24 tracks that perfectly illustrate all that was great about Gene Ammons in his early days – a set of singles and 78s recorded for Chess in the late 40s and early 50s, featuring players that include Tom Archia, Matthew Gee, Junior Mance, Sonny Stitt, and Bill Massey. Titles include "Do ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Ten tracks that perfectly illustrate all that was great about Gene Ammons in his early days – a set of singles and 78s recorded for Chess in the late 40s and early 50s, done in a laidback and soulful style that had a tremendous influence on the work of other tenor players at the time! The ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono Black label pressing, with deep groove – nice and clean! Cover has a small cutout hole, but is nice too!)
Gene Ammons —
Young Jug ... CD Chess, Late 40s/Early 50s. Used ...
Out Of Stock
A great collection of early 78rpm material that Gene Ammons cut for Chess Records – 20 tracks in all! (Jazz) CD
A nice little album – featuring some of the sides that Gene Ammons cut "off contract" for Chess/Argo during the early 60s, and ones that feature him paired with Sonny Stitt, his longtime partner in legendary tenor battles from the 50s. The two horns aren't really locked in combat ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A nice little album – featuring some of the sides that Gene Ammons cut "off contract" for Chess/Argo during the early 60s, and ones that feature him paired with Sonny Stitt, his longtime partner in legendary tenor battles from the 50s. The two horns aren't really locked in combat ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(70s orange label pressing in the cropped black & white cover, with some ring & edge wear.)
An excellent Japanese-only collection – featuring rare Chess deep soul singles by both artists who recorded for the label in the 60s! Titles include "A Knife & A Fork", "Without A Woman", "I Wanna Be The Only One", "If That Don't Make You Cry", and ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Bama – The Village Poet —
Ghettos Of The Mind ... LP Chess, 1974. Near Mint- ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
A lost classic in the funky poetry mode of the 70s – and right up there with the best work from the time by the Last Poets, Jim Ingram, or Gil Scott Heron! Bama's got a rough-edged voice that works very well with the funkier backings of the set – handled by a team that includes Bernard ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Raucous, rumbling and hard-charging Chess rhythms, rock and roll by Chuck Berry – his legendary After School Session – and possibly his greatest album ever! It features not only some of Chuck Berry's most famous material, but some of the best early rock songs, period –particularly ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(80s French Vogue pressing. Cover has just a trace of a stain on the upper corner.)
Raucous, rumbling and hard-charging Chess rhythms, rock and roll by Chuck Berry – his legendary After School Session – and possibly his greatest album ever! It features not only some of Chuck Berry's most famous material, but some of the best early rock songs, period –particularly ... (Soul) read moreCD
Chuck Berry —
Bio ... LP Chess, 1973. Near Mint- Gatefold ...
Out Of Stock
An overlooked early 70s set from the legendary Chuck Berry – one that has him in a really great setting that shows just how much Chuck continued to grow over the years! Sure, plenty of folks would have been content to live off their early hits – especially if those hits were as great ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Seminal work from one of the greatest guitarists of all time! (Soul) LP, Vinyl record album
(NOTE – The bottom half of the box has staining, waviness and heavier wear with some splitting – due to moisture. The booklet is also half stained. But the vinyl is nice!)
Chuck Berry is definitely on top with this classic Chess Records set – an album that shows that Berry always had a lot more to offer than some of his oldies rocker contemporaries! Sure, there's a few hits here, but the overall quality of the music is more in the mode of Chess blues of the ... (Soul) read moreCD
A classic collection of Chuck Berry's early genius – a set that introduced his best cuts to a new younger audience in the 70s! All the work here is from the early Chess Records days – and titles include "Deep Feeling", "Wee Wee Hours", "Nadine", "Brown ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Chuck's classic work for Chess/Checker – featuring tunes like "Roll Over Beethoven", "Rock & Roll Music", "Johnny B Goode", "Nadine", "Maybelline", "Sweet Little 16", "Thirty Days", and "Memphis". (Soul) LP, Vinyl record album
A double-helping of Chuck Berry brilliance from his early years on Chess Records – music that always has way way more to offer than you might think! Sure, some of Chuck's hits are very familiar – and sure, the man could later be a bit of a parody of himself – but there's no ... (Soul) read moreCD
Chuck Berry makes the same London move as some of his other Chess Records contemporaries – and the result is one of Chuck's best albums from the later years! The set's not as star-studded as other efforts of this nature – but that's fine with us because Chuck really shines as the lead ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Orange label stereo pressing, in the textured cover with light edge wear.)
