Fresh bargains – new CDs under $9!
John Lee Hooker
Documenting The Sensation Recordings 1948 to 1952 (3CD set)Ace (UK), Late 40s/Early 50s. 3CD
A really amazing package – not just for fans of John Lee Hooker, but for anyone who loves postwar blues in general! The work here is all from the tiny Sensation Records label in Detroit – the label to first record John Lee Hooker in the late 40s, and who continued to do sessions with ... CD (Blues CD)
Numero, Late 60s/Early 70s. 2LP
LP...$22.99
24.99
A treasure trove of rare soul work from Tommy McGee – a fantastic sweet soul singer from the Michigan scene of the 70s, and one who should have been huge – judging by the quality of the work on this set! The core of the package is Tommy's rare 1976 album Positive Negative – a ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Ace (UK), Mid 60s.
Girl pop gems we never would have heard otherwise – a huge assortment of UK female numbers from that special stretch in the 60s when it seemed like the scene was turning out gem after gem with effortless ease – all mixed up with a blend of rock, pop, and soul modes that really set the ... CD (Rock CD)
Lee Scratch Perry & Others
Black Ark In Dub (plus Black Ark Vol 2)VP/17 North Parade, Late 70s. 2CD
CD...$14.99
16.98
A pair of very obscure Lee Perry recordings – back to back in a single CD set! Black Ark In Dub features a host of recordings done by Lee Perry right before his Pipecock Jackson implosion in the late 70s – but presented by former partner Pauline Morrison, who deserves a lot of credit ... CD (Reggae CD)
Ace (UK), Early 70s.
A fantastic collection from the team of Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs – and, like the rest of their gems, a record that really helps define a genre unto itself! This time around, the vibe is England at the dawn of the 70s – waking up to the realization that the changes of the 60s maybe ... CD (Rock CD)
Jazz Sabbath
Jazz SabbathBlack Lake (Sweden), 2020.
A really great record, and one that's even better than its gimmick – even though that gimmick is pretty darn great! The group pretends to be a British jazz combo from 1970, and works their way through a host of Black Sabbath tunes from the time – but rather than a straighter reworking ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Jimmy Bo Horne
Dance Across The FloorSunshine Sound/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1978.
A killer classic from Jimmy Bo Horne – one of the sharpest male singers to work for the TK family of labels in the late 70s – and one who could really summarize all the greatness of Miami soul with a record like this! The album's got all the funky fullness of some of the larger TK ... CD (Soul CD)
Peter Brotzmann
14 Love Poems – Dedicated To Kenneth Patchen (180 gram pressing)FMP/Cien Fuegos (Austria), 1984. (reissue)
One of the most beautiful albums ever recorded by saxophone genius Peter Brotzmann – and maybe his first album of ballad material too! As the title implies, the work is Brotzmann's answer to the poetry of Kenneth Patchen – and there's certainly a poetic quality to the way that Peter ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Grapefruit (UK), 1967.
Ok, so Van Morrison's left your group – what do you do? The remaining members of the group split off into two factions, the raunchier of which, the Belfast Gypsies, hooked up with Kim Fowley! This set documents the great work of that post-Morrison Them sidegroup – and most tracks were ... CD (Rock CD)
Kat Mandu
Kat ManduMarlin/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1979.
Maybe one of the greatest albums to come from the Montreal club scene of the late 70s – a set that revels in the no-holds-barred approach that usually had Canadian disco records stretching out with really long tracks, and plenty of great instrumentation in the mix! This set's a monster of ... CD (Soul CD)
Regina James
Dancin' In The Flames Of LoveTK/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1979.
A really unusual album from the TK Records Miami Soul empire – a set that feels like that label's attempt to go head to head with the sound of Sylvia Robinson! Like Sylvia, Regina James is a singer with a very sexy approach to 70s soul – not afraid to let her desire ooze out into the ... CD (Soul CD)
Ace (UK), Late 50s/Early 60s.
The swamps of Louisiana hold many secrets – and one of the is the massive amount of fantastic music cut on the scene in the 50s and 60s – so much so that we're still discovering overlooked gems and rare material all these many years later! This package is a great entry in this ongoing ... CD (Rock CD)
RCA/Virgin, 1977. 2CDs
Iggy Pop may have left The Stooges behind, but he's lost none of his edge – and really finds a new level of solo greatness on this sublime classic from the 70s! The set was produced by David Bowie, who also plays piano on the set – and has Carlos Alamar adding in some guitar – ... CD (Rock CD)
Young Gun Silver Fox (Shawn Lee & Andy Platts)
Whatcha Gonna Do For Me/P-Vine (Japan), 2020. (pic cover)
The duo of Shawn Lee and Andy Platts sound mighty nice here – taking on the classic Ned Doheny tune "Whatcha Gonna Do For Me" – and really knocking it out of the park with their sweet, mellow, all-soul approach! The version is nicely different than the original, but equally ... 7-inch, Vinyl record (Funky 45's 7-inch)
Kaidi Tatham
In Search Of HopeFreedom School/First Word (UK), 2008.
A brilliant album from Kaidi Tatham – deeper by far than anything we've ever heard from him, and way more than you might expect if you only know his singles from the London scene! This set's got a very strong jazz component – monstrous keyboard work from Kaidi that stretches and soars ... CD (New Grooves CD)
Crammed (Belgium), 1978/2020.
LP...$18.99
23.99
A really cool idea for a record – one that first features unreleased tracks recorded in Kinshasa in 1978, on a special bonus CD – then adds in vinyl versions of reworks of the original recordings done for the project! The originals are fantastic – very percussive and melodic at ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Night Time Stories/Beat (Japan), 2020.
A great live set from this very funky trio – recorded in our home city of Chicago, but with an appeal that's pretty darn universal! The sound here is maybe even more lean than some of the studio work we've heard from Khruangbin – lots of interplay between the basslines and guitar, over ... CD (Deep Funk CD)
Lady Donli
Enjoy Your LifeP-Vine (Japan), 2020.
The cover's got the look of a vintage set from the West African scene of the early 80s – and Lady Donli steps out here with an equally classic mode at times – but the set's also very contemporary at others, and really grabs our attention right away! The Lady's got a great style – ... CD (Global Grooves CD)
Seven Seas
Miami SoundGlades/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1976.
Back in the mid 70s, The Miami Sound was a great one – a sweet southern Florida mix of New York disco with some warmer funk touches – made very big by the growing soul empire of TK Records, but maybe done best when served up by one of the more obscure groups on the label! That's ... CD (Soul CD)
Count Basie
Lil Ol Groovemaker Basie!Verve (Japan), 1963.
Count Basie and Quincy Jones were always a mighty mighty combination – and there's no finer proof of that fact than this sweet little set! Quincy had a way of swinging Basie's group even more than Neal Hefti did – really letting the piano step out front, and swinging the larger horn ... CD (Jazz CD)
Zoot Sims & Bob Brookmeyer
Tonite's Music Today/Storyville/Muzak (Japan), 1956. 2CDs
Two great Storyville sessions – back to back in a single set! First up is Tonite's Music Today – an early Storyville Records gem from these two budding modernists – featuring a quartet with Zoot Sims on tenor, Bob Brookmeyer on valve trombone, and Hank Jones on piano and a bit of ... CD (Jazz CD)
Richie Beirach
Elegy For Bill EvansTrio/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1981.
