All Categories — All Formats  

... read more

One of Pete Rugolo's greatest albums – and some of his most groundbreaking work away from Stan Kenton! The album features Rugolo arranging for a tight group of west coast reed players – including Bud Shank, Dave Pell, and Bob Cooper – and the tracks are angular, complicated, and... read more

... read more

The first half of the "Cynus X1" journey – plus "Closer To The Heart", "Xanadu", and "A Farewell To Kings".... read more

... read more

... read more

Heavy rock with a killer groove and a mighty thing to behold – and from Brooklyn! Sir Lord Baltimore aren't mentioned enough among the first wave of groups that would seen be defined as heavy metal, but they absolutely deserve to be. Pure bombast and thunderous rock that's of the same... read more

The second album from underappreciated metal progenitors Sir Lord Baltimore – Brooklyn's entry in the blueprints of heavy rock – not quite as brawny as their Kindom Come, but with a more purposeful sense of groove! How is this band not a staple of classic hard rock radio? Ridiculous,... read more

... read more

One of our favorite later albums from organist Jimmy Smith – and a set that cooks heavily in a wicked blend of jazz, funk, and soul! The style's a bit like the groove that Johnny Hammond hit during his Gears period – arranged by Eugene McDaniels and Alan Silvestri, with an approach... read more

Great late 70s work from Jimmy Smith – two albums back to back on a single CD! One of our favorite later albums from organist Jimmy Smith – and a set that cooks heavily in a wicked blend of jazz, funk, and soul! The style's a bit like the groove that Johnny Hammond hit during his... read more

Mighty soulful business from the great Jimmy Smith – a set for Mercury Records that updates his sound slightly, yet also hits some classic Hammond lines too! Jimmy plays a bit of acoustic piano and keyboards in addition to his classic organ – and works here in a setting that's tightly... read more

... read more

This is the third movement in the fantastic pop symphony that is Spanky & Our Gang! The record's perhaps their oddest to date – and mixes groovy vocal stylings with some fairly advanced production approaches that work perfectly with the incredible songs written by Stuart Scharf and Bob... read more

... read more

... read more

Genius, pure genius – and a record that will completely revise your thinking about Rod Stewart! Amazing arrangements, acoustic instruments going crazy, and oh those drums! Titles include "Gasoline Alley", "My Way Of Giving", "Cut Across Shorty", "Lady... read more

... read more

... read more

One of the most obscure Stylistics albums of the 70s – a smooth late 70s modern soul effort, headed up by group soul maestro Teddy Randazzo! Teddy wrote, arranged, and produced the whole set – and the record nicely links together older group harmony styles, especially 60s uptown soul... read more

Groovy groovy sitar pop – played by Big Jim Sullivan, also known as Lord Sitar! This set is a great session of 60s pop tunes, turned Eastern, in the mode of work by Ananda Shankar or Vince Bell – with a blend of original compositions, mixing sitar, tabla, and all manner of baroque 60s... read more

A super huge hit for Donna Summer – a disco classic as well as a pop crossover smash! The album was produced by disco powerhouse Giorgio Moroder, and featured the hits "Hot Stuff", "Bad Girls", and "Dim All The Lights". Plus the songs "On My Honor",... read more

... read more

Although this one's not from Gabor's classic period on the Skye label, it does have a nice R&B fusion sound to it, and was recorded at Sigma Studios in Philly. Bunny Sigler produced, and he gives the set a 70's soul sort of sound, but Gabor's cool guitar is still out front, and keeps the... read more

... read more

... read more

Nice early 70's record by Joe, with a mix of 70's funk tracks and tracks that have more of his classic southern soul sound from the 60's. Joe's raspy voice is as beautiful as always, and he's got some really sweet material on here like "Cat's Got Her Tongue", "All The Heaven A Man... read more

Very hip gospel work by Sister Rosetta Tharp – singing here with her own guitar accompaniment, plus backing by small combos! The sound is a folksy mix of gospel and blues styles, with traces of early soul as well – and titles include "Didn't It Rain", "This Train",... read more

Thin Lizzy's 70s rock masterpiece! Sure it's the mainstream radio fare of the period, but this is one of those albums that put the classic in classic rock! The definitive Gorham-Robertson twin guitar attack keeps this set rocking nicely and Lynott's in prime form with a batch of extra classy... read more

