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A stone classic from Cannonball Adderley – and a pivotal set that has him continuing the live recording setting of some of his best 60s albums, while also stretching forward to some of the more inventive ideas of the latter part of the decade! David Axelrod produced, and the album's... read more

Cannonball Adderley with David Axelrod production – a combination that couldn't miss back in the 60s! In keeping with the success of the Mercy Mercy Mercy album done with Axelrod, Capitol did everything they could to catch Cannonball in a live setting – a great move, given the open,... read more

A nice once – certainly not as funky as some of Cannon's other work for Capitol, but with a dark edge that really makes it great! The core Cannonball quintet of Nat Adderley, Joe Zawinul, et al, is set up in string arrangements by Ray Ellis – a bit flowery at times, but in a way that... read more

One of the coolest, baddest, funkiest albums Cannonball Adderley ever recorded – a massive suite of tunes based on the signs of the Zodiac, produced to perfection by David Axelrod, and featuring some hip recitations from the mighty Rick Holmes! The double-length set is completely compelling... read more

One of the all-time great ones by Cannonball! This record captures him in the prime of his early soul jazz fame – working with an unbelievably heavy quintet that featured Bobby Timmons on piano (with Barry Harris sitting in on a few tracks), Sam Jones on bass, Louis Hayes on drums, and... read more

A massive look at the mighty pairing of Cannonball Adderley and David Axelrod – a partnership that's way more than just jazz musician and producer! Axelrod's talents in the studio are many, but his greatest heights were possibly reached in collaboration with Cannonball – a relationship... read more

A really unique little album from Cannonball's all-great late years at Capitol – a session that features some strong influences from Brazilian music – "The Happy People" – and production from the legendary David Axelrod! The mix makes for a really unique little record... read more

A fantastic bit of spacey soul – and an amazing collaboration between the Mizell Brothers and vocalist Rance Allen! The set's quite different than Rance's earlier, rootsier work for Stax – and instead has the soaring, joyous quality of some of the other great Mizell productions from... read more

Breezy bossa nova – Hollywood 60s style! The album's one of the best cut for Capitol by guitarist Laurindo Almeida – and has a sweet groovy little style that features Laurindo's lovely guitar work over some lightly dancing small combo backings that include flute, harmonica, organ,... read more

A very groovy album by Laurindo Almeida – one of his best bossa cookers in a swinging 60s mode! The album features lots of great acoustic guitar from Laurindo, but spun over fuller arrangements by Lex De Azvedo, Clare Fischer, and Dick Grove – all of whom get that right sort of jaunty,... read more

Bossa guitar, dreamy orchestrations, and a wonderful American take on the Brazilian sound of the 60s – served up with sparkling Capitol Records production in a set that's easily one of the greatest by guitarist Laurindo Almeida! Almeida's guitar is matched here with some lightly jazzy... read more

A sweet little album from Laurindo Almeida and his "Bossa Nova All Stars" – not a group of Brazilian musicians, and instead a hip set of LA players who really help make the set sparkle! There's a bit more jazz here than on some of Laurindo's other Capitol records of the time –... read more

Dang, these guys could never miss! Even in later years, Ashford and Simpson were still going strong – working here in a wonderfully mellow style that's as soulful for the moment as their mid 70s groovers were for that time. The album's got a sweet modern style that's pretty much in the... read more

Susan Barrett sings about love's varied moods – and gets some pretty great help here from Kenyon Hopkins – an arranger who's got plenty of great moods of his own! Barrett's vocals have this deep-ranged style that's less swinging than you might expect for a singer working with Hopkins... read more

A sublime second solo effort from Syd Barrett – and maybe his most perfectly-formed album ever! There's a sinister balance to the record right from the start – a gentle approach to the offbeat themes that is almost more unsettling than if the matter was undertaken more forcefully... read more

The brilliant full exposure of the voice that was always buried in the larger sounds of Pink Floyd – a definite madcap romp from the amazing Syd Barrett – and a record that still sounds as captivatingly chilling all these many decades later! There's a stripping-down here that's really... read more

A Syd Barrett treasure trove – and an essential compilation of unreleased work that's a much-needed companion to Barrett's classic albums for EMI! The material here is all from the years 1968 to 1970 – tracks recorded before, during, and around the sessions that later became The Madcap... read more

2 rare slices of exotica by Les Baxter – back to back on one CD! The first half of the set features material from the album Ports Of Pleasure – a dreamy exploration of south sea ideals that's got a more lightly drifting quality than some of Baxter's more percussive exotica albums, and... read more