Superb work from pianist Richie Beirach – a set that's dedicated to Bill Evans, and which certainly embraces some of the key numbers in his songbook – but which also has that even more spacious sound that Beirach was bringing to his trio dates in the 70s! Richie's sense of timing and ... CD (Jazz CD)
Count Basie
Basie Picks The WinnersVerve (Japan), 1965.
Count Basie picks his own set of "winners" – tracks pulled from the pop charts, and re-arranged by Billy Byers to give them the true Basie touch – that soaring, syncopated groove that makes the Basie band so great at this stretch in their career! The set features a number of ... CD (Jazz CD)
Various
IES – Italian Erotic SoundsEleven/Early Sounds (Italy), Late 70s.
They had us at "Italian", drew us in with "Erotic", and really won us over with the sounds in this sweet little set! The music here is all from the very small Eleven sound library – a smaller Italian imprint that cut these great grooves in the late 70s – at a time ... LP, Vinyl record album (Funky Compilations LP)
Poker/P-Vine (Japan), 1977.
Warmly crafted vocal work from Erik Tagg – a Dutch singer who'd relocated to Texas by the time of this mid 70s set – singing here in English with some nicely jazzy backings on the set! There's a style here that's a bit singer/songwriter, but somewhat deeper too – one that has a ... CD (Rock CD)
Tempest Trio
Tempest TrioMarlin/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1979.
The one and only album from Tempest Trio – a sweet disco side project from Detroit funk masters Dennis Coffey and Mike Theodore! The trio's got that three-female vocal approach used by many other disco acts at the time – but served up over rhythms that definitely echo the earlier work ... CD (Soul CD)
Chicago Underground Quartet
Good DaysAstral Spirits, 2020.
A fantastic step in the continuing evolution of the "Chicago Underground" project of trumpeter Rob Mazurek and drummer Chad Taylor – soaring out here in a set that's full of spiritual energy and a level of imagination that even surpasses their classic recordings from years ago! ... CD (Jazz CD)
Dennis Herrold
Mystery Of Dennis Herrold – The Complete Imperial Recordings (purple vinyl 10 inch LP & CD)Imperial/Bear Family (Germany), Late 50s.
LP...$34.99
39.99
A really cool package of work from one of the most obscure rockers to ever record for Imperial Records in the late 50s – the enigmatic Dennis Herrold, who only issued one single for the label at the time – presented here with the full work from his debut session, plus other material too! ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Gary McFarland
Point Of DepartureImpulse (Japan), 1963.
A great record – and one that's filled with so many wonderful little moments! The whole thing's a very cool, very off-beat set of jazz tracks recorded by vibist Gary McFarland, with a group that includes Jimmy Raney on guitar, Richie Kamuca on tenor, and Steve Swallow on bass – a ... CD (Jazz CD)
Impulse (Japan), 1963.
A surprisingly enchanting album of piano work from Charles Mingus – one of a few he cut on the instrument, and quite different than his regular work on bass! Unlike the bold, angry role that Mingus would take on as a leader, the approach here is very personal and introspective – long ... CD (Jazz CD)
Sun Ra & His Solar Arkestra
I Roam The Cosmos (Japanese paper sleeve edition)Art Yard/P-Vine (Japan), 1972.
Fantastic material from Sun Ra – a never-heard 1972 performance at Slugs, and one that captures the group at their most spiritual point! The core of the set is the track "I Roam The Cosmos" – one of the more obscure Ra compositions, and a title that appears here for the first ... CD (Jazz CD)
Hubert Porter with The Jamaican Calypsonians
Calypsos From JamaicaDub Store (Japan), Early 60s.
LP...$19.99
23.99
A great mix of modes from Hubert Porter – tunes that are definitely the calypsos promised in the title, but which also have some unique elements that mark them as Jamaican, too – touches of mento, nice jazzy elements in the music, and that bubbling up of the new island modes that would ... LP, Vinyl record album (Reggae LP)
Play Loud (UK), Late 20s/1930s/1940s/1950s.
CD...$18.99
19.99
A really revelatory collection – a set of vintage recordings from the Jewish community in London's East End – songs with sounds that resonate very strongly with the musical sound of New York's Lower East Side during the same stretch of time! There's definitely some of the jazz promised ... CD (Global Grooves CD)
Billy Walker
Whirlpool – Gonna Shake This Shack TonightColumbia/Bear Family (Germany), Late 50s/Early 60s.
CD...$19.99
22.99
The best side of the overlooked Billy Walker – his more rocking, hard-twanging numbers recorded for Columbia Records – all done at a time when the label was hitting big with other artists, even though Walker never fully got his due! Billy's maybe best known for a few western-themed ... CD (Folk/Country CD)
Wendell Harrison & Phil Ranelin
Message From The Tribe – The Complete Edition (2CD version – with bonus tracks)Tribe/Octave (Japan), Early 70s. 2CDs
Genius work from the Detroit underground of the 70s – one of the greatest records ever on the now-famous Tribe Records label, and a masterpiece of soul, jazz, and righteous spirit! The session's headed by tenor player Wendell Harrison – and it's got an all-star Motor City lineup that ... CD (Jazz CD)
Roy Budd
Internecine ProjectPye/Trunk (UK), 1974.
That's an angry-looking James Coburn on the cover – a tipoff that you're in for something really special on the record – one of the best-ever soundtracks from the mighty Roy Budd, the man who also gave the world the superb score for Get Carter! There's a few elements here that echo the ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soundtracks LP)
Mars/Lucia, 1950s/Early 60s. (reissue)
A stunning set of early work from the legendary Moondog – recorded on the streets of New York, but with a complexity and sophistication that may well beat his famous early albums on Prestige! The sounds here are amazing – the work of a composer who's stripped everything down to the ... LP, Vinyl record album (Out Sound LP)
Nduduzo Makhathini
Modes Of Communication – Letters From The UnderworldsBlue Note, 2020.
CD...$12.99
13.99
A really beautiful record, and one that's every bit as righteous as you might guess from its cover and title – maybe even more so, as there's a hugely collaborative energy to the whole record, a sense of group spirit that's not even hinted at on the front! Nududuzo Makhathini is listed as ... CD (Jazz CD)
Dave Douglas
Dizzy AtmosphereGreenleaf, 2020.
CD...$14.99
15.99
Dave Douglas works here in a group with two trumpets – Dave Adewumi on the other horn in the lead, but playing with a voice that's deeply distinct from the leader! The group's got that sort of fresh approach that seems to make each different record by Douglas a very different project – ... CD (Jazz CD)
Steve Swell Quinet Soul Travelers
AstonishmentsRogue Art (France), 2020.
CD...$14.99
16.99
One of the most righteous albums we've ever heard from trombonist Steve Swell – a great follow-up to his Soul Travelers album – and, like that one, done in this majestic mode that hearkens back to the hippest sounds of the loft jazz years! Swell's group is fantastic – with Jemeel ... CD (Jazz CD)
Mulatu Astatke & Black Jesus Experience
To Know Without Knowing (with bonus download)Agogo (Germany), 2020.