As with many of the Chuck Berry full LPs for Chess, this one's filled with some great obscure material that always gets eclipsed by Chuck's big hits. Despite the idea that these would be "new jukebox hits", the material has an approach that was probably a bit too hard for radio, but that' ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
One dozen "berrys", all of them great – the fresh fruits of the labors of a young Chuck Berry – heard here at his raw, early best! The sound here is stunning – a version of Chuck that gets way past any oldies cliches – and which reminds us that at the start, his ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Black label pressing with deep groove. Cover has a split bottom seam, some surface wear & aging, small top seam split.)
Chuck Berry's way more than just rocking for sock hops here – as the set has the seminal figure working at the height of his powers – in a raw, stripped-down setting that still packs way more punch than you might remember if you only think of Chuck in terms of all those over-used ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(80s French Vogue pressing in a barcode cover, with lightly bent corners.)
Ben Branch & The Operation Breadbasket Orchestra —
Last Request ... CD Chess (Japan), 1968. Used ...
Out Of Stock
A very hip album that mixes gospel and jazz – recorded in 1968 as a tribute to Martin Luther King, but a set that more than stands on its own – at a level that's way different than the usual King tribute records! The album was put together by Jesse Jackson's Operation Breadbasket ... (Soul) read moreCD
An incredible record – a real standout in Solomon Burke's career! This set features him working with arrangements that are smooth, mellow, and sexy – very much in the Barry White and Isaac Hayes mode, a style that's a perfect fit for Solomon's voice, which was warm and deep back when ... (Soul) read moreCD
An incredible record – a real standout in Solomon Burke's career! This set features him working with arrangements that are smooth, mellow, and sexy – very much in the Barry White and Isaac Hayes mode, a style that's a perfect fit for Solomon's voice, which was warm and deep back when ... (Soul) read moreCD
An incredible record – a real standout in Solomon Burke's career! This set features him working with arrangements that are smooth, mellow, and sexy – very much in the Barry White and Isaac Hayes mode, a style that's a perfect fit for Solomon's voice, which was warm and deep back when ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A hip live date from Kenny Burrell – recorded with a trio that includes Richard Davis on bass and Roy Haynes on drums – both of whom help Kenny find a groove that's a bit lighter and more fluid than usual! The rhythms here are quite gentle, almost spare at times – and always ... (Jazz) read moreCD
Kenny Burrell —
Recapitulation ... LP Chess, Late 50s/1960s. Very Good 2LP Gatefold ...
Out Of Stock
A collection of tracks pulled from Burrell's 60s work on Cadet, with titles that include "Mother In Law", "Isabella", "Tender Gender", "Tricotism", "Suite For Guitar And Orchestra", "Blues Fuse", "My Favorite Things", "Wild ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Beautiful Chicago soul from Mitty. "I Had A Talk" is her secularization of a James Cleveland classic, but it's still got a rich gospelly soul feel to it. "Free Girl" is another nice one, and was written by Collier herself. (Funky 45's) 7-inch, Vinyl record
A mighty helping of music from the overlooked Mitty Collier – a 60s soul singer on Chess Records, and one who was every bit as great as bigger label stars like Etta James or Fontella Bass! Like both of those singers, Mitty's got a voice that grabs you right from the get-go – a deeply ... (Soul) read moreCD
A mighty helping of music from the overlooked Mitty Collier – a 60s soul singer on Chess Records, and one who was every bit as great as bigger label stars like Etta James or Fontella Bass! Like both of those singers, Mitty's got a voice that grabs you right from the get-go – a deeply ... (Soul) read moreCD
A real lost chapter in the career of the great Don Covay – material done after his original funky soul on 60s Atlantic Records, and before his return to fame in the early 70s on Mercury – done in a raw vibe that has a lot more grit than you might expect! There's touches of psychedelic ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Limited edition RSD Essentials pressing – on red vinyl, still sealed with hype sticker.)
