... 12-inch, Vinyl record

With Greg Nice on the Daddy Hip Hop mix. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Great 3-sided single that features two regular sides, plus a third side "hidden" amidst the grooves of the second side. Loads of great stuff, including "Brain Washed Follower" and "Ain't Hip to Be Labeled a Hippy". The kind of 12 inch single that makes collecting them worth while! 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Early Vee Jay Records material from the great John Lee Hooker – tracks that include the previously unreleased "This Is Hip" and "House Rent Boogie" – plus "Dimples", "Tight Skirt", "Boom Boom", "I Love You Honey", "I'm In The Mood", "It Serves Me Right To Suffer", and lots more! LP, Vinyl record album

An old school classic from way back – a reworking of the famous groover by Babe Ruth, opened up nicely for the 80s dancefloor by Jellybean! Heck, the cut almost makes you forgive him his silly name! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Off "14 shots to the Dome", with Marley Marl and QDIII production, and a remix by Teddy Riley. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A classic electro groove – and one of the tracks that's a contender for the origin of the word "hip hop"! A very nice groove with an early Arthur Baker feel, and the kind of cut that we slept on during the 80s, but which sounds totally great today! 3 different edits. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A massive pairing of the tenor of Booker Ervin and Hammond of Don Patterson – a record that's got a very famous cover image, and which marks for one of the greatest meetings of soul and modernism at mid-60s Prestige Records! There's no bass at all on the set – just lots of quick, tight rhythm lines from Patterson on the pedals of the Hammond – mixed with drums from Billy James, and served up with plenty of space for Ervin to open up on tenor – blowing with more soul than on some of his modernist sides of the time! The title cut – "Hip Cake Walk" – is a 16 minute groover, and other tracks include "Rosetta", "Sister Ruth", and "Donald Duck". Very cool cover, too! LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

An undisputed classic! "I Spy" is one of those rare soul tunes that everyone knows – collector or not – and Jamo's version is the original, the best, and the totally essential Chicago soul single that's a must-have in any collection. Produced by Monk Higgins and Burgess Gardner, with a sound so raw it'll blow the lid off your transistor! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Tracks include "Buffalo Gals" by Malcolm McLaren, "Bring The Noise" and "The Public" by Public Enemy, "You Gots To Chill" by EPMD, "Sally" by Stetsasonic, "Big Mouth" by Whodini, "Top Billin" by Audio Two, "I Got A Good Thing" by Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud, "Jenifa" by De La Soul, and "Twist & Shout" and "Shake Your Thing" by Salt N Pepa. LP, Vinyl record album

Debut single from Capital D and Tone B Nimble with the classic "50 Years"! 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

One of Quincy Jones' best for Mercury Records in the 60s – a very groovy record that was done with a feel that's somewhere in between his Big Band Bossa album and his best 60s soundtrack work! The format is simple – Quincy picks a sweet batch of jazz semi-hits from the early 60s, plays them with a nice mix of soul jazz arrangements, and works with a great ensemble filled with wonderful players – including Roland Kirk, Budd Johnson, Seldon Powell, James Moody, and Jerome Richardson on reeds; Lalo Schifrin and Patti Brown on piano, Jim Hall on guitar, Clark Terry on trumpet, and Melba Liston on trombone – plus lots of great percussion at the bottom, helping bring some Latin energy to the grooves at points. Tunes are familiar, but all given a great Quincy Jones twist – and titles include "Gravy Waltz", "Jive Samba", "Walk On The Wild Side", "Bossa Nova USA", and "Watermelon Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing production as always from Premier that works nice with the more laid-back flow KRS adopts on this one from the "KRS-One" LP. B-side features Das EFX. 12-inch, Vinyl record

An excellent groover from Love Unlimited – proof that neither they, nor Barry White, had lost their touch! The tune's got a snapping bassline that really grooves the track right away – pulling in some soaring strings, but still keeping up the beat as the vocals come in. The instrumental still has a bit of chorus vocals, but seems to add in a bit of piano to fill things out! 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

The first volume in the Motown Remixed project – and a vinyl EP that features 4 strong hip hop tracks! The sound here is a lot more soul-based than you'd expect – and really mostly just takes the older tunes and pumps them up with some more contemporary beats and bass, while still keeping the regular vocals in place – a good move in our book! Titles include "I Want You Back (Z-Trip rmx)" by Jackson 5, "I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Randy Watson Experience mix)" by Gladys Knight & The Pips, "ABC (Salaam Remi extended krunk-a-delic party mix)" by Jackson 5, and "Smiling Faces Sometimes (Futureshock main ingredient mix)" by Undisputed Truth. Also contains Z-Trip bonus beats! LP, Vinyl record album