A great entry in the ongoing resurgence of the mighty Mulatu Astatke – the legend of Ethiopian music from the 70s, still going strong after all these years – and finding new ways to interact with generations of musicians that he inspired with his original recordings! This set has ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Storyville/Muzak (Japan), 1954. 2CDs
Three early 10" albums from alto genius Lee Konitz – packaged together here in one great 2CD set! First up is Lee Konitz At Storyville – tight early work from Lee Konitz – recorded on location at the very hospitable Storyville nightclub in Boston – a sweet setting for ... CD (Jazz CD)
Patrice Rushen
PoshElektra/Strut (UK), 1980.
Nothing posh about this one – as the album's an all-out, all-access affair – a great way for anyone to get into the grooves of the mighty Patrice Rushen! Patrice is at the height of her powers here – equally magic on keyboards and vocals, and coming up with groove after groove in ... CD (Soul CD)
Sondor/Lion, 1977. (reissue)
An excellent album of spare percussion tracks – served up by Jorge Trasante, who'd later rise to fame in the Gypsy Kings – but who here is working as a young percussionist with a great love of South American rhythms! As the title implies, the set is an exploration of the roots of his ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Pipe/Cherry Red (UK), 1980. 2CDs
A great 2CD set – one that brings together two rare installments of this Miniatures series of music, collage, and sound art! First up is the 1979 edition – a really fantastic little record – and one that has a concept that's unlike anything else we can think of! Morgan Fisher ... CD (Rock CD)
Kidd Jordan/
Spirits
Silkheart (Switzerland), 2020.
CD...$14.99
16.99
A wonderful set, and one that's definitely filled with spirits – most particularly from the tenor of Kidd Jordan, which has all this subtle power behind it, at a level that really gives proof to Jordan's many years on the freer side of the jazz spectrum! The trio here also features Alvin ... CD (Jazz CD)
Cory Weeds with David Hazeltine
Day By DayCellar Live, 2020.
CD...$11.99
12.99
There's a great strong voice on this quartet date from alto player Corey Weeds – the piano of David Hazeltine, whose richness really seems to shape the session right from the very first note! The setting is one that's more natural to Weeds – a recording date in Vancouver, with Ken ... CD (Jazz CD)
Various
Spiritual Jazz 11 – Esoteric, Modal, & Progressive Jazz From The SteepleChase Label 1974 to 1984Steeplechase/Jazzman (UK), Late 70s/Early 80s.
A massive collection of music from the Steeplechase label – spiritual sounds from back in the day, and a side of the label's legacy that's only gotten the right sort of appreciation in more recent years! Steeplechase was a European company, and their biggest claim to fame was recordings of ... CD (Funky Compilations CD)
Various
Praise Poems 7 – A Journey Into Deep Soulful Jazz & Funk From The 1970s (with bonus download)Tramp (Germany), 1970s.
This series keeps blowing us away with each new entry – taking us into musical territory that's completely its own, in a way that few other compilations have ever done! The cover is a bit misleading, as the territory here is the farther reaches of hip soul and groovy jazz in the 70s – ... LP, Vinyl record album (Funky Compilations LP)
Dinah Washington
Rockin Good Way – Juke Box PearlsBear Family (Germany), Late 40s/1950s.
CD...$19.99
22.99
You may know Dinah Washington as a jazz singer – but at her start, she was also a hell of an R&B vocalist too – a side of her talents that's focused on very strongly in this set! If you love the jazz side of Dinah, don't worry – there's plenty of that here too – but the ... CD (Vocalists CD)
California Three (Dwight Dickerson)
WindowsTrio/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1978.
A really great group – one that we've never seen under this name before, but which features familiar names Dwight Dickerson on piano and Donald Bailey on drums, plus bass from Harvey Newmark! The album's got all the lyrical charm and sparkle of Dickerson's best from the time – a really ... CD (Jazz CD)
Ranil Y Su Conjunto Tropical
Ranil Y Su Conjunto Tropical (with bonus download)Analog Africa (Germany), Late 70s.
LP...$29.99
31.99
Mindblowing Amazonian cumbia from Ranil – music created way up in the mountain territory of Iquitos – with a lean vibe that maybe speaks of the isolation of the artist and his group! The tracks are mostly instrumental, and have a fair bit of electric guitar in the lead over rootsy ... LP, Vinyl record album (Latin LP)
Rashied Ali & Frank Lowe
Duo Exchange – Complete SessionsSurvival, Early 70s. 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
LP...$39.99
46.99
A great one from drummer Rashied Ali – issued here on his own Survival label! Ali's perhaps best remembered for his spare backing behind Coltrane's solo sax on the record Interstellar Space – and we're tempted to say that there's a similar vibe going on here – as the record just ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Donald Bailey
So In LoveTrio/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1978.
A fantastic record from jazz harmonica player Donald Bailey – maybe one of the few we've ever seen with his name in the lead, and a set that shows that he can easily rival some of the greats on his instrument at the time! The vibe of the set is a bit like some of the best jazz dates from ... CD (Jazz CD)
Donald Byrd & The Blackbyrds
Jazz Funk Collection (3CD set)Robinsongs (UK), 1970s/Early 80s. 3 CDs
An amazing tribute to some of the greatest jazz funk of the 70s – the groundbreaking work of trumpeter Donald Byrd, both as a solo act on his own, and as the inspiration for the mighty Blackbyrds group – both of whom are featured on this set! Byrd first broke into new territory in the ... CD (Jazz CD)
Howard Riley
Three Is OneAsc, 2007.
CD...$13.99
14.99
A really inventive record from British avant piano legend Howard Riley – and that's saying a lot, as Riley is always pretty darn inventive! The set follows on a mode that Howard first begun during the 70s – and uses overdubbing to record him working on three different pianos as a trio ... CD (Jazz CD)
Pressure Sounds (UK), Early 80s. 2LP
LP...$22.99
26.99
Sweet early 80s tracks from the legendary Bunny Striker Lee – work that shows him stepping effortlessly into the dancehall modes of the time – still a master of rhythm, and of finding the right sort of talents to add to his sound! The package features a nice mix of bigger names and up-a ... LP, Vinyl record album (Reggae LP)
Earthquake/Tidal Waves, 1983. (reissue)
LP...$28.99
29.99
The only album ever issued by Sylk – a southern group with a sound that's tight, but never too slick – nicely indie from production to conception, and very different than other mainstream soul records from the time! The record's part of the great underground tradition of homegrown soul ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Saturn/Modern Harmonic, 1982.
CD...$13.99
14.99
An obscure session from Sun Ra and the Arkestra, and a great one too – a set that's maybe a bit different than some of their other material from the time! The album's from the early 80s, but maybe feels a bit more like the group in the late 50s – when they were in Chicago, and first ... CD (Jazz CD)
Haggis Horns
Stand Up For LoveHaggis (UK), 2020.
The Haggis Horns just seem to get tighter and tighter with each new record – to a point where they're way more than just another funk combo with a gimmicky name, and have grown into a really great soul group on their own! The rhythms, arrangements, and horns are great – but there's ... LP, Vinyl record album (Deep Funk LP)
Muriel Grossmann
ElevationJazzman (UK), 2020.