A real lost chapter in the career of the great Don Covay – material done after his original funky soul on 60s Atlantic Records, and before his return to fame in the early 70s on Mercury – done in a raw vibe that has a lot more grit than you might expect! There's touches of psychedelic ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A collection of tracks recorded during the late 60s and early 70s – when the Dells were at their peak, recording at Cadet with arrangers and producers like Charles Stepney, Bobby Miller, and Don Davis. Titles include "Love Is Blue (I Can Sing A Rainbow)", "There Is", ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(80s pressing – white label promo. Cover has light wear.)
Includes the songs "Oh, What A Night", "Close Your Eyes", "The Love We Had (Stays On My Mind)", "Soul Strollin'", "Always Together", "O - O I Love You", "My Pretending Days Are Over", "I Miss You", "Does Anybody ... (Soul) read moreCD
Funky Bo Diddley – one of Bo's key early 70s sessions for Chess Records – all of which have him stepping out in a much harder groove than years past! The sound here is relatively tight – with Diddley guitar and vocals on top of some larger arrangements from Bob Gallo – ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Early 2000s reissue. Cover has a tiny corner bend, but looks great overall.)
Bo Diddley we already love you – but this set gives us another reason why! Although Bo's probably best known for his classic R&B work of the late 50s and early 60s, but during the 70s he also managed to cut some massively funky albums for Chess – working in the blues revival/funk ... (Blues) read moreCD
A nice little collection of Bo Diddley's earlier work for Chess – put together in the early 70s, when Bo was in his Black Gladiator phase, as pictured on the cover – but featuring the rawer, rougher grooves of his initial recordings in the late 50s and early 60s! The Bo Diddley groove ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(70s pressing. Cover has a cut corner. Vinyl has a short click on "Mona".)
Raw, ragged, rough, and ready – killer early work by Bo Diddley, clearly in a class by itself! The Bo Diddley groove isn't blues, isn't soul, and isn't R&B – it's instead a mad blend of rhythm, scratchy guitar, and spontaneously playful vocals that few other singers could ever hope ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
The birth of a genius – and an amazing batch of early material from the legendary Bo Diddley! Even at his start, Bo was unlike anyone else – a completely unique, completely self-contained bluesman who not only brought a wealth of new songs and styles to Chess Records, but who also did ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A mid-60s smoker from the great Bo Diddley – a set that's maybe more obscure than some of his initial classics, but equally great! Bo's completely on fire right from the start – fast-riffing his guitar with that rhythm he invented, and which bore his name for decades to come – ... (Blues) read moreCD
Nasty nasty funk from the great Bo Diddley – one of his rare funky 70s classics for Chess – produced by Johnny Otis with a really tripped-out groove! The album's got an edge that seems to go even farther than some of Bo's other Chess work at the time – and picks up the full-on ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Orange label pressing in the die-cut gatefold cover. Gatefold panel is bent at the sides, with a small tear at the right side.)
Bo Diddley/Muddy Waters/Little Walter —
Super Blues ... LP Chess, 1967. Near Mint- ...
$19.99
A Chicago blues trifecta – and the first time ever that Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, and Little Waters ever worked together! The set's got a raw power that definitely lives up to the title – a wicked mix of raw guitars, rough rhythms, and some wonderfully soulful vocals – all served ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(80s MCA pressing. Cover has a few scrapes at the top seam and bits of paper stuck to the back.)
