A tight swinger from Sonny Stitt – one of the standout 60s dates he recorded for the Impulse label, a place where he seemed to get even more care and focus in the studio! The record's got all the soulful swing of Stitt's classics for Roost, but also hits a slightly more lyrical groove at ... (Jazz) read moreCD
(1998 Japanese pressing – includes obi!)
Sonny Stitt & Paul Gonsalves —
Salt & Pepper ... CD Impulse (Japan), 1963. Used ...
$9.99
Head to head blowing from Sonny Sitt and Paul Gonsalves – just the kind of twin-horn performance that Stitt was famous for in his live battle days, and one that also reminds us that Gonsalves can be a very loose swinger when he wants to be! The tracks are all long, and played with the sort ... (Jazz) read moreCD
(Out of print late 90s Japanese pressing, includes obi.)
Sonny Stitt & Red Holloway —
Forecast/Partners ... CD Catalyst/P-Vine (Japan), Mid 70s. Used ...
$34.99
A great session of 70s bop revival from the team of Sonny Stitt and Red Holloway – working here in the warm and sunny style of the great Catalyst label! The album Forecast has the two hornmen blowing to acoustic accompaniment from a trio that includes Art Hillary on piano, Larry Gales on ... (Jazz) read moreCD
An all-out party rock classic – a record that's titled after the one huge hit by The Strangeloves, but which has killer cuts throughout – a set that's filled with heavily percussive, hard-jamming numbers that really keep the pace moving! The group seems to use a lot more bass drum than ... (Rock) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(80s German Line/Outline pressing.)
Strata Institute —
Cipher Syntax ... LP Polydor/JMT (Germany), 1989. Near Mint- ...
$16.99
Features Steve Coleman on alto, Greg Osby on soprano and alto, Bob Hurst on bass, Tani Tabbal on drums, and Marvin Smitty Smith on drums and percussion – plus guitar from David Gilmore. (Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album
(German pressing. Cover has a trace of a sticker and light wear.)
Some rare non-Ellington material from Billy Strayhorn and Johnny Hodges – both sessions recorded as part of a series done by producer Stanley Dance at the end of the 50s! The feel here is a almost a bit more open and less restrained than the usual Ellington groove – with some standout ... (Jazz) read moreCD
(Out of print.)
Frank Strazzeri —
After The Rain ... CD Catalyst/P-Vine (Japan), 1976. Used ...
$49.99
Funky keyboard work from Frank Strazzeri – a player who's really stretching out here in the 70s, with a massively cosmic vibe you'd never have guessed from his earlier work! Strazzeri had recorded and played heavily around the LA scene by the time of this mid 70s release – but most of ... (Jazz) read moreCD
A great early album from pianist Kunhiko Sugano – a set that has the leader working in a relaxed live setting, in a small Japanese club that also features a conga added to his usual trio! Most numbers begin with an introspective introduction from Sugano – those lyrical lines he does so ... (Jazz) read moreCD
A great bit of drawn-out fusion – played by a British trio that features electric keyboards, bass, and percussion! The tracks have a jamming jazz-rock approach – but never get too overindulgent, and never fall into the traps of some of the other British groups of the time. Instead, ... (Rock) read moreCD
A completely fresh take on the Charlie Parker aesthetic of the bop generation – updated for the 70s, but in ways that are still pretty classic overall! The group's a large one, but plays with a tightness that goes way past their gimmicky name – thanks to players who include Med Flory ... (Jazz) read moreCD
Survival —
Simmer Down ... LP Strawberry Rain, Mid 70s. New Copy (reissue)...
$27.9933.99
It's impossible to simmer down with a groove this great – a wicked blend of African funk and fuzzier psych touches – all served up by Nigeria's legendary Survival! The set was recorded at Ginger Baker's Arc Studios, and has his own blend of rootsy elements, complicated rhythms, and ... (Global Grooves) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Limited edition.)
Dave Swarbrick —
Folk On 2 ... CD True North (Canada), 1991. Used ...