Fantastic work from saxophonist Muriel Grossmann – a player who's turning out to be as important to our generation as John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders were to theirs! Over the course of a handful of albums, mostly issued under the radar, Muriel has been building up this tremendous legacy in ... CD (Jazz CD)
Whit Dickey
MorphESP, 2020. 2CDs
CD...$12.99
14.99
Drummer Whit Dickey in two really great settings – both of them a very fresh reminder of his mighty talents on the kit! CD1 features Whit working with Matthew Shipp on piano – in these beautifully moody, often spacious duets that really match some of Dickey's subtle but resonant work ... CD (Jazz CD)
Karate Boogaloo
Carn The BoogersCollege Of Knowledge (Australia), 2020.
Heavy funk from an Australian group who take their name from one of our favorite funky 45s of the 60s – a combo who try hard to live up to that legacy, but also add in plenty of their own touches too! The keyboards and guitar are surprisingly well-crafted – so much so that they often ... LP, Vinyl record album (Deep Funk LP)
Vic Juris
Let's Cool OneSteeplechase (Denmark), 2020.
CD...$16.99
19.99
Guitarist Vic Juris has always been a master of tone – a player who takes the chromatic modes of the postwar jazz years on the instrument forward to newer generations – always leaving his own touch on the strings with a deeply personal approach! This set's a nice balance of two ... CD (Jazz CD)
Alice Coltrane
Africa – Live At Carnegie Hall 1971Alternative Fox (UK), 1971.
A fantastic live performance from Alice Coltrane – and one that features a very heavy-hitting group, one that features both Pharoah Sanders and Archie Shepp on tenor, in a spirit that's as strong and righteous as Alice's Ptah The El Daoud album! The set features one long track – a ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Ibrahim Ferrer
Buenos Hermanos (special edition – with bonus tracks)World Circuit/Nonesuch, 2003.
CD...$14.99
15.98
The second album recorded by Cuban vocal legend Ibrahim Ferrer in the wake of the Buena Vista Social Club phenomenon – and maybe the best! Ferrer's vocals are superb throughout – and the production is relatively stripped down, and never too intrusive – even when producer Ry ... CD (Latin CD)
Herbie Hancock
Prisoner (180 gram pressing)Blue Note, 1969. (reissue)
LP...$28.99
34.99
A nice late Blue Note change from Herbie Hancock – a very different album than his previous sets for the label – in that it features a slightly larger group, and a sound that really points the way towards his directions in the 70s! There's a slightly ambitious feel to some of these ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Cecil Taylor
Cecil Taylor SoloTrio/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1973.
Tremendous work from Cecil Taylor – a Japanese album that captures the pianist at the peak of his power – when he was breaking through into this amazing new territory in improvised music, with energy and dexterity that's completely unlike anyone else! Taylor in the 60s was great, but ... CD (Jazz CD)
Dave Burrell & Motoharu Yoshizawa
DreamsTrio (Japan), 1973.
If you've ever doubted the genius of pianist Dave Burrell, this may well be the record to push you over the top – as the album captures Burrell at the height of his power, at a time when he was very much in a long-form, incredibly dynamic mode of improvisation – equal maybe to the ... CD (Jazz CD)
Morton Subotnick
Silver Apples Of The Moon (180 gram pressing – with download)Nonesuch/Karl (UK), Late 60s. (reissue)
One of THE electronic records of the 60s – an album so important, the Silver Apples took their name from the title – and a whole other generation of artists took strong inspiration from the electronic creations of Morton Subotnick! Before the set, much electronic music of this nature ... LP, Vinyl record album (Out Sound LP)
Irene Kral
Angel Eyes – Live In TokyoTrio/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1977.
Lovely lovely work from Irene Kral – a Japanese-only session from the 70s, and one of her best efforts from the time! Irene's vocals have never sounded better – strong and confident, but not in a cloying way that gets in the way of the tunes – working with a piano trio led by ... CD (Vocalists CD)
Shabaka & The Ancestors
We Are Sent Here By HistoryImpulse, 2020.
CD...$13.99
14.99
An amazing album from this soon-to-be-famous group – a set that's even more incredible than their previous record – and that one really knocked us out of the park! Tenorist Shabaka Hutchings is in tremendous territory here – recording for Impulse Records, and completely ... CD (Jazz CD)
Dusty Groove Print
Dusty Groove Storefront – AutumnDusty Groove,
A lovely image of our Chicago storefront – done for us by our friends at Emmiebean, and capturing the street in the lengthening shadows of an autumn afternoon! Things look pretty spare on the outside, but if you've ever visited us in Chicago, you know that's just a trick of the eye – ... Photo (Photo)
Duke Ellington/
Money Jungle (180 gram pressing)
United Artists/Blue Note, 1962. Gatefold (reissue)
LP...$28.99
34.99
Rarely are such "meeting of the minds" sessions worth any fuss at all – but in this case, the masterful talents of the players turn what should be a snoozy "common denominator" session into a modernist classic that still crackles with excitement after all these years! The ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Pharoah Sanders
Welcome To LoveTimeless/Solid (Japan), 1991.
Laidback, soulful work from Pharoah Sanders – a record that showcases a very different side of his talents than you might know from his classic albums on Impulse Records – but a side that's an equally great revelation overall! The album features mostly older jazz standards, blown by ... CD (Jazz CD)
Wire
Issue 435 – May 2020Wire, 2020.
Diamanda Galas looks out of a window on the cover – as so many of us have been doing in the Spring of 2020 – and the issue also features a special look at Music In the Time Of Pandemic – very fitting, as Galas is returning to the subject of disease and diaspora on her new album! ... Magazine (Magazine)
Lee Morgan
Cooker (180 gram pressing)Blue Note, 1957. (reissue)
LP...$28.99
34.99
A very appropriate title for a very cooking little album – one of Lee Morgan's first efforts as a leader, cut back during his first years of late 50s fame! The style here is a bit less Morgan-esque than some of Lee's later 60s classics – but the record is rock-solid throughout, and ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Soul Connection
Street SoulInvisible City Editions (Canada), Late 80s. (reissue)
Fierce funky work from this late 80s UK duo – contemporaries of Soul II Soul, Loose Ends, and some of the other big British acts of the time – but a pair who never fully got their due! The "street soul" title here is really well-placed – as the grooves have a style that' ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Oneness Of Juju
Space Jungle LuvBlack Fire/Now Again, 1976. (reissue)
LP...$20.99
25.98
A fantastic record from one of the greatest underground jazz groups of the 70s! Oneness of Juju are perhaps best known for the heavy funk of their first album, African Rhythms – but we're actually partial to this second album – a warmly spiritual batch of soul jazz tracks, and a set ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Dusty Groove Print
Dusty Groove Storefront – WinterDusty Groove,
The Dusty Groove storefront in the dead of winter – recently covered with a fresh coating of Chicago snow, which will soon be shoveled away when the staff arrives for the start of the workday! Our friends at Emmiebean did this beautiful print for us – and the red of the storefront is a ... Photo (Photo)
Diazpora
Ping Pong PowerplayLegere (France), 2020.