Landmark work by one of the greatest jazz outfits of the early 60s! Art Farmer and Benny Golson were both known as well-composed players during the 50s – strongly soulful, but often with a fine sense of arrangement that usually tended towards the lyrical side of things. With this group, ... (Jazz) read moreCD
A very cool collection – all rare New Orleans R&B, originally issued on 50s singles by Chess Records, mostly handled by producer/arranger Paul Gayten! Features work by Al Little, Ralph Williams, TV Slim, Robert Green, Roland Cook, Sherman Jones, Charles Williams, Buddy Stewart, Virginia ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Al Grey —
Basic Grey ... LP Argo/Cadet, Early 60s. Near Mint- 2LP Gatefold ...
Out Of Stock
Great work from Al Grey – one of the most soulful trombonists of his time – all pulled from the Chess/Argo albums Last Of The Big Plungers, Snap Your Fingers and Al Grey Billy Mitchell Sextet LPs! Easily some of Grey's hippest work – with players who include Billy Mitchell on ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Buddy Guy reached much bigger fame on later labels, but he sounds pretty darn great here in a set of early recordings done for Chess – all sides recorded in the first half of the 60s, when Buddy represented one of the best talents in a new generation of bluesmen rising up in Chicago! The ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono blue fade label pressing. Cover has ring and edge wear, a small tear at the opening, and is slightly wavy at the back panel.)
Buddy Guy reached much bigger fame on later labels, but he sounds pretty darn great here in a set of early recordings done for Chess – all sides recorded in the first half of the 60s, when Buddy represented one of the best talents in a new generation of bluesmen rising up in Chicago! The ... (Blues) read moreCD
Way more than just a "hits" collection – as the package featuers a huge amount of unissued tracks and unissued takes! Titles include the classic (and sublime) original version of "Susie Q" – plus "Lulu", "Four Letter Word", "Little Pig" ... (Rock) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mid 70s pressing. Cover has light ring impressions.)
With 15 tracks including "Mad Man Blues", "Leave My Wife Alone", "Please Don't Go", "High Priced Woman", "The Waterfront", and "One Bourbon, One Scotch, and One Beer". (Blues) CD
A rootsy cover, and some rootsy blues to match – a fairly stripped down session from John Lee Hooker –- and one that mostly just features vocals and guitar, plus some occasional added guitar and piano! Most of the recordings here are from the early 50s, pulled together in a full LP at ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(80s Original Chess Masters pressing. Cover has light wear, lightly bent corners, and is bent a bit at the bottom right edge.)
About as pure as you can get for John Lee Hooker – a classic set of cuts for Chess, recorded with a feel that's almost folksy at times! The guitar has a raw edge that goes way back to the delta – and the overall approach is much more gritty than even some of Hooker's labelmates at the ... (Blues) read moreCD
(Barcode has a cutout hole, cover has a small mark.)
Howlin Wolf —
Change My Way ... CD Chess/Traffic, Late 50s/Early 60s. New Copy ...
Out Of Stock
Almost a decade's worth of great work from Howlin Wolf – late 50s and early 60s recordings done for Chess Records in Chicago, nicely packaged up here in an archival series album with full notes on the sessions and music! Nearly all tracks are originals by Wolf – aka Chester Burnett ... (Blues) read moreCD
A killer collection of Howlin Wolf material for Chess records – with two unreleased tracks, some rare interview material, and other rare cuts too! (Blues) CD
(Out of print and nice shape – box has just a few small cosmetic scuffs – a great copy!)
A really well done collection of work recorded by Howlin Wolf for Chess – put together in the early 70s, but featuring sides from the 50s and 60s. The album's got a good set of notes by Pete Welding, and tracks that include "Down In The Bottom", "Forty Four', "My Country ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(70s orange label pressing. Cover has light ringwear, slightly wavy panels, and some heavy wear at the bottom seam.)