Includes "Girls" by The B-Boys, "Get Fresh" by PC Crew, "Jimbrowski" by Jungle Brothers, "Def Fresh Crew" by Roxanne Shante, "Wrath Of Kane" by Big Daddy Kane, and some beatbox skits from Biz Markie. 12-inch, Vinyl record

With Aesop Rock and Percee P on the remix. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

With cuts by Rasco & Kut Masta Kurt, Izm Da Mad Soul, Live Human, Sacred Hoop, Rob Swift, Roc Raida, Mr Dibbs, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure moment in June Christy's career, but a great one too – a rare later recording, done many years after her time at Capitol Records – in a laidback setting with a hip group of west coast players! June's voice definitely shows a bit of age, but she's still head and shoulders above most jazz singers of her generation – mixing subtle feeling and darkness together beautifully, in a way that makes for a wonderfully moody record! Lou Levy leads the group on piano, and other players include Bob Cooper on tenor and flute, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Jack Sheldon on trumpet – although the horns don't seem to appear on all the tracks on the date. Titles include "The Trouble With Hello Is Goodbye", "My Shining Hour", "Once Upon A Summertime", "Show Me", "Willow Weep For Me", "Everything Must Change", and "Autumn Serenade". LP, Vinyl record album

The pianist's hip take on the music of Chopin – played by his groovy trio with Peter Witte on bass and Charly Antolini on drums! LP, Vinyl record album

The pianist's hip take on the music of Chopin – played by his groovy trio with Peter Witte on bass and Charly Antolini on drums! LP, Vinyl record album

The longest album ever from The Clash – a stunning triple LP set that really shows the group bristling with new ideas and energy throughout! There's a hell of a lot going on here – some cuts that are every bit as strong as the previous records, others that offer a few mis-steps but in a wonderfully playful way – and a few more that really hit this sort of unique mix of genres and politics that could only be summed up as Clash-like at its best! Bits of hip hop, reggae, new wave, funk, and more mix together beautifully – and the album's got a hell of a lot of charm and character, even if you're skipping past a few of the cuts you don't like as much as the others. 36 tracks in all – and titles include "The Magnificent Seven", "Hitsville UK", "Junco Partner", "The Leader", "Police On My Back", "Midnight Log", "The Call Up", "Washington Bullets", "Broadway", "Rebel Waltz", "Look Here", "The Crooked Beat", "Somebody Got Murdered", "Lose This Skin", "Charlie Don't Surf", "Kingston Advice", "Corner Soul", "Let's Go Crazy", "The Sound Of Sinners", "Living In Fame", "Silicone On Sapphire", and "Career Opportunities". LP, Vinyl record album

A live bit of fusion supergroup jamming – one in which Billy Cobham and George Duke are joined by Alphonso Johnson and John Scofield in a set of really soulful numbers! The main focus here is straight fusion jamming, but there's also a nice undercurrent of funk and soul in the set as well – and Jon Lucien makes an appearance on the track "Almustafa The Beloved" – a great number with a break sampled by Peanut Butter Wolf! George Duke indulges himself a touch on "Space Lady", a spare electric keys number with a lengthy spoken intro – and other titles include "Do What Cha Wanna", "Frankenstein Goes To The Disco", "Hip Pockets", "Ivory Tattoo", "Sweet Wine", and "Juicy". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little session that's one of Nat's last great vocal albums – thanks to some solid jazz backing by George Shearing. Shearing's group here is a super-hip west coast Latin one, with Emil Richards on vibes, Al Hendrickson on guitar, Al McKibbon on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums. Most tracks have them augmented by some larger backings by Ralph Carmichael – which creates this dreamy jazzy pillow for Nat to sing over. Cole's voice is still super-sweet and super-sexy, and the record is a good mix of ballads and more jazzy material. Titles include "Lost April", "Azure-Te", "September Song", "Don't Go", "There's A Lull In My Life", and "Serenata". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite a different album than usual for John Coltrane, but a classic one too – and a set that has the great one exploring his ideas in a set of longer tracks recorded with an expanded jazz orchestra! The format's hardly the mainstream big band of the time – as Coltrane's filled the group with very hip players – including Booker Little, Freddie Hubbard, Julian Priester, and Eric Dolphy – in addition to usual compatriots who include McCoy Tyner, Reggie Workman, and Elvin Jones. The tunes have a soaring, modal sort of pulse – one that's filled with color and light from the addition of the other horn players, but which still has plenty of space for extended, exploratory solos. Coltrane plays both tenor and soprano sax – and titles include the legendary 16 minute track "Africa", a classic reading of "Greensleeves", redone here as a modal searching spiritual track, and "Blues Minor". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album of vocal jazz – and one of the few sessions that John Coltrane ever cut with a singer! In a way, the album's more Hartman's than it is Coltrane's – given that Johnny's warm, mellow style of singing isn't as free and open as Trane at his most adventurous – but at another level, the album's got a great approach to Coltrane's gentler side, one that wasn't showing up on a lot of his Impulse albums of the time. Overall, the album's got an extremely haunting quality, and McCoy Tyner's piano adds as much to Hartman's hip voice as Coltrane's mellow tenor. Titles include some well-chosen moody standards – including "Lush Life", "Dedicated To You", and "Autumn Serenade". LP, Vinyl record album