No time for table games here – as Diazpora jump right in the groove from the very first note – working with a sweet 70s funk approach to their music, which means lots of riffing guitar, funky basslines, and horns punctuating the keys – all while lead singer Axel Maximilian Fiege ... LP, Vinyl record album (Deep Funk LP)
Larry Rose Band
Jupiter EffectCrossroad/BBE (UK), 1978.
Larry Rose plays some mighty sweet keyboards on this late 70s set – electric piano, organ, and other keys as well – and also sings a fair bit on the record, in this great blend of jazz, soul, and some tighter modes of the time! The approach is maybe a bit in the territory of jazzy soul ... CD (Jazz CD)
Stanley Myers/
Histoire D'O – Numero 2 (with bonus tracks)
Music Box (France), 1984. 2 CDs
The slinky, sexy follow-up to the original cinema version of The Story Of O – shot in the 80s, with a musical score by Stanley Myers to match the vibe of that later decade – and served up with a few contributions from a young Hanz Zimmer as well! The shift from the 70s to the 80s is ... CD (Soundtracks CD)
Davy Graham
HatDecca/East Central One (UK), 1969. (reissue)
LP...$18.99
21.99
Prepare to discover your new favorite artist – a tremendously hip cat who never got his due – and who should be held as high on these shores as British talents like Nick Drake, Bert Jansch, or John Martyn! Like all of those three, Davy Graham is a complete original – a guy with ... LP, Vinyl record album (Folk/Country LP)
Last Music Co, 2020.
LP...$23.99
24.99
A very cool tribute to the legendary Cannonball Adderley – but one that has a spirit that's nicely that of its leader, alto saxophonist Tony Kofi! Tony's got a tone that's different than Cannon – maybe a bit sharper, with this pinched, edgey quality that's really great – and ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Daniel Haaksman & Others
Black Atlantica EditsBBE (UK), 2020.
CD...$14.99
18.99
A fantastic collection of cross-cultural grooves from Daniel Haaksman – the man who first raised our ears with his excellent Rio Baile Funk Favela Booty Beats compilations – then kept on giving us great music during all the years in between! This set has Haaksman providing his own ... CD (New Grooves CD)
Som Livre/Far Out (UK), 1975. Gatefold (reissue)
One of the sweetest electric records to come from 70s Brazil – the fabulous first effort from the Azymuth trio, and work that's hardly been matched again! Although the group here have plenty of the warm keyboard touches of their more famous later work, they're also moving in territory that's ... LP, Vinyl record album (Brazil LP)
Carlo Rustichelli
Avanti (with bonus tracks)United Artists/Quartet (Spain), 1972.
An American film – directed by Billy Wilder and starring Jack Lemmon – but one with a distinctly Italian-styled soundtrack, thanks to the music of Carlo Rustichelli! Rustichelli scores the film with a style that's quite like his early 60s work for Italian films – warmly romantic, ... CD (Soundtracks CD)
Mondo, 2020.
LP...$26.99
28.99
A set of tracks that were done by Coup for the film Sorry To Bother You – but music that's not to be confused with their previous album of the same name! The tracks here feature contributions from other artists – including Lakeith Stanfield, who starred in the film, which was directed ... LP, Vinyl record album (Hip Hop LP)
Henry Mancini
Sunflower – Original Soundtrack (with bonus tracks)Quartet (Spain), 1970.
An extremely unique Henry Mancini soundtrack – scored for this European film that starred Marcello Mastroianni and Ingrid Bergman – with a sound that's almost in a similar mood to the work of Ennio Morricone from the same time! Most of the tracks are fairly dark and moody – with ... CD (Soundtracks CD)
Aruan Ortiz with Andrew Cyrille
Inside Rhythmic FallsIntakt (Switzerland), 2020.
CD...$17.99
19.99
The legendary drum work of Andrew Cyrille has a fantastically fresh setting here – matched with the piano of Aruan Ortiz and the percussion of Mauircio Herra – both of whom add some spoken bits to the performance! Cyrille's brilliance hasn't dimmed at all over the years – and he's ... CD (Jazz CD)
Mark Soskin
Everything Old Is New AgainSteeplechase (Denmark), 2020.
CD...$16.99
19.99
A beautiful set of mostly original music from pianist Mark Soskin, and a set that draws equal strengths from the soprano sax and bass clarinet of Billy Drewes – who plays with a great style that mixes lyrical modes with more of an edge – a mode that's a really wonderful complement to ... CD (Jazz CD)
Chad Taylor/
Daily Biological
Cuneiform, 2020.
CD...$15.99
16.98
Great work from drummer Chad Taylor – a player we've always loved, but who seems more and more on fire in recent years! The group's a trio – with Brian Settles on tenor and Neil Podgurski on piano – and there's this wonderful angular energy going on between all three players ... CD (Jazz CD)
Jon Hassell
Vernal EquinoxLovely/Ndeya, 1977.
CD...$13.99
14.99
To most ears, trumpeter Jon Hassell first burst on to the world through his experiments with Brian Eno on EG Records, or maybe his 80s work on ECM – but here, on his debut for the small avant label Lovely Music, it's clear that Jon's already in complete control of his sound – and is ... CD (Rock CD)
Steve Goodman
Steve Goodman – Live 69Omnivore, 1969.
CD...$14.99
16.99
A really unusual slice of work from the great singer/songwriter Steve Goodman – first, in that the unissued material predates all of his famous later recordings – and second, in that Steve performs a set that features all material by other artists! All the Steve Goodman charm and ... CD (Folk/Country CD)
Alexander Hawkins & Tomeka Reid
Shards & ConstellationsIntakt (Switzerland), 2020.
CD...$17.99
19.99
The title's a great one – a very apt description of the sorts of sounds created by the improvising duo of Tomeka Reid on cello and Alexander Hawkins on piano – as the performance has this sharp, stark approach at times – jagged sounds from either instrument, almost as bursts of ... CD (Jazz CD)
Full Experience/
Lee Scratch Perry Presents The Full Experience (Lee Scratch Perry Presents Candy McKenzie/Trojan/Doctor Bird (UK), Mid 70s.
A pair of unusual Lee Perry projects from the mid 70s – both of which feature a female singer in the lead, and give us a whole new side of Perry's talents! The first half of the set features material from an album issued under the title Lee Scratch Perry Presents Candy McKenzie – a set ... CD (Reggae CD)
Larry Carlton
With A Little Help From My Friends/BGO (UK), 1968/1973.
Two early gems from guitarist Larry Carlton – back to back on a single CD! First up is the Uni album With A Little Help From My Friends – pre-fusion, and done at a time when a whole generation of guitarists were trying to find a way forward – and experimenting in a number of ... CD (Jazz CD)
Ricardo Richaid
Travessiero FelizFar Out (UK), 2020.