One of the rarest Les Baxter albums – and one of the best! The theme is undersea exotic – and Les uses a swirling mix of strings, piano, organ, flute, and electronics to create a haunting sound that makes you feel like you've discovered some hidden grotto under the sea, filled with... read more

Genius work from Les Baxter – two of his best albums for Capitol, back to back on one CD! Ritual Of The Savage is one of those must-have albums from the 50s – a super-huge record upon its initial release, and an album that pushed the genre of exotica far further than most others at the... read more

One of the rarest albums by Les Baxter – and one of the best! The record features an excellent batch of "space exotica" tracks, set amidst some very lively arrangements, all packaged in one of the greatest album covers of the 50s! Les' writing and leading are as excellent as... read more

An earlier classic from The Beach Boys – and easily one of their best records from the prime sun and surf era for the group – with rave up rockers and some sweet ballads! So much as been written about the foreboding behind-the-scenes circumstances in Beach Boys lore, even during these... read more

A really cool little album from the Beach Boys – a set that definitely takes its "party" title seriously, in a way that has the group singing in a somewhat live and spontaneous manner! There's sort of a "live in studio" feel here – with production that's less... read more

"Little Deuce Coupe" makes a second appearance on a Beach Boys album – this time around as a leadoff track to show the group's versatility on the hot rod market! Despite the change from surf themes, though, the music here is magically the same – sublime Wilson family... read more

One of the greatest records of all time – and don't you forget it! Despite the countless lines of type that have been written about this record, nothing does it full justice like an all-through listen – something we're reminded of every time we put this one on the turntable, which is a... read more

The Beach Boys' installment in Capitol's hot rod-themed Shut Down series – the first edition of which was devoted to a host of different artists! It's clear that even in this setting, The Beach Boys have way more to offer than just a few gimmicky car songs – as the record offers some... read more

My God – they finally did it! After all these years of hearing about the legendary Smile album from The Beach Boys – hearing snippets on other albums, studio bonus tracks, re-recordings, and all the other sources they've dangled in front of us for decades – Capitol's finally gone... read more

The slimmed-down, single LP effort that Capitol issued after the collapse of the legendary Smile album – and a pretty sublime set nonetheless! Sure, some might argue that you can't enjoy Brian Wilson's genius until you've listened to 20 bootlegs of the sessions with dozens of takes on the... read more

A mixed bag record, but with some really wonderful moments – and essential listening as a lead-up to the Pet Sounds album to follow! There's a mix of styles here – some rough rocking numbers that are a bit stiff, mixed with some really amazing tunes that get at Brian Wilson's new... read more

A record with "surf" in the title, but one that's light years from the earlier Beach Boys albums of the 60s! This set is a wonderfully mature effort – hardly surf music at all, and one that moves nicely in the same territory as Sunflower and 20/20! Some of the tunes are... read more

Sweet and dreamy early work from The Beach Boys – an album that has their mellow harmonies taking shape wonderfully – as heard famously on the title track! That sublime gem begins the great little set– a record that has a few hits and some even better obscure numbers – the... read more

Early work from The Beach Boys, but Brian Wilson's genius is already starting to show – tucked in between some more obviously poppy numbers that first put the group on the map! The album obviously features the big title hit, but there's some other great gems here that are much lesser known... read more

A surprisingly great comeback for The Beach Boys – working here with Brian Wilson at the production helm, in a mode that really recalls the glory of the group's post-Pet Sounds years! We'll be honest that we were initially cringing at the title – and expected the worst – but... read more

A pre-Pet Sounds moment of genius from The Beach Boys – a record with some surprisingly wonderful songs tucked in amongst more familiar rockers! There's a growing brilliance here that's clearly evident in Brian Wilson's production, the tunes tender themes, and the complicated harmonics used... read more

Hip hop lifers and genre-defiant pop art blenders The Beastie Boys deliver the Hot Sauce – either their 8th or 9th album in 25 years, depending on how you count the Mix Up instrumentals set – and it sounds to us like a return to the good times hip hop funk style-hopping that the Boys... read more

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Heavy ballads from Peabo Bryson – a perfect sampling of the style he did so well back in the day, including a few of his famous duets with Roberta Flack and Natalie Cole as well! The set's overflowing with mellow jams from Peabo – the kind of laidback numbers that really helped him... read more

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Classic Latin-tinged fusion on Capitol – recorded with a smooth soulful style that's right up there with the best of the Capitol Rare generation! Caldera mixes together nice jazzy saxes with guitars, percussion, and some great keyboard work by Eduardo Del Barrio – all produced by the... read more