A very groovy mid 60s set from Chris Connor – quite different than her famous 50s sides for Bethlehem, thanks to some hip arrangements by Don Costa! Don never goes to over the top here, but he does add in some nice groovy touches – things like bossa rhythms and electric harpsichord, used sparingly, but to very nice effect – and all in ways that help Connor hit some new ground for the times! Vocals are still totally top-shelf – as you'd expect from Chris – and tracks include "Love Life", "You're Gonna Hear From Me", "Who's Afraid", "Nowhere Man", and "Goin Out Of My Head". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from Chick Corea – recorded in the early 80s, but with a sweet electric groove that takes us back to his best from a decade before! Chick plays Fender Rhodes and other keyboards – and works here with a group that has a nice sort of angular edge – none of the too-smooth moments that were sometimes showing up in Corea's other early 80s work, and instead some of the driving, soulful undercurrents that really sparkled in the Return To Forever years. The Fender Rhodes sounds great – clear and clean, just like back in the old days – and the group features reeds from Steve Kujala, bass from Carlos Benavent, drums from Tom Brechtlein, and hip percussion from Don Alias. Titles include "Twang", "Quintet #3", "Waltze", "Again & Again", and "Diddle Diddle". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite vocal albums of the 50s – an incredibly witty live set from Noel Coward, recorded in Las Vegas, with a very different style than some of his other records! The Noel Coward you'll hear here is still steeped in the mannered wit of his earlier plays, but he's also let himself go considerably – working in front of a live audience with an eager ear for well crafted lyrics and innuendo. The songs are mostly numbers from Coward's earlier shows, but they're sung in a hip swinging loungey style that really gives them legs – moving them past their staid roots into strong 50s vocal territory. Includes 2 great remakes of Cole Porter numbers – "Let's Do It" and "Begin The Beguine", both with Coward's own lyrics – plus "Uncle Harry", "A Bar On The Piccola Marina", "World Weary", and "Mad Dogs & Englishmen". LP, Vinyl record album

The long hinted at full duo effort from Danger Mouse & Black Thought – which despite the title arrives with no shortcuts taken by either party – they got to the highest level after decades of grinding and stellar play! Danger Mouse hasn't produced a straight-up, classic-schooled gritty hip hop album in quite a while and he couldn't have a finer foil than Black Thought – and guest spots include an archival verse from Danger Mouse's late partner MF Doom, appearances by Raekwon, Run The Jewels, Kid Sister and others. Titles includes "Cheat Codes", "Sometimes", "Darkest Part" with Raekwon & Kid Sister, "No Gold Teeth", "Belize" with the late great MF Doom, "Aquamarine" with Michael Kiwanuka, "Identical Death", "Strangers" with A$ap Rocky & Run The Jewels, "Violas And Lupitas" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! LP, Vinyl record album

A live little set from Blossom Dearie – one recorded in Reno at the end of the 70s, with mostly Blossom on piano and vocals, plus a bit of bass from Bill Takas and some guest duet vocals from Bob Dorough! The album really captures the charm and grace of Blossom in her later live years – a mode that's relaxed, but confident – able to come across with new wisdom on the sadder, mellower tunes – and possibly even more wit on the more upbeat numbers! Dorough's presence is especially great, and his hipster voice only adds more electricity to the record – and titles here include "I'm Shadowing You", "Baby It's Cold Outside", "I'm Hip", "When The World Was Young", "Sweet Surprise", "Ballad Of The Shape Of Things", "Lush Life", and "Two Sleepy People". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite records of all time! We've got to admit, this one's an acquired taste, but if you dig cool LA studio pop from the early 70's, this record's a real treasure! Nick DeCaro was probably best known to the world as an instrumental arranger for A&M (he did a lot of the Claudine Longet albums), but this record from the early 70's has him singing in a set of cool spacey tracks that mix studio pop and jazz for a sound that's unlike anything else we've ever heard before. Nick's backed by a tight group that includes LA jazz players like Arthur Adams, Wilton Felder, Paul Humphrey, Harvey Mason, and David T. Walker – and the sound is very compressed, very laidback, and very very hip. Tracks include "Under The Jamaican Moon", "Wailing Wall", and great versions of "Getting Mighty Crowded" and Stevie Wonder's "Angie Girl". Remember, it's an acquired taste, but if you like stuff like middle period Steely Dan or Maria Muldaur, you'll really dig this one! LP, Vinyl record album