A soaring blend of Brazilian modes – served up here by Ricardo Richaid, who's almost a one-man army himself, given the amount of instruments he plays on the set! Yet the record is also way more than just a batch of tunes cooked up in a bedroom – as Richaid has collaborators on nearly ... CD (Brazil CD)
Davy Graham
Midnight ManDecca/East Central One (UK), 1966. (reissue)
LP...$16.99
21.99
A fantastic record from Davy Graham – an amazing guitarist, and a hell of a singer too – the sort of artist we'd rank right up there with Donovan, John Martyn, and maybe even Nick Drake! At times Graham channels Eastern musical styles in his guitar – almost a Peter Walker sort of ... LP, Vinyl record album (Folk/Country LP)
Buzzcocks
1991 Demo AlbumCherry Red (UK), 1991.
Really great second-chapter work from The Buzzcocks – the demo tapes from 1991 that led to the reactivation of their career – a move that sounds surprisingly wonderful from this perspective in time! The space of a decade seemed huge at the time – almost a rock and roll lifetime, ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Gilgamesh
GilgameshCaroline/Esoteric (UK), 1975.
The fantastic debut of Gilgamesh – a super-tight band with ties to other prog acts of the British scene of the 70s – and who here emerge with a vibe that's kind of a later extension of the Canterbury mode! The tracks vary in style and length, and are graced by superb musicianship ... CD (Rock CD)
Shape Of The Rain
Riley Riley Wood & Waggett (3CD set – with bonus tracks)RCA/Grapefruit (UK), 1971. 3 CDs
The title's a bit of a clunker, but the record is a great lost charmer from the British scene at the start of the 70s – a set that's filled with well-written, hook-heavy tunes – served up by a quartet who often harmonize along with their instrumentation – all with a warmth that ... CD (Rock CD)
Jasmine (UK), Late 50s/Early 60s.
CD...$15.99
16.99
Maybe the most overstuffed collection of work we've ever seen from early New Orleans soul legend Eddie Bo – a set that not only includes his early classics for the Ric label, but also more obscure material for Apollo, Chess, Ace, and Swan – all brought together here with a number of ... CD (Soul CD)
SAM/Demon (UK), 1980. (reissue)
Wonderful work from Rhyze – a group who were always a cut above some of their dancefloor contemporaries! Most numbers here have a great sort of bounce and boogie-heavy feel – but there's also an equally thoughtful ear for the vocals, which are often delivered with the depth of an older- ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Joe McPhee, Dave Rempis, Tomeka Reid, Brandon Lopez, & Paal Nilssen-Love
Of Things Beyond Thule Vol 2Aerophonic, 2020.
The title's a reference to place once referenced by Edgar Allan Poe – but the music is very firmly grounded in reality, and comes from an improvised performance in Chicago by this very all-star ensemble! The album features really creative interplay between a quintet that features Joe McPhee ... CD (Jazz CD)
Massimo Guantini (Sandro Brugnolini)
DiapositiveGemelli/Loneos Editions (Italy), 1977. (reissue)
A sound library album from the Italian 70s scene – but one that's more like a jazz record overall, given that it's the product of musician Sandro Brugnolini, working under an assumed name – a cat who gave the world plenty of great jazz records in his day! There's a nice mix of ... LP, Vinyl record album (Sound Library LP)
Thundercat
It Is What It IsBrainfeeder, 2020.
A tremendous album from Thundercat – an artist who just seems to get better and better with every new record, and who's maybe here defining a genre that's completely unto himself! The record is soulful, and has a lot of contemporary cosmic currents – but it's also more far-reaching and ... CD (New Grooves CD)
Antti Lotjonen
Quintet EastWeJazz (Finland), 2020.
You might know the bass of Antti Lotjonen from years back – when he was a key member of the groovy Five Corners Quintet – but his sound has changed a lot since those years, and really deepened into a much richer jazzy style! The bass is at the core of all these tunes, but it's used to ... CD (Jazz CD)
Beat Bronco Organ Trio
Road Trip (with bonus download)Rocafort (UK), 2020.
The Beat Bronco Organ Trio are more than great enough at the core, but they also offer up some great surprises over the course of this fantastic full length album – including slight use of clavinet and mini-moog by Gabri Casanova, who mostly handles the Hammond in the lead – and guest ... LP, Vinyl record album (Deep Funk LP)
Morello (UK), 1968/1971/1973/1976. 2 CDs
Four lost albums from David Blue – a really compelling singer/songwriter, ripe for rediscovery! First up is These 23 Days In September, recorded for Reprise – a really moody little record from David Blue – a folksy singer who's got a style that definitely lives up to the ... CD (Rock CD)
Gap Band
Gap Band IV/BGO (UK), Early 80s. 2CD
A pair of early 80s classics from the Gap Band – back to back in a single set! First up is Gap Banc IV – perhaps the ultimate album for The Gap Band – and sure, it was a hit, but the record still sounds great today, and the constant sampling of some of the record has kept it ... CD (Soul CD)
Various
Retour Au Club MeduseSpacetalk (UK), 1980s.
A really cool concept for a compilation – one that returns to a specific mood of music on the French scene – work that's post-punk, a bit electro, and usually a lot better put-together than some of the bigger hits in Paris at the time! This work draws heavily on UK electronic styles of ... CD (French CD)
Lee Morgan
Rumproller (180 gram pressing)Blue Note, 1965. (reissue)
LP...$22.99
24.99
A great album by Lee Morgan – and one not to pass up! The Rumproller often gets too easily lumped next to The Sidewinder – because of an obvious title and cover similarity to that hit record – but like that one, the album's far more than jazz cliche – and shows Lee Morgan ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Bruno Nicolai
Espressioni (180 gram pressing)Gemelli/Loneos Editions (Italy), 1972. (reissue)
Some of the darkest work we've ever heard from Bruno Nicolai – an Italian soundtrack composer who's usually in the more groovy side of the spectrum – but who here proves that he can be as moody and offbeat as his frequent musical partner, Ennio Morricone! The tunes have some occasional ... LP, Vinyl record album (Sound Library LP)
Flaviola
Flaviola E O Bando Do SolSolar/World Psychedelia, 1974.
A gem of a record from the same Pernambuco early 70s scene that gave us Lula Cortes, Ze Ramalho, Geraldo Azevedo, and Alceu Valenca! This obscure little set has lots of the earthier tones that showed up in work by the above artists – a style that mixes folksy touches with bits of psychedelia ... CD (Brazil CD)
Eagle Rock, 2020.
A great version of this Miles Davis documentary – one that comes with a full bonus disc that's almost worth the price of the package alone! The core movie is great – a documentary on the rise and music of one of the greatest trumpeters of all time – directed by Stanley Nelson, ... DVD (DVD)
Doctor Bird (UK), 1967/1968.
Killer early work from producer Clancy Eccles – a special set that focuses on rocksteady and early reggae productions – most compiled here for the first time ever! The work here is great – raw, soulful, and grooving in ways that move from midtempo to a slightly quicker pace ... CD (Reggae CD)
JK Group
Young OnesLa Sape (Australia), 2020.
A young group, but one who've got some mighty nice energy – a mix of live rhythms on bass and drums, with sweet keyboard lines, saxophone leads, and just a touch of electronics – all in a mode that's got a similar blend of classic styles and contemporary elements as we'd find in work ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Various
Whispers – Lounge OriginalsNumero, Late 60s/Early 70s.