The title definitely gets it right – as this 70s collection brings together most of the best Chess Records material by Howlin Wolf from the late 50s and early 60s – almost all of them small combo sides that present the man in all of his raspy, growling glory! The tracks span a space ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Limited edition colored vinyl!)
Howlin Wolf —
Howlin Wolf ... LP Chess, Early 60s. Very Good+ ...
Out Of Stock
Howlin Wolf is really getting into his thing here – tightening it up a bit from his earliest years at Chess, and moving into a groove that would forever make him one of the key artists to record for the label! The raspy, rootsy feel of earlier years is still in place – but the ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
2 blues classics from the great Howlin Wolf – back to back on a single CD! First up is the self-titled Howlin Wolf – a record that has Wolf tightening it up a bit from his earliest years at Chess, and moving into a groove that would forever make him one of the key artists to record for ... (Blues) read moreCD
2 blues classics from the great Howlin Wolf – back to back on a single CD! First up is the self-titled Howlin Wolf – a record that has Wolf tightening it up a bit from his earliest years at Chess, and moving into a groove that would forever make him one of the key artists to record for ... (Blues) read moreCD
A really well done collection of work recorded by Howlin Wolf for Chess – put together in the early 70s, but featuring sides from the 50s and 60s. The album's got a good set of notes by Pete Welding, and tracks that include "Down In The Bottom", "Forty Four', "My Country ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A famous date that showcases the Chess Records influence on the sound of the Brit rock scene – one that has a number of key players "giving back" to the label, and working on a special date with Howlin Wolf! Wolf's rough vocals are in the lead on all tracks, and he also plays a bit ... (Blues) read moreCD
A famous date that showcases the Chess Records influence on the sound of the Brit rock scene – one that has a number of key players "giving back" to the label, and working on a special date with Howlin Wolf! Wolf's rough vocals are in the lead on all tracks, and he also plays a bit ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Funky blues work from Howlin Wolf – his key entry into the funked-up genre that Chess Records was cutting at the end of the 60s with other blues artists like Etta James, Bo Diddley, and Muddy Waters! As on records with those artists, Wolf's older modes are updated here for a hipper, younger ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Classic work from Howlin Wolf – tunes recorded with incredibly raspy vocals, set to a folksy electric guitar sound – one that instantly conjures up images of the south side blues scene that Chess documented so well during the 50s and 60! The work here was recorded over a number of ... (Blues) read moreCD
Groundbreaking work from the legendary Ahmad Jamal – not just in his own career, but in live jazz in general! The album's a classic recording of Jamal's trio with Israel Crosby on bass and Vernell Fournier on drums – captured at the Pershing Lounge on the south side of Chicago, where ... (Jazz) read moreCD
Ahmad Jamal —
Count 'Em 88 ... CD Chess/Universal (Japan), 1956. Used ...
Out Of Stock
That's right, count 'em – 88 keys on the piano in all, and Ahmad does a pretty good job of hitting them all in this early album of piano virtuosity! The album's amazing – set the pace for a whole new generation of piano expressiveness, with a cool and earthy approach that also still ... (Jazz) read moreCD
That's right, count 'em – 88 keys on the piano in all, and Ahmad does a pretty good job of hitting them all in this early album of piano virtuosity! The album's amazing – set the pace for a whole new generation of piano expressiveness, with a cool and earthy approach that also still ... (Jazz) read moreCD
Excellent live work by Ahmad Jamal – recorded during his classic years, when he was wowing audiences all over the US! The set features 2 CDs, with material recorded at the Pershing Lounge and Alhambra in Chicago, The Spotlite Club in Washington DC, and the Black Hawk in San Francisco. On ... (Jazz) read moreCD
A 70s 2-fer that collects 2 live sides originally issued by Argo, then subsequently by Chess under the Cadet label. Classic Chicago piano jazz – featuring the very popular pianist Ahmad Jamal, recorded at the legendary Pershing Lounge, down at 63rd and Cottage Grove and at the equally ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album