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Margie Joseph's working here with 70s smooth soul maestro Johnny Bristol – and the resulting album is every bit as great as Bristol's own work from the time! Johnny's in perfect form here – coming up with those slightly funky, slightly polished backings that were his best stock in... read more

The third album in Margie Joseph's early 70s run for Atlantic Records – and like the rest, a batch of super-tight tunes arranged and produced by Arif Mardin – done with the same sense of sophisticated soul he was bringing to the work of Aretha Franklin at the time! Margie's nicely a... read more

The third album in Margie Joseph's early 70s run for Atlantic Records – and like the rest, a batch of super-tight tunes arranged and produced by Arif Mardin – done with the same sense of sophisticated soul he was bringing to the work of Aretha Franklin at the time! Margie's nicely a... read more

The first Atlantic album from Margie Joseph – a great second generation southern soul singer who really helped the label find a new sound in the 70s! Margie got her start on Stax, but she sounds even better here – a bit more mature, slightly more urban, and backed with a bad-walking... read more

The first Atlantic album from Margie Joseph – a great second generation southern soul singer who really helped the label find a new sound in the 70s! Margie got her start on Stax, but she sounds even better here – a bit more mature, slightly more urban, and backed with a bad-walking... read more

Margie Joseph gets a hipper treatment than on earlier records – a mix of east coast styles that adds in some Philly and early modern mellow arrangements, both of which provide a great contrast to Margie's southern-tinged vocals! The approach here is great – a fulling up and fleshing... read more

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The New York in the title is very apt – as the album's got a lot more soul, and a lot more solid club groove than some of Kano's other albums from the 80s! The overall feel is really great – moving along in a post-disco groove that's mostly based around spare rhythms, simple... read more

One of the few full albums recorded by 50s pianist Dick Katz – and a record that's awash with some of the best modernist touches and playfulness that he brought to his work for other artists! As you'd guess from the title, the album's got a focus on the compositions and piano work of Katz... read more

An unusual little record – a set that's a bit "fake" in its pedigree, but which still comes across with some wonderfully vivid results! Fred Kaz is a Chicago pianist, but he works here on a set of original compositions based on his readings on Near Eastern cultures – dubbed... read more

A great blend of older jazz styles and the sweet 70s funk of Robin Kenyatta – served up with a hip sort of sparkle overall! There's a few familiar jazz modes in here that definitely live up to the spirit of the title – but most of the record is more open, laidback, and somewhat... read more

One of the many many groovy jazz versions of the famous Hair score by Galt MacDermot! This one has Barney Kessel getting a lot hipper than usual – with backing by organ and electric bass, which makes for a nice groovy groove. The whole thing's nice and spare, with a groovy feeling, and good... read more

A great one from Ben E King's "Supernatural" comeback years in the mid 70s – recorded at Sigma Sound with a really stellar approach on both the groovers and the mellow tunes! Ben's really letting his vocals open up on the set – going for that richness that was sometimes held... read more

Ben E King in a few different modes – all of them great, and a great demonstration of the continuing strengths he brought to his work at Atlantic Records in the 70s! The album features the work of three different production forces – Lamont Dozier, who serves up some sweet warm grooves... read more

Ben E King goes into a sweet sweet music trance – that late 70s dancefloor mode that really helped transform his sound, and breathe new life into his career! The style's not really disco, but is more an upbeat take on modern soul – a groove that still broke big on plenty of dancefloors... read more

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A brilliant 70s comeback for Ben E King – a record that shows the world that his vocals are still some of the best in soul, long after his early hits – and a massively mature effort that also grooves like a mofo! King's style here is completely different than before – rich, full,... read more

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An overlooked later gem from Ben E King – and a record that goes way past the overplayed hits of the early years! Ben's always been a hell of a singer – but on a record like this, we can really rediscover his genius all over again – hearing him on a fresh batch of Atlantic... read more

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One of the heaviest early King Crimson albums – a set that really has the group taking off even more than before! The core is Fripp on guitars, John Wetton on bass and vocals, and Bill Bruford on drums – and titles include "Starless", "Providence", "One More... read more