One of the coolest collections we've seen from the Numero Group in a long time – an assortment of obscure lounge singers and groups who played the Midwest scene in the glory days of the cocktail bar – not exotica acts or jazz combos, but instead the kind of warm and mellow artists you ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Dave Rempis/
Codes/Aerophonic, 2020. 2CDs
Two very well-matched musicians – taking off here in the kind of improvisations that really keep our faith in free jazz alive over the years! Dave Rempis has been on the Chicago scene for many years – but he just seems to get better and better, and more creative as the years go by ... CD (Jazz CD)
Clancy Eccles & Others
Top Of The Ladder (with bonus tracks)Doctor Bird (UK), Early 70s. 2 CDs
A stunning selection of gems from the hands of Clancy Eccles – a mix of tracks that features material with Clancy as the lead artist, or at the production helm with some of the choicest cats on the Kingston scene – both singers and instrumentalists, the latter of whom get a great chance ... CD (Reggae CD)
Dexter Gordon
Swingin' Affair (180 gram pressing)Blue Note, 1962. (reissue)
LP...$22.99
24.99
An amazingly simple – but amazingly satisfying session from Dexter Gordon! The group's a totally solid quartet with Sonny Clark on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and the groove is right in the pocket with a solid solid soulful feel that you don't always get ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Conjunto Farroupilha
Os FarroupilhasFarroupilha/Discobertas (Brazil), 1963.
A rare harmony pop set from 60s Brazil – very much in the mode of some of the other bigger groups of the bossa generation, like Quarteto Em Cy or Os Cariocas – but served up here by a group of mixed male and female singers! Rhythms are light and lively – a jazzy blend of samba ... CD (Brazil CD)
Ronny Pellers Satin Sound
Ronny Pellers Satin Sound (with download)Perfect Toy (Germany), 1968. (reissue)
A wonderfully groovy album by a wonderfully groovy group – one headed up by singer/hornman Ronny Peller, who spent a fair bit of time working in German nightclubs before issuing this debut album with his group! Ronny's clearly a consummate entertainer – able to deliver a solo, then ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Os Mutantes
ZZYZXMutantes (Brazil), 2020.
Surprising new work from this legendary Brazilian group – a combo who had a huge influence in the Tropicalia generation, then went on to grow and expand over the years, and open up countless new ears in the process! This set is a bit different than some of their other revival work – ... CD (Brazil CD)
Iasos
Inter-Dimensional MusicFact Of Being, 1975.
Bizarre home made electronics from the enigmatic Iasos – an artist who later went onto a bit of fame in the new age, but who's working here in a trippier, spacier, almost psychedelic mode! The style is often quite personal, and almost naive – as Iasos works on guitar, keyboards, ... CD (Out Sound CD)
African Road Trip (UK), Late 70s/Early 80s.
Very underground work from the late 70s and early 80s – a selection of tracks that are mostly new to our ear, and which definitely move along the clubbier side of the West African spectrum! A number of these tunes have core elements that resonate with American disco of the time – but ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Celio Balona
Bem Bolado (with bonus tracks)Paladium/Discobertas (Brazil), 1968.
A really unusual album from Brazilian organist Celio Balona – first, in that it's recorded in a small nightclub in Belo Horizonte, which gives the whole thing a different vibe than Celio's studio work – and second, in that it has singers on a number of tracks – which provides a ... CD (Brazil CD)
Ravi Shankar
Nine Decades Vol 6 – Dutch-India AirwavesEast Meets West, 1957.
CD...$12.99
13.99
A rare Dutch performance from Ravi Shankar – done in that late 50s stretch when he was really stepping out into the wider world at large, as you'll hear on this performance recorded by Radio Netherlands in 1957! The set begins with an introduction in Hindi, then moves into two ragas ... CD (Global Grooves CD)
Maria Bethania
Mangueira – A Menina Dos Meus OlhosQuitanda (Brazil), 2020.
Brilliant work from the legendary Maria Bethania – a singer who might be looking a few years older on the cover, but who still has all the tremendous power of her youth! Maria's vocals are tremendous, and set up in these beautiful arrangements that blend samba-styled percussion and guitar ... CD (Brazil CD)
Timo Lassy
Big Brass – Live At Savoy Theatre HelsinkiMustHaveJazz/Membran (Finland), 2020.
A gem of a record from Finnish saxophonist Timo Lassy – a straight jazz set that reunites him with members of the Ricky Tick Big Band – including some of the musicians who first made big waves with Timo on record in the early part of this century! Lassy's at his best here – ... CD (Jazz CD)
Andy Williams
Emperor Of Easy – Lost Columbia Masters 1962 to 1972Columbia/Real Gone, 1960s/Early 70s.
CD...$17.99
19.99
The title definitely gets it right – as Andy Williams was maybe the king of the easy listening vocal scene at the end of the 60s – a singer with a smooth style that was equally popular on record as it was on the TV screen! Yet Andy was also something very special, and very much unto ... CD (Vocalists CD)
Light In The Attic, Late 70s/Early 80s. 2LP
A look at Memphis soul music that goes way beyond any Stax, Goldwax, or Atlantic Records collections you might own – partly because all of the tracks here are from a time in the city when all those other labels had stopped recording! Memphis is usually remembered for a 60s/early 70s stretch ... LP, Vinyl record album (Funky Compilations LP)
Richard Marks
Love Is Gone – The Lost Sessions 1969 to 1977Now Again, Late 60s/Early 70s. 2CDs
Never-issued work from underground Atlanta soul genius Richard Marks – an artist who never got much exposure back in the day, but who kept on producing and recording funky soul nuggets on his own! Marks' later years were covered in a previous set by the Now Again label – and this time ... CD (Soul CD)
Vanguard/Real Gone, Early 70s.
A never-issued album from the guitar genius Robbie Basho – material recorded at the same Vanguard Records sessions that produced his monumental albums Voice Of The Eagle and Zarthus, and every bit as great as the work that appeared on those records – and as the tracks on Basho's Takoma ... CD (Folk/Country CD)
Righteous (UK), Late 50s/Early 60s.
Nicely nasty tunes from the generation that inspired the music of The Cramps – that massive underworld of 45rpm and 78rpm singles in the 50s and early 60s – recorded at a time when just about anything was fair game to capture in the studio! The styles here vary as much as the huge ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Various
Ella 100 – Live At The ApolloConcord, 2020.
CD...$14.99
15.99
An all-star tribute to Ella Fitzgerald – a special show recorded live at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, in celebration of what would have been her 100th Birthday! The whole event is hosted by David Allen Grier, and begins with a vintage 1934 Apollo Amateur Night radio broadcast – before ... CD (Vocalists CD)
Tompkins Square, Late 60s/1970s.
Sublime solo guitar work from Wall Matthews – a musician who's maybe best known for his work in the group Entourage, who issued two 70s albums on Folkways – although that group is also pretty darn obscure too! Matthews has a great sound here – a solo acoustic mode that's filled ... LP, Vinyl record album (Folk/Country LP)
Guido & Maurizio De Angelis
Lo Chiamavano Bulldozer (with bonus tracks)Beat (Italy), 1978.
A very groovy little soundtrack from the team of Guido and Maurizio De Angelis – one that was penned to accompany an offbeat Bud Spencer film of the late 70s, and which offers up plenty of variations on the catchy theme! Bud plays Bulldozer – an ex-US football player, holed up in Italy ... CD (Soundtracks CD)
Juicy Lucy
Juicy Lucy (with bonus track)Vertigo/Esoteric (UK), 1969.