That's "gone" – as in the way June Christy really sends us – vocals that take us to a place that few other 50s singers could ever hope to reach! June's work here is a masterpiece of melancholic understatement – far less overblown than some of her pop contemporaries, but... read more

Always brilliant work from the great June Christy – an album that's got a lot more darkness than you might think from the title and the bright-colored cover! The style is very booze-soaked and sad – with plenty of echoes of the classic Something Cool album – and like that set,... read more

One of our all-time favorites from vocalist June Christy – part of an excellent 50s run for Capitol Records in collaboration with arranger Pete Rugolo – a talent who transformed the sound Christy cut with the Kenton band into a whole new range for jazz vocals! The setting is rich and... read more

Great post-Curtom work from Linda Clifford – an album that has her nicely shaking off the excesses of the disco years, and going for a warmer, more sophisticated sound! The style here is almost a bit like the Jones Girls at the time – full modern soul, often grooving in a midtempo mode... read more

Great post-Parliafunkadelicment work from George Clinton – surely the biggest hit of his albums for Capitol – especially since it features the singles "Atomic Dog" and "Loopzilla"! We'll be honest in saying that at the time this one came out, as die-hard Detroit... read more

A triple pack of early magic from Natalie Cole! Inseparable is Natalie's stunning debut for Capitol Records in the mid 70s – a real surprise, and a set that should have had the singer blossoming even more than she did at the time! As with some of the other Capitol soul sessions of the time,... read more

Great earlier stuff from Natalie Cole – actually her third great album in a row – a tremendous early creative and commerical winning streak for Natalie! Thankful has her sweet, soulful voice out from of prodcution by Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy of the Independents, and they give her... read more

One of the lesser-known groups of the early 80s funk scene in Ohio – but a killer combo with a groove that's as good as their contemporaries! The album's got production and arrangements from Ranhi Harris of Dayton, who also plays a bit on the record as well – and the groove is kind of... read more

Classic guitar from one of the all-time greats – a smoking selection of rare Capitol and Deltone Records singles from the legendary Dick Dale – and virtually a blueprint for generations of surf guitar to come! Sure, there were loads of other great players up and down the Pacific coast... read more

A massively wonderful album from Dayton – an album that has the group really getting their groove together – still sticking a bit in the older funk mode from the past, but also bringing in some warmer, deeper touches to their music too! There's a solidness here that's undeniable –... read more

A hard to find later album from Dayton – and a set that still has the group riding high at Capitol Records! Production and arrangements here are by Rahni Harris of the group – and there's a bit more of a chunky/funky sense of rhythm than before – that kind of jaunty way of... read more

The Dramatics hit a new dimension here on Capitol Records – a new home for the group, but also one for many other great groups at the time! The placement's no surprise, given that LJ Reynolds was also working for Capitol during the early 80s too – and the sound here's a bit different... read more

A masterpiece – and possibly the greatest record ever by the Four Freshmen! The album is arranged by Kentonite Pete Rugolo, who gives it a very dark feel – similar to his amazing work on June Christy's Something Cool album (which is a perfect complement to this one) – and he's... read more

A great soundtrack to a very strange film – a late Richard Burton/Elizabeth Taylor vehicle, with a very weird-sounding plot! The album's got some wonderfully groovy numbers that have a real kick to them – bass and drums dancing away on the bottom, with nice use of guitar and organ to... read more

One of the greatest Jackie Gleason albums ever – intially released in a heavy duty package that took the listener through a full evening's worth of seduction! Jackie put together the record as a bachelor's "do it yourself" kit – filled with four different sides of music... read more

A pair of late 60s gems from Jackie Gleason – back to back on a single CD! Silk N Brass features smooth groovy sounds from Jackie Gleason – a set that definitely serves up the silk and brass promised in the title – but which also features some nice solo work too – thanks to... read more

An excellent concept for a bossa album from the 60s – a set that mixes together a bunch of different great guitarists – all with some light and lovely rhythm backings that really hit a groove! Jack Marshall put the set together – and in addition to his own guitar, the record... 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

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

Tremendous work from Coleman Hawkins – a sublime "with strings" session from the 50s, and one of Bean's greatest albums from the decade! The setting is quite different than other sets with Hawk on tenor – soft strings from Glen Osser, cascading beautifully and gently –... read more

An excellent document of how the rawer soul jazz spiritualism of the early 70s smoothed out to become the spacey mellow fusion of the late 70s. The players all have their jazz funk chops – and include Paul Humphrey, Herbie Hancock, Bennie Maupin, and Bill Summers – and they've taken... read more