DJ Jazzy Jeff returns – with a top shelf roster or MCs doing justice to his Philly soul reared, bedrock beatcraft – including Big Daddy Kane, Method Man, Rhymefest, Jean Grae, Kardinall Offishall, CL Smooth, Pos of De La Soul and more – underground spitters and mic icons alike! We don't know if Jazz tailors his beats for the chosen MCs – or if he seeks out the appropriate MCs for his ready-made material – but whatever his methods, they're still working well. Return Of The Magnificent is a standard bearing effort! Titles include "Hip Hop" feat Twone Gabz, "Let Me Hear U Clap" feat Pos from De La Soul, "Run That Back" feat Eshon Burgundy & Black Ice, "Jeff N Fess" feat Rhymefest, "Practice" feat J Live, "Supa Jean" feat Jean Grae, "The Garden" feat Big Daddy Kane, "Hold It Down" feat Method Man, "My Soul Ain't For Sale" feat Raheem DeVaugh, "Cone On feat Dave Ghetto, "Brand New Funk 2K7" feat Peedi Peedi and more1 LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet, stretched-out session from saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera – one that still has a bit of the Latin roots of the past, but which also hits a more spacious style that almost reminds us of the best CTI sides of the early 70s! The album's recorded live at San Francisco's Keystone Korner – and Paquito's playing alto sax throughout, working with a hip sextet that includes Carlos Franzetti on keyboards – bringing in some warm, soulful touches to the music that are totally great! Other players include Claudio Roditi on trumpet and trombone and Daniel Ponce on percussion – and all tracks are nice and long, with titles that include "Song For Maura", "Red On Red", "Deja Vu", "Zanaith", and "Estamos Ah". LP, Vinyl record album

Billy goes for a hip 70s easy mode – a bit like Grady Tate, and made even better by sweet LA arrangements from Artie Butler. The titles have kind of a sophisticated soul groove to them, and Billy's definitely stretching his voice a bit to keep up with Artie's arrangements. Titles include "Feel The Warm", "Third Child", "Mixed Up Girl", "Something More", and a version of "We've Only Just Begun" that's got a surprisingly nice groove to it! LP, Vinyl record album

A great back to basics set from Edo G and Insight Innovates – part of a recent run of records on the scene that really seem to redirect hip hop to more straightforward modes – not at a retro level, but in a style that reminds us that at the core, the music is best when it's got a strong focus on beats and quality rhymes! Neither artist is out to change the world, but together they've got a way of uniting hip hop history with a contemporary sensibility – no fuzz or fluff, just tight at the core, and all the way through. Titles include "Just Listen", "Unite & Let's All Get Down", "It Takes Progress", "Good In Goodbye", "Never Too Late To Correct Mistakes", "Choose Your Path", and Set It Off", a tribute to Big Daddy Kane! LP, Vinyl record album

A hokey cover and title, but a hip little record from Duke Ellington – kind of a story of percussion and jazz, all wrapped together with some great vocals and narration! The format is kind of far-reaching, but never too stuffy – and in a way, the album offers a great opportunity to hear some of the Ellington players stepping out in a slightly different vibe than the usual Columbia date from the decade. Duke does a bit of narration himself – and singers include Margaret Tynes, Joya Sherrill, and Ozzie Bailey – who beautifully illustrate the shifting passages of the longer suite. Solos are by Johnny Hodges on alto, Clark Terry on trumpet, and Paul Gonsalves on tenor – and titles include "Congo Square", "Madam Zajj", "Drum is A Woman", "You Better Know It", "Rhythm Pum Te Dum", and "Rhumbop". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Duke Ellington's standout sides for Columbia – a strong recording that revisits many of the best elements of his earlier work, and offers up some more sophisticated scoring for the 50s – thanks to extended track length in the LP generation! The tunes here are older ones, but they're taken to some nicely hip territory – thanks to Duke's strong ear for modern changes, and a line up of players that includes Billy Strayhorn on piano, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, Clark Terry and Ray Nance on trumpets, Juan Tizol on trombone, and Louis Bellson on drums. Bellson does a great job on the classic "Skin Deep" – a real showcase for his talents in this recording – and other titles include "The Mooche", "Take The A Train", and "Perdido" – plus a 13 minute reading of "A Tone Parallel To Harlem (aka The Harlem Suite)". LP, Vinyl record album