A pretty dark little record from the waning mid 70s version of King Crimson – recorded on tour in the US by a quartet of David Cross, Bill Bruford, John Wetton, and Robert Fripp. The tracks are mostly live takes of tunes from earlier albums – "Easy Money", "21st Century... read more

One of the last albums that King Curtis ever recorded – and an unusual session of mostly blues-based material, recorded at the Montreux Jazz Fest with Champion Jack Dupree! In a way, the setting really unlocks some of Dupree's more jazz-oriented modes – in a group that features Curtis... read more

Roland plays moody jazz versions of some of the biggest soul hits of the early 70's – including tracks like "What's Going On", "Mercy Mercy Me", and "Ain't No Sunshine" – plus some other nice originals which sum up his take on "blacknuss". Titles... read more

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Some of the greatest spiritual jazz of the late 60s – and 2 of Rahsaan Roland Kirk's best Atlantic albums back to back on one CD! The Inflated Tear is a landmark album from Roland – one of his key 60s sides for Atlantic records, and an amazing blend of soul jazz, hardbop, and freer... read more

Rahsaan Roland Kirk takes on "other folks music" – that is, a host of tunes penned by other jazz artists – but as you'd expect, there's a really personal feel to the record overall – one that definitely makes the music Kirk's own by the end of the set! The album's a bit... read more

Roland makes a nod towards tradition – as he seemed to be doing often in the later years of his life – and he welcomes the great Al Hibbler into the studio for a true "meeting of the times". Hibbler's one of our favorite vocalists from the early 50s, but mixing him with Kirk... read more

One of the hippest albums that Rahsaan Roland Kirk ever recorded – a perfect realization of his "black classical music" ethos, and a pan-generational jazz album that's all held together by one unique musical vision! Side one features the extended suite "The Seeker", which... read more

One of the hippest albums that Rahsaan Roland Kirk ever recorded – a perfect realization of his "black classical music" ethos, and a pan-generational jazz album that's all held together by one unique musical vision! Side one features the extended suite "The Seeker", which... read more

One of the hippest albums that Rahsaan Roland Kirk ever recorded – a perfect realization of his "black classical music" ethos, and a pan-generational jazz album that's all held together by one unique musical vision! Side one features the extended suite "The Seeker", which... read more

A stone classic from Roland Kirk – and a record that beautifully balances his modern ideas and playful energy – as you might guess from the title! While posing as the "whistleman", Roland's also pushing the boundaries of jazz a few steps forward too – not just in modern... read more

An undisputed classic – and a key turning point in the career of Roland Kirk! The set has Roland leading a large group of musicians through a haunting batch of complicated tracks that clearly illustrate his much-heralded concept of Black Classical Music – a mixture of jazz, older... read more

Our favorite album ever from Roland Kirk – and a beautiful mix of two different sides of his genius! Side one's got Roland doing these crazy takes on late 60's pop cuts like "My Cherie Amour" and "Say a Little Prayer", plus his own "songs", done with soulful... read more

Tight 80s soul from Kleeer – one of the group's standout classics, and a set that's produced with kind of a jazzy finish by Deodato, who also plays some nice keyboards on the record! The Kleeer sound is at its height here – tight, warm, and filled with great harmonies on the vocals... read more

The second album from Kleeer – and a record that really has the group solidifying their sound – compressing keyboards, guitar, and grooves together in a sublimely boogie-heavy mode! Kleeer were really at the forefront of the coming 80s groove scene – and Woody Cunningham and the... read more

A great set by Konitz – recorded live at the height of his powers, in all his icy-blue perfection! The group features the amazing Billy Bauer on guitar, Don Ferrara on trumpet, and Peter Ind on bass – and Ind (a bit of a knob-twiddler) also handled the recording of the set, so it's got... read more

Very early work by Patti LaBelle – working here with the young Bluebelles group, but in a setting that still points the way towards the Labelle sound of the 70s – given that the quartet also features vocals from Cindy Birdsong, Sarah Dash, and Nona Hendryx! The style is a great mix of... read more