Just Sold Out!
This recording was first broadcast by the BBC on 24th April 1991. (Folk/Country) CD
A very groovy set from guitar genius Gabor Szabo – one that features all those cool tones and elements he'd developed on his late 60s albums for Impulse and Skye Records, given a tighter LA groove here, with almost an A&M Records vibe! There's loads of great solos throughout, played in a ... (Jazz) read moreCD
Jamaaladeen Tacuma —
Show Stopper ... LP Gramavision, 1983. Near Mint- ...
$4.99
Featuring James R Watkins, Anthony Davis, Ebony String Quartet, Julius Hemphill, Olu Dara, James Ulmer, and others. (Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has light wear and aging, bumped corners, and a sticker spot.)
The mindblowing first album by The Talking Heads – a bold statement by a very young band who'd go on to shape the sounds of the left field for generations to come! The sound is spare and very focused – maybe the first layer that David Byrne would then build up when adding more ... (Rock) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A beautiful set of work from this legendary pianist – material that's issued here for the very first time, but which may well top some of the most important albums in Art Tatum's catalog! As with his classic 20th Century material, the setting here is a live one – the Blue Note club in ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Includes 20 tracks with Tiny Grimes on guitar, Ben Webster on tenor, Benny Morton on trombone, Edmond Hall on clarinet, Roy Eldridge on trumpet, and Slam Stewart on bass. (Jazz) CD
(Mid-90's Black Lion pressing, booklet has a slight cut corner.)
One of the most complex Cecil Taylor records we've heard in years – and that's saying a lot, given the usual complexity of his music! Taylor plays piano and vocalizes a bit – but he's also tied strongly here to the Italian Instabile Orchestra – a large lineup of varied horn, ... (Jazz) read moreCD
John Tchicai plays the music of Thelonious Monk, and a few of his own tunes too – in a wonderful set that shows beautifully why we always look out for work from this enigmatic saxophonist! There's definitely a Monkish vibe to the record, but Tchicai's approach is often quite personal too ... (Jazz) read moreCD
Mikis Theodorakis —
Phaedra ... LP United Artists, Mid 60s. Very Good+ ...
$7.99
A really dark little soundtrack – penned by Mikis Theodorakis for Jules Dassin's remake of the Phaedra myth! Some of the themes on here share the Greek stylings of Theodorakis' more popular soundtrack work – but there's also a lot more darker numbers – strung together in a ... (Soundtracks) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A concept album from the Louisiana scene of the 70s, but one that's much more down to earth than big label projects of the time – and which comes across here in a really unique blend of southern rock guitar and some nicely complicated ideas! The approach is almost impossible to describe ... (Rock) read moreCD
A surprisingly nice set from Irma Thomas – recorded in a spare and stripped down way, but without any of the "too earnest" cliches that can sometimes mar other recent albums by classic soul stars! The feel here is almost gentle and easygoing at times – still in the powerful ... (Soul) read moreCD
With 23 tracks including "Cry On", "I Done Got Over It", "While The City Sleeps", "Hittin' On Nothing", "Straight From The Heart", "He's My Guy", and "Nobody Wants To Hear Nobody's Troubles". (Soul) CD
Belgian guitarist Rene Thomas was one of the few players to break out of the postwar Paris jazz scene and actually get to record in America – and on this classic set from 1960, he's grooving with a very hip group that includes JR Monterose on tenor, Hod O'Brien on piano, and the rhythm ... (Jazz) read moreCD
A very hip set of soul jazz tunes from Belgian guitarist Rene Thomas – one of the best European players of his generation! The album feature Thomas on guitar, backed by a group that includes Lou Bennett on organ, Jacques Pelzer on sax and flute, Gilbert Rovere on bass, and Charles Bellonzi ... (Jazz) read moreCD
Classic! Tight modern funk, with Jesse Johnson and crew keeping things in the great Prince Minneapolis pop-funk sound, including some nice dance numbers like "Jungle Love" and "The Bird" – and Morris just being Morris on cuts like "My Drawers", "Chili ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A heady bit of funk from the Zambian scene of the 70s – a record that has some of the trippier touches of some of the Zamrock classics from the time, but also some leaner, more soulful styles that maybe link these guys to an earlier generation too! The guitar is great – embracing the ... (Global Grooves) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Cal Tjader —
Tjader ... CD Fantasy (Japan), Late 60s. Used ...