Although he's best known for his vocal R&B hit "Heartbreak", Jon Thomas was also a darn good organist, and this mid 50s album for Mercury's a nice batch of sides in the same tradition as contemporaneous work by Bill Doggett and Doc Bagby. The tracks are short and lively, and Jon... read more

... read more

... read more

Includes "Holy Smoke & Gee Whiz", "Let Me Know", "Thinking Of You", "Top Notch", "Let's Get Down", "Lovin You", "Don't Fall In Love", and "Still A Man". Excellent harmonies, and a warm classic soul sound!... read more

... read more

The first single off the "Funk Your Head Up" LP. Almost Bomb Squad-style production by Ced Gee. "Chorus Line Pt 2" has a nice cut'n'paste break type track.... read more

... read more

... read more

Early Mercury magic from Sarah Vaughan – pressed up here on a rare 10" album issued before the full LP with "divine" in its title! Things here are pretty mellow and laidback, a perfect illustration of the sound that made Vaughan stand out from the rest of her contemporaries... read more

A dozen classics from sassy Sarah Vaughan's Mercury years, including "Misty", "Broken Hearted Melody", "Make Yourself Comfortable", "Autumn In New York", "Moonlight In Vermont", "How Important Can It Be", "Smooth Operator", "... read more

A sweet little album that serves up exactly what it promises in the title – a set of 60s pop tunes, all reworked by the jazz vocal artistry of Sarah Vaughan! The set's one of the most upbeat and bouncy that Vaguhan cut during the decade – and although you might know some of the tunes... read more

... read more

... read more

... read more

... read more

A bold step forward for British soul in the 21st century – and the smash second album from the great Terri Walker! Terri's got a sound that's loud, proud, and completely in the pocket – emerging here with a fully-formed groove that should not only please the fans of underground soul... read more

Excellent work from Dee Dee Warwick – Dionne's more soulful sister, and a heck of a singer! The record's got a mix of uptown soul production and deeper soul styles, with a sophisticated style that reminds us of Chicago work by singers like Joann Garrett, Marlena Shaw, or Ruby Andrews –... read more

... read more

A pretty groovy little album from Dinah Washington – at first glance a set of older standards, but at second glance a date that features some wonderfully swinging arrangements from Quincy Jones! The Q really helps Dinah break from the usual mode here – providing here with an upbeat,... read more

A pretty groovy little album from Dinah Washington – at first glance a set of older standards, but at second glance a date that features some wonderfully swinging arrangements from Quincy Jones! The Q really helps Dinah break from the usual mode here – providing here with an upbeat,... read more

A cool compilation that features one album of new recordings of older Dinah Washington hits – done in 1961 with backings by Quincy Jones – and another record that features some of Dinah's best bits for Mercury from the late 50s and early 60s!... read more

Titles include "September In The Rain", "Mixed Emotions", "Harbor Lights", "What A Difference A Day Makes", and "Time Out For Tears".... read more

The set features only 4 duets between Brook & Dinah – "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)", "I Do", "I Believe", and "A Rockin Good Way (To mess Around & Fall In Love)", which is probably the best track on the LP. Other titles are by Dinah alone... read more

Loads of classic singles – 20 in all – with cuts that include "I've Got So Much To Give", "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me", "You're The First The Last My Everything", "Honey Please Can't Ya See", "Never Never Gonna Give You Up"... read more

Beautiful ballads from The Man – proof that Barry White had a great way with a mellow track and a love song! Of course, Barry was always singing about love, even when grooving – but over time, he really found a great way to use all that energy, but bring it down a few notches too... read more

One of The Maestro's true materpieces! Fragile, sexy, sinful soul, held together by interwoven strings and keyboard lines, with Barry's voice over the top like rich cream on a sweet piece of cake. Includes the long versions of "Honey Please, Can't Ya See" and "Never, Never Gonna... read more

... read more

... read more

... read more

... read more

... read more

... read more

... read more

The first rumblings of the pop genius in Yello's music – a record that still has all the best quirky electronics of their first two sets, but which also focuses that energy into a sound that's often more direct and oddly hook-oriented on the best numbers! There's a really percussive vibe... read more

... read more

... read more

... read more