A pair of gems from High Fashion – back to back on a single CD! Feelin Lucky is an 80s groove classic – and a killer bit of Captiol Records soul from High fashion! Of all US major labels, Capitol was probably putting out the best soul in the early 80s – and this is a tight... read more

Brother of Jesse Jackson, ex-lead of The Independents, Chuck Jackson moved on as a solo act at Capitol when he and Marvin Yancey (also ex-Independents) started working with the label as producers for Natalie Cole. The pair handled some of Cole's best work of the 70s, and Jackson hits a similar... read more

One of the greatest new male soul voices of the 80s – served up here in a beautiful batch of ballads, love songs, and mellow cuts! Freddie Jackson could number plenty of groovers amongst his hits, but he also always seemed most at home with a ballad – where the complexities of his... read more

Pivotal singles from the amazing Wanda Jackson – one of the greatest female rock and country voices from the 50s onward – who mixes a cutesy coo and a feral growl for a sound that was pretty much unprecedented at the time! The material bridges proto rock and country music in a way that... read more

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Hank Jones takes on Porgy & Bess – with some wonderfully groovy results! The set is one of many version of the Gershwin musical that were timed to come out with the release of the late 50s film – but thanks to some careful handling by Jones, the music is way more than a cash-in... read more

The title certainly gets it right – as the album's an early showcase for the piano of Hank Jones – a talented touch that's already able to rise above most of his contemporaries! The date's a trio outing, and Jones is allowed a bit more freedom than the usual jazz musician on Capitol at... read more

Trumpeter Jonah Jones swings nicely with a Broadway theme – yet still manages to keep things in his charming blend of trad, swing, and some groovier elements too! The set's mostly instrumental, although Jonah sings on a few numbers with that warmly raspy voice of his – and as with most... read more

Proof that the Kenton sound could work in just about any format – as Stan transforms a host of older tunes from his book into a bossa nova groove! The approach is simple, but great – as the rich Kenton tones and colors are infused with some added rhythms laid down by Milt Holland,... read more

Not the power pop phenom Knack of "My Sharona" fame – and not the mid 60s UK Knack. This is the mid 60s Sunset Strip Knack – and one of at least 3 great band to have that name that we've been hipped to so far! This particular Knack was fairly short-lived. They signed with... read more

High school and hot rods – groovy Capitol work, courtesy of producer Gary Usher – and of course, it features an incredible roster of west coast studio geniuses behind the curtain! A fun mix of instrumentals and vocal tunes, with beach and surf harmonies, R&B-indebted rumblers and... read more

Sparkling work from singer Irene Kral – and possibly the best album she ever cut! The backings here are by the Herb Pomeroy group – a slightly modern ensemble that still knows how to swing with a good dose of Boston soul – and the overall feel of the album's a lot more forceful... read more

A pair of killers from Kwick – back to back on a single CD! First up is the self-titled Kwick – sweet 80s groove from a quartet who were once known as The Newcomers, and recorded some Memphis singles for Stax – but who here reemerge more than fully-formed – leaping into the... 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

A pretty bold assertion from Peggy Lee on the title – but she backs it up nicely in this obscure album of "guy" songs from the end of the 50s! There's a playful feel to the music that fits Lee's vocals very well – as do the bouncy arrangements from Jack Marshall, who turns... read more

A classic collaboration between Peggy Lee and Nelson Riddle – and a record that really set the tone for Lee's famous Capitol sides of the 60s! The groove here is very upbeat – as you might guess from the title – with a bouncing, almost syncopated approach that's definitely Riddle'... read more

A great illustration of the upbeat, positive vibe that Peggy Lee could serve up when she was at her best – a cool Capitol Records mode that really helped Lee set a whole new tone for singers in the 60s! The great Jack Marshall is at the helm on arrangements – putting things together... read more

A mindblowing bit of psych from the late 60s – and a record that has way more to offer than just the usual fuzzy guitar, thanks to key use of moog, theremin, and tape tricks! There's a really freaky feel to the record from the start – a quality that's hipper than most of the... read more

The soul saving, Satan deterring classic by The Louvin Brothers – plus the excellent Handpicked Songs compilation of Louvin tracks lovingly selected by an eclectic group of indebted artists – in this great 2CD set from Light In The Attic! Satan Is Real is a fantastic record of country... read more