A spacious mid 70s set from Yusef Lateef – with some numbers showing his more soaringly spiritual bent – and others hewing towards a more bluesy or loosely funky vein. Tracked live in San Francisco, some numbers were later augmented with overdubbed strings and vocals – there's... read more

One of our favorite Atlantic albums by the great Yusef Lateef – an incredible session that has him dipping back into his earlier exotic roots, yet still hitting the sweeter soulful groove of some of his other Atlantic sides! The sound is tremendous – wonderfully righteous, at a level... read more

A soulful late 60s outing for Brother Yusef – one of his first, and one of his best, albums for Atlantic! Despite the misleading title, this isn't really the "complete" Yusef Lateef (it would have to be a 50 LP set for that!) – but the record is a nice slice of Yusef's... read more

One of the best of Yusef's Atlantic recordings, and one that offers a mix of his 2 different sides – his older spiritualist one, and his newer funkier one. Includes the tight groover "Live Humble", with nice conga work by Ray Barretto, plus the extended "Chandra" and... read more

One of Yusef Lateef's funkier albums for Atlantic – and a record that features some great keyboard work from Kenny Barron! The liner notes indicate a current Lateef fascination with rhythm, and it tries to present this fascination in a way that implies a bigger intellectual approach to the... read more

One of Yusef Lateef's funkier albums for Atlantic – and a record that features some great keyboard work from Kenny Barron! The liner notes indicate a current Lateef fascination with rhythm, and it tries to present this fascination in a way that implies a bigger intellectual approach to the... read more

One of the greatest Yusef Lateef albums on Atlantic Records – and that's saying a lot, given the high level of quality he was hitting at the label! The album's a perfect blend of the newly-funky Lateef style with some hipper, more sophisticated touches – a mode that hints at his bigger-... read more

A moody set of 70s work from Yusef – proof that he was always trying to push his bag, and a good attempt to bridge his earlier exotic work and his later high concept compositions. Some of this material is spare and thoughtful, while other tracks are trying for sort of a 70's electric funk... read more

One of Yusef Lateef's more ambitious albums for Atlantic – kind of a "history of jazz" in styles and expressions, performed with a large set of players that runs the gamut of talents available at the time – all of whom come together strongly under Lateef's greater vision! The... read more

A groundbreaking set from Yusef Lateef – one that mixes together a number of different soul jazz styles! In a way, Atlantic records tried to handle Yusef Lateef in the same way they did Roland Kirk – by creating recordings that either let him express himself strongly as an arch-modernis... read more

A groundbreaking set from Yusef Lateef – one that mixes together a number of different soul jazz styles! In a way, Atlantic records tried to handle Yusef Lateef in the same way they did Roland Kirk – by creating recordings that either let him express himself strongly as an arch-modernis... 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

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

Massive early work from Hubert Laws – and a set that really shows some more the more Latin and soul sides of his talents! Tracks here have a tight punch throughout – with some great New York 60s rhythms that feature a young Chick (then called "Armando") Corea on piano, then a... read more

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

Donal Leace was one of a few hip soul acts that Roberta Flack brought to Atlantic during her strongest period with the label – and he's a soulful folk singer whose work reminds us of certain folksy moments on Flack's first few albums. There's less of a Terry Callier sound than a Tim Hardin... read more

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Led Zeppelin at peak power – mixing hard rock bombast with deep, genuine love for blues and folk guitars! Houses Of The Holy is essential the blueprint for countless imitators to come – but it's also got smarts, subtleties and a creative ambition that's just plain lost on the watered... read more

Led Zeppelin's final album of the 70s! The band was conscious as ever of modern studio sounds by the this point – and they find a way to deliver their hard blues-inspired heavy rock with some new wave synth and other late 70s touches. It works pretty well, and with songs as great as "Fo... read more

Led Zeppelin's final album of the 70s! The band was conscious as ever of modern studio sounds by the this point – and they find a way to deliver their hard blues-inspired heavy rock with some new wave synth and other late 70s touches. It works pretty well, and with songs as great as "Fo... read more