$29.99
An excellent album from legendary vibist Cal Tjader – and one of his truly electric albums! A key factor to the greatness of this one is keyboardist Al Zulaica – who plays some amazing Fender Rhodes on the album, really unlocking a whole new sound of Cal's vibes in the process! The ... (Jazz) read moreCD
A wonderfully intimate set from Allen Toussaint – one that features Toussaint at the piano, working in a live setting, and serving up new versions of his own famous compositions – often with some great pre-song patter that gives a bit of background on the tunes! The performance is a ... (Soul) read moreCD
Maybe our favorite album ever from Traffic – a set that has the group coming back together, after a fracture that took them in separate musical directions – reformed with a sound that's very different than before! The tracks are longer, and have more influences from both folk and jazz ... (Rock) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Later UK Island pressing with orange labels. Includes the Island inner sleeve, with center splits in the side and bottom seams. Cover has light ringwear.)
Traffic get some help here from Muscle Shoals heavyweights Barry Beckett, Roger Hawkins, and Jimmy Johnson – a trio who help the group continue that richer, more expanded sound that was first unfurled on the group's Low Spark album! The sound is maybe a more focused attempt at territory from ... (Rock) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Original corner-cut cover, including the printed inner sleeve. Cover has some ring & edge wear.)
A set recorded in both Jamaica and Trinidad, and one that shows a great combination of both locations – with straighter reggae cuts at some points, and some more Caribbean flavored club at others! The music has some of the message that you'd guess from the cover and title, but the overall ... (Reggae) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Truth —
Truth ... LP Roulette, 1975. Near Mint- ...
$14.99
The towering Marshall amps on the cover will give you a good idea of what's going on here – as this heavy 70s combo really turn things up to 11 with their searing power trio style! The group recall earlier efforts from that moment when three-member rock groups really set fire to the new ... (Rock) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
McCoy Tyner's a hell of a piano player on his own, but in the post-Coltrane years he also developed an amazing talent for picking sidemen too – as you'll hear in this very unique set! The record features four different quartets – hence the title – each of which features a core ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
The leaders are sporting some serious 80s fashions on the cover – but the record's got a really solid sort of sound – and an approach that strongly shows the growth in both players since their earlier years at Blue Note! Tyner's a musician who really took off in strides during the 70s ... (Jazz) read moreCD
(Out of print 2013 Japanese SHMCD pressing, includes obi.)
Raspy guitar from James Blood Ulmer – cut right at the end of the 80s decade when he was clearly one of the most inventive players on his instrument! The set's got a quality that's similar to some of James' other records from the US of the time – as it's trying to branch out to a wider ... (Jazz) read moreCD
Produced by Sir George Martin. (Rock) LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes insert.)
Umbra —
Umbra ... CD Lion, Early 70s. New Copy ...
$5.9916.99
Fantastic sounds from a Colorado trio who only existed for a few short years at the start of the 70s – and worked in this wicked blend of fuzz and freak, acid and heavy – all with a sound that's really incredible, given the homemade nature of these recordings! The tracks here aren't ... (Rock) read moreCD
Free and easy grooves from the great Phil Upchurch – a set that has the guitarist evolving more strongly into the world of fusion, after beginning his career with instrumental soul, shifting to heavier funk, and continuing to really open up his jazz chops as the years went by! Here, Phil's ... (Jazz) read moreCD
Bebo Valdes —
Bebo ... CD Calle 54 (Argentina), 2003. Used ...
