-true mix of lover's rock and straighter soul – and well produced by Beres and Chris Chin! Honestly, pretty much everything we've... read more

Romantic reggae from a master of blending lover's rock and other soulful strains of reggae with an even more profound touches of classic-styled soul! Red Light once again finds Beres working well with producer Willie Lindo – with lean, crisp vibe – but it's never too glossy! A really... read more

Produced by Wilie Lindo, but rather than taking a soulful approach to his reggae, or infusing some soul numbers with an island vibe, this set is split between straight soul numbers and a handful of roots material – and it works well on both fronts! Surprisingly, the soul tracks come off... read more

An overlooked gem from the equally-overlooked Clay Hammond – a sweet 70s groover that offers up a great mix of modern and deep soul modes! Clay's vocals are still every bit as great as on some of his earlier soul singles, but the arrangements push things into tighter territory that's mighty... read more

An amazing bit of jazz funk from Johnny Hammond – and one of his greatest LPs! This is the first album that Johnny recorded with Larry Mizell, cut right before the pair of them went onto do the landmark Gears album. While this one never became as famous as Gears, it's got some fantastic... read more

Paris was always a great city for Lionel Hampton – but it seemed like in the mid 50s, it was also a place where he cut some of his best work, too! The French New Sound pair of albums are both classics in Hamp's book – records that take off from the looser, longer-form style that he'd... read more

Excellent Parisian work by Lionel Hampton – recorded during a very fruitful year in France, featuring material that was originally issued on a full LP, and a 10" ep. Most of the tracks feature a group that includes Eddie Chamblee on tenor, Ed Mullens on trumpet, Billy Mackel on guitar,... read more

The explosion in the title is definitely well-placed – as trombonist Slide Hampton makes his group groove with a tremendous amount of power here – all horns focused strongly on the rhythms, which themselves are wonderfully soulful! As with some of Hampton's best from the time, there's... read more

Sanctified, indeed – and just the kind of record to show why Slide Hampton was unlike any of his trombone-playing contemporaries! The set's got a tightness and punch that's really unique – not the compact quality of JJ Johnson and Kai Winding, but also not the hardbop of Curtis Fuller... read more

Seminal sides from Herbie Hancock – amazing material recorded for Warner Brothers in the years between his time at Blue Note and his big fame at Columbia Records – all sides that definitely show Hancock as one mighty righteous cat! Herbie's really stretching past his more conventional... read more

A legendary bit of Latin from the New York scene of the 60s – recorded by a host of youthful players working under the direction of percussionist Montego Joe! The group's name is a contraction of "Harlem Youth" – a program in which all players participated, as part of an... read more

The brass is definitely dynamic here – arcing, curving, and grooving in the best Sharps & Flats mode! The group's at their late 60s best on this well-titled set – really moving past conventional big band styles, and hitting a very groovy sound throughout – one that rivals the... read more

Sax-heavy New Orleans R&B instrumentals from Herb Hardesty – the tenor player and secret weapon in Fats Domino's band – one of those incredible players whose name isn't as well known as the sound of his instrument! His sax sounds really great out front and in the lead –... read more

Two early gems from this fab French singer! First up is the self-titled Francoise Hardy album from 1962 – a seminal debut from the young Hardy, and a record that set the tone for a whole generation of French music to come! The album's a remarkable achievement – especially considering... read more

Rare English language recordings from the sublime Francoise Hardy – music that's every bit as wonderful as her famous French recordings – and even more compelling to our Anglo-styled ears! The vocals are wonderful – sung with this sense of darkness that's almost got an echo of... read more

Two dramatic scores from Leigh Harline – a sometimes-overlooked composer from the great years of Hollywood soundtracks! The Wayward Bus is put together with some really beautiful charts – filled with sadder tones and bluer notes amidst the orchestrations – that wonderful late 50s... read more

The first full length collaboration between blues, soul and rock slide guitar eclecticist Ben Harper and harmonica master Charlie Musselwhite – and it's win for both – with a vibe that's rooted in many traditions, but feels right at home in both Harper's and Musselwhite's wheelhouses. ... read more

The first full length collaboration between blues, soul and rock slide guitar eclecticist Ben Harper and harmonica master Charlie Musselwhite – and it's win for both – with a vibe that's rooted in many traditions, but feels right at home in both Harper's and Musselwhite's wheelhouses. ... read more

A great title for this hip little record – one that definitely has the group coexisting together beautifully in the space of the set – working with well-fused energy that really makes the music shine! The set's got the soulful vibe of some of the best indie sets from the end of the 80s... read more

Overlooked gems from this key reedman on the Brit modern scene of the 60s – two rare albums in a single package! First up is Movement – one of the most obscure albums recorded by Joe Harriott – leading light of the British avant scene in the 60s – and one of the best, too! ... read more

A spiritual jazz classic from the hip LA scene of the late 70s – led by saxophonist Billie Harris, and featuring a group that includes Horace Tapscott on piano! We don't know much about Harris, but he's got a freewheeling spiritual sound that's very much in the Coltrane-inspired mode, yet... read more

A classic session of music from the mighty Raymond Scott – performed here by a small combo led by Scott's old tenor player Dave Harris! All of the tunes here were written by Scott, and many are of the vintage that stretches back to his cool cartoon work – those jaunty, jagged little... read more