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Hard rock perfected! It's around Led Zeppelin IV you can easily say that the group moved up from being incredibly great to flat-out legendary. On IV, they do a bit of what the did on each of the three preceding albums, but rather than starting to repeat themselves, they get better! Amazing. ... read more

Led Zeppelin walk back just a bit on their more stylistically sprawling tendencies for this one – and it's a fine set of hard-grooving rock from these uber-legends! We're not sure if they got some of the more ambitious ideas out of their system with Physical Graffiti, or if they just simply... read more

Arguably one of the greatest double-live albums of the classic rock generation – filled with extra long takes of Led Zep classics, most of which diverge very strongly from their studio versions! The real highlight here is the set's classic "Moby Dick", which features one of the... read more

An incredibly lovely later album from Peggy Lee – her first album for Atlantic, and proof that she was still growing tremendously as an artist, well into the 70s! The record's title track was a tune written for Peggy by Paul McCartney, who also produced the number for the record – and... read more

An incredibly lovely later album from Peggy Lee – her first album for Atlantic, and proof that she was still growing tremendously as an artist, well into the 70s! The record's title track was a tune written for Peggy by Paul McCartney, who also produced the number for the record – and... read more

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

Near-perfect work from Barbara Lewis – one of our favorite female talents of the 60s – and an artist whose blend of soul and sophistication went onto influence a huge generation of singers in years to come! The album's a key collaboration with Detroit producer Ollie McLaughlin –... read more

The best-ever collection of work we've ever seen from Barbara Lewis – and the first set to really give the soul singer her due! Lewis was a hell of a vocalist back in the 60s – an artist who could be classy one minute, and gutsy the next – often working with key production from... read more

A record that was issued quite a few years after Barbara Lewis' debut for Atlantic, but a set that's equally great – thanks to some impeccable production from the great Ollie McLaughlin! The set's got a sound that's a bit more upbeat and soaring than some of Lewis' earlier work – a... read more

Trad material, recorded by Lewis and two different groups at the New Orleans-based trad jazz factory, Preservation Hall. Titles include "Salty Dog", "Pork Chops", "Linger Awhile", and "Indian Sagua".... read more

John Lewis takes on the music of Gary McFarland – working here in a very cool set of McFarland compositions and arrangements – often with a lot more tone, color, and feeling than usual for a Lewis album! John often punctuates his piano notes, almost as if he's using vibes – and... 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

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

One of the strongest sessions recorded by pianist John Lewis in the 50s – a date that shows depths of his talents that run even greater than his work with the Modern Jazz Quartet, quite possibly because is work on piano is at the forefront of the record throughout! There's a sense of... read more

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

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

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Little Brother transitions to the majors with their soulful underground sound intact – and deliver an effort that in the best moments improve upon the already classic Listening LP! It looks like this just isn't going to go over with the TRL crowd, despite the Atlantic logo. The soul sample... 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

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

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 famous album – but for good reason! The set's something of a landmark in spiritual jazz from the 60s – and it features a classic live performance from Charles Lloyd, recorded at the Monterey Jazz Festival – almost as a distillation and popularization of ideas that were brewing... 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

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

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

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

A rare session of violin-led jazz – recorded for Atlantic Records in 1960! Harry Lookofsky may not be a famous name as a leader in jazz, but he scored strings for many pop and instrumental outings during the 60s – and he also has the distinction of being the father of one of the... read more

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A fantastic album of soul from Barbara Lynn – an oft-overlooked gem in the crown of Atlantic during their glory soul days in the 60s, and a singer with a raw soulful style that really deserved greater exploration! The album's filled with wonderful original tunes, written either by Barbara or... read more

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One of the richest albums that Junior Mance ever cut for Atlantic Records – a smoking soul jazz set that seems to have a bit of a gospel influence too – at least in the deep, soulful bottom that comes from the feel of the group! Junior's piano is right on the money – as sharp and... read more

A stone cooker from Junior Mance – quite possibly his most freewheeling album of the time – thanks to an open-ended live setting that really lets him take off! All tracks are nice and long – and Mance really stretches out on piano, working with a tight trio that features Wilbur... read more