The debut album from Juicy Lucy – an American act who made a trip to the London scene in the late 60s, where they found a way to forge a whole bunch of influences into a very unique groove! Had they stayed back home in Cali, Juicy Lucy might have gravitated towards the Bay Area scene, and ... CD (Rock CD)
Devonte Hynes (Blood Orange)
Queen & SlimDomino, 2020.
Sublime soundtrack work from Devonte Hynes – an artist you might know under other sounds as Blood Orange, but who emerges here as a film score force to be reckoned with – creating these amazing tracks that are a balance between richness and subtle instrumentation! The film is fantastic ... CD (Soundtracks CD)
Serge Gainsbourg
En Studio Avec Serge Gainsbourg Vol 1Universal (France), 1960s/1970s.
A treasure trove of rare work from the legendary Serge Gainsbourg – studio outtakes, alternate versions, and lots of other material that stands as a great addition to the catalog of one of the coolest, grooviest French language singers ever! This vinyl volume 1 brings together rare tracks by ... LP, Vinyl record album (French LP)
Garland/Beat Rocket, Late 60s.
A really great collection that charts a very unusual strain of music – tracks from the Pacific Northwest scene that represent a slice of their famous garage rock style leaning a bit more towards soul music – with results that make this whole collection a fantastic discovery of new music! ... CD (Rock CD)
Roedelius
Tape Archive Essence 1973 to 1978Bureau B (Germany), Mid 70s.
LP...$22.99
24.98
Rare archival recordings from the legendary Hans Joachim Roedelius – material that's maybe even more creative and experimental than his Sky Records albums of the late 70s! The work here was all recorded on a Revox tape recorder, and has been pulled from the archives for special inclusion in ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Thievery Corporation
SymphonikEighteenth Street Lounge, 2020.
CD...$11.99
12.99
The title here certainly gets it right – as the album marks a huge new step for Thievery Corporation – the first full record in which the group works with orchestral accompaniment – a move that's maybe long overdue, given how much these guys were initially influenced by older ... CD (New Grooves CD)
Ben Williams
I Am A ManRainbow Blonde, 2020. 2LP Gatefold
LP...$24.99
29.99
We first fell in love with Ben Williams as a bassist – but here, he's equally a vocalist – stepping out with a richly soulful vibe we never would have expected a few years back! The set marks a label shift for Williams, and a shift in sound too – one that almost resonates as ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Roscoe Mitchell & Ostravaska Banda
Distant Radio Transmission – Also Nonaah Trio & 8-8-88Wide Hive, 2020.
LP...$12.99
19.99
The legendary Roscoe Mitchell works here in the more sophisticated compositional style he's been exploring heavily in later decades – joined by the Ostravska Banda ensemble in a large version of "Distant Radio Transmission" – a piece that was first created as an improvisation ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Jaman
Sweet HeritageMark/Outernational (UK), 1974. (reissue)
A really cool little combo, led by the enigmatic Jaman on piano and keyboards – working here in a mix of spiritual jazz and more soulful styles of the 70s! The core group features additional bass, drums, congas, and percussion – and the overall style of the record has a looseness that ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Grapefruit (UK), Late 60s/Early 70s. 3CD set
A heavy little set that looks at the big rise of blues modes on the UK scene in the late 60s – but one that should be thought of more as the sound of rock in transition, rather than a lavish adherence to American blues modes! In fact, half of these groups are ones that you might not think of ... CD (Rock CD)
Synchro Rhythmic Eclectic Language
Lambi (with bonus tracks)Moshe Naim/Sommor (Spain), 1976. 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
A really fantastic jazz project from early 70s France – but one that also features a strong contribution from Chicago percussionist Steve McCall – best known for his work in the Air trio, and as part of the AACM! The music is a very freewheeling mix of jazz and global elements – ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Outta Sight (UK), Late 60s/1970s.
Upbeat, positive grooves from the glory days of soul music – tunes from a time when things were changing up a bit – moving from the straighter styles of the Northern Soul years to the more sophisticated modes that would come to be known as "modern" by British fans in the 70s ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Marumo
ModiehiGallo/Mr Bongo (UK), 1982.
A really unusual album from the South African scene of the 80s – served up by a blind quartet who partly echo the styles of other vocal ensembles of the period, but done with a mish-mash of styles that really keeps the whole thing interesting! The album's maybe best-remembered for a few ... CD (Global Grooves CD)
Ryo Fukui
Ryo Fukui In New YorkSapporo/HMV (Japan), 1999. (reissue)
A smoking trio set from Japanese pianist Ryo Fukui – recorded in New York with help from Lisle Atkinson on bass and Leroy Williams on drums! The date's a bit later than some of the classics from the golden age of Japanese piano trio recordings, but has a very similar vibe – and in ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Matthew Tavares & Leland Whitty
VisionsMr Bongo (UK), 2020.
A really amazing step forward for Matthew Tavares and Leland Whitty – two musicians best known as founders of BADBADNOTGOOD – but emerging here in an even more mature blend of jazz and larger instrumental ideas! The record mixes core solo voices with some larger touches here and there ... CD (Jazz CD)
Jasmine (UK), Mid 50s.
CD...$13.99
14.99
A really cool collection – one that brings together 32 answer songs and follow-ups from the 50s – all R&B numbers that stand more than strongly enough on their own, but which are even cooler when you know that most of them are kind of a "part 2" to bigger hits of the time! ... CD (Soul CD)
Twylyte 81
First ComingFavorite (France), 1981. (reissue)
A really wonderful trio, and one who are very different than some of the more familiar underground boogie and club acts of their time – as Twylyte 81 seem to be going for a much deeper, more sophisticated style – one that resonates with some of those really unique 70s artists who are ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Contemporary Jazz Quintet
Black Hole (180 gram pressing)Strata/180 Proof, 1973. 2LP Gatefold
LP...$28.99
29.99
A never-issued live set from Detroit's Contemporary Jazz Quintet – a group who were a key part of the Strata Records scene, and who are expanded here to a much larger lineup for this very freewheeling performance from 1973! The group's spiritual modernism is very strongly in place, but there' ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Pat Metheny
From This PlaceNonesuch, 2020.
Guitarist Pat Metheny has a wonderful way of always opening himself up to new ideas, yet never losing the sound at his core – that unique approach to electric strings that made his ECM albums so revolutionary in the 70s, and which continues to set Metheny apart from anyone else around! There' ... CD (Jazz CD)
Z Records (UK), 1990s. 2CD
Joey Negro's given us some great collections of club music from the 70s and 80s – and he's equally well-skilled at picking the best underground tracks from the 90s – a decade in which some of Joey's own music was staring to get some heavy play too! This set's not your usual dance music ... CD (Funky Compilations CD)
Hailu Mergia
Yene MirchaAwesome Tapes From Africa, 2020.
A great new recording from Hailu Mergia – the Ethiopian keyboardist who's given us some great records over the years! This set has Hailu working on both of his strengths – using keyboards in the lead on some tracks, accordion on others – plus a bit of melodica, and just a slight ... CD (Global Grooves CD)
Jose