A funky fusion classic – and quite possibly Bobby Lyle's most perfectly realized album! The set was Bobby's first full US outing, and it's filled with soaring, riffing keyboards that stretch out into territory explored a few years before by Johnny Hammond and Lonnie Liston Smith! The real... read more

A wonderful record by Bobby Lyle – and a genius blend of jazz, soul, and lots of other righteous sounds! Lyle started out as a keyboardist, but this album really has him taking off as a vocalist too – working in a sweet Roy Ayers-styled groove – one that blends mellow rhythms... read more

A stone classic from Bobby Lyle – and a record that really has him stepping out strongly, both as a keyboardist and a singer! Bobby's strength at this point is undeniable – and he's got a perfect sense of balance that rivals contemporaries like Roy Ayers or Webster Lewis – both... read more

Way way more than just a simple "jazz meets Broadway" session – as Shelly's working here with vocals by Jack Sheldon & Irene Kral, and arrangements by soundtrack maestro Johnny Williams – in a style that completely recasts the score! The album's got a really dynamic kind... read more

A sweet little set from mid 60s Capitol records – a wonderful blend of jazz and percussion, handled by two of the most inventive musicians on the LA scene! Jack Marshall's probably best known for his excellent arrangements for the label on sets with singers – but here, he's playing... read more

A nice late 50s record Skeets McDonald cut for Capitol that probably left a few heads spinning back in its day for its mix of twangy vocals, bluesy song choices, guitar & rhythms more often than not steeped in rockabilly – and probably would annoy hard honky tonk purists to this day... read more

An early moment of fame for Malaco – who put the set together!... read more

That's Brasil 65, not Brasil 66 – a distinction that marks a key early stage for the great Sergio Mendes – heard here on one of his first albums to mix together bossa jazz and vocals! The approach here is a bit more like vintage bossa dates from Brazil – or a bit like some of the... read more

Number five, and the Steve Miller Band is still going strong – working here with some great help from Area Code 615, who bring a slightly rootsy vibe to the set! That core Miller brilliance is still very firmly in place – and Steve's got an even sharper ear for writing songs this time... read more

We love Marian Montgomery – and she's a heck of a great singer with a really unusual sound! In an early 60s work of sultry vixens, Marian's got a harder-swinging groove that's almost in a Ray Charles mode – clearly inspired by 50s R&B, but done with enough of a jazz flourish to... read more

A Capitol classic from Meli'sa Morgan – filled with sweet 80s grooves, and delivered with a style that's nicely lighter than some of her contemporaries! Morgan can still manage a nice hook when she wants, but the album's also got her working as a richer soul artist overall – eschewing... read more

Meli'sa Morgan doing what she does best – pushing the envelope for mainstream soul, but often in really subtle ways! There's a majestic sweep to these tunes that's a real surprise – a class and care that takes Morgan's music past some of her poppier contemporaries, and which always... read more

A great record by east coast funky soul group Mystic Merlin – and a diverse one, with some jazzy uptempo club tracks, and others on the funkier edge of that style – excellent work from this oft-overlooked band on Capitol! There's a bit of that nice, smoothed out group soul sound that... read more

A standout classic from one of the all-time overlooked greats – the sublime Mystic Merlin, a group who cut a handful of killers in the early 80s! The group's biggest claim to fame is a young Freddie Jackson on vocals – but they're honestly much more an ensemble act than a backup for a... read more

Mystic Merlin runnin' at Sixty Thrills A Minute! It's a sweet ride, too, piloted by one of the best of the funky soul groups on Capitol. This one! As you might guess from the title, the record's got a bit more uptempo stuff than on their earlier album, and the band works incredibly well in this... read more

The first couple of Fred Neil records for Capitol from 1966 to 1967 – the classic self-titled and the lesser remembered, but still quite strong Sessions – back-to-back and as great as ever! Fred is one of the 60s most underrated singer/songwriters – and his early Capital work is... read more

One of the rawest recordings made by Fred Neil – and a record we really love – featuring one side of live tracks, and another of unusual studio material! The first half of the album has Fred playing in a spare setting up in Woodstock – working in a small club, and doing great... read more

A cool record by ne of our favorite artists of the mid 60s to early 70s! Fred Neil is best known to the world as the man who wrote "Everybody's Talkin'", which was used excessively in the film Midnight Cowboy, but since the version in the film was sung by Nilsson, Fred's talents... read more

Mellow O'Jays galore – a great set of some of the group's more mature ballads from later years – served up with a harmony sound that's mighty darn nice! The trio really sparkle here – taking on subjects with the all-adult approach that made them last a lot longer than most of... read more