$4.99
We'll be the first to admit smooth jazz radio has made us very wary of GRP, but the label put out enough nice records in it's early years, we're constantly rethinking that opinion! This early set by Dave Valentin is a great example – as it captures the flautist at his early best, way before ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Two great live sets from the Townes Van Zandt – back to back in a single collection! The first CD features a beautiful intimate performance in Johnson City – a small spot in Tennessee that was crucial to the early years of country music recording, which seems to echo here in the ... (Rock) read moreCD
Townes Van Zandt —
Last Rights ... CD Gregor, 1996. Used ...
Just Sold Out!
Amazing music from Laurance Vanay – actually a recording name for Jacqueline Thibault, a hell of a great keyboardist but an artist the label thought would be better off billed as a man! The sound here is halfway between the spacey experiments of Brian Eno and Cluster, and some of the more ... (Rock) read moreCD
Ken Vandermark & Paal Nilssen-Love —
Japan 2019 (7CD set) ... CD PNL (Norway), 2019. New Copy 7CD ...
$48.9959.99
Brilliant improvisations between to major figures – already great musicians on their own, then joined by some key Japanese players over the course of this extended package of performances from an overseas tour! The set begins with long improvisations between Paal Nilssen Love on drums and ... (Jazz) read moreCD
Sarah Vaughan —
Dreamy ... LP Roulette, 1960. Very Good- ...
Just Sold Out!
A perfect title for a perfect album from Sarah Vaughan – one of those wonderful dates from the singer's second chapter of her career – a time when she was finding newly sophisticated ways to spin out her songs! The music here is arranged by Jimmy Jones – who makes things lush, ... (Vocalists) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(70s stereo yellow label Emus pressing. Vinyl has oxidation. Cover has a small top seam split.)
A jazz vocal masterpiece from Sarah Vaughn – one of her greatest albums ever, and a record that raised the bar for countless vocal sessions in years to come! Sarah's working here in an intimate group arranged by Ernie Wilkins – filled with famous trumpet solo work by Clifford Brown, ... (Vocalists) read moreCD
Arrangements by Quincy Jones – with titles that include "I Feel Pretty", "Sassy's Blues", "I Cried For You", "Lover Man", and "What Is This Thing Called Love". (Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album
(Japanese Phonogram pressing, EXPR-1035. Cover has some light wear and aging.)
Very nice jazz-oriented material that has Sarah working with Jimmy Jones, one of her best accompanists, or John Malachi, who was in Billy Eckstine's band at the same time Sarah was with the group. All the tracks have nice small combo instrumentation – and Sarah keeps things nice and warm ... (Vocalists) read moreCD
Vocalist Fay Victor pens lyrics for a jazz composer we're not sure we've ever heard with words before – modern piano legend Herbie Nichols, a player whose songs are often as full of angles and sharp changes as Thelonious Monk! And as you might guess from a style like that, the music doesn't ... (Vocalists) read moreCD
(Mono pressing, still sealed with light wear and a square sticker spot.)
Vigrass & Osborne —
Steppin' Out ... LP Epic, 1974. Near Mint- ...
$4.9911.99
Looks like Gary Osborne and Paul Vigrass lost a few buttons off their shirts on the front cover – but they keep things tight on this great album of duet material from the 70s – one of their excellent and overlooked sets from the time! Part of the real strength of the album comes from ... (Rock) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Looks like Gary Osborne and Paul Vigrass lost a few buttons off their shirts on the front cover – but they keep things tight on this great album of duet material from the 70s – one of their excellent and overlooked sets from the time! Part of the real strength of the album comes from ... (Rock) read moreCD
Alexander Von Schlippenbach Quartet —
Three Nails Left ... CD FMP/Corbett vs. Dempsey, 1975. New Copy Gatefold ...
$12.9915.99
Amazing work from this seminal group on the FMP scene – a quartet led by pianist Alexander Von Schlippenbach, but equally balanced between the saxes of Evan Parker, bass of Peter Kowald, and percussion of Paul Lovens! We're not sure how much to take the "nails" in the title ... (Jazz) read moreCD
(Remastered from the original tapes – and first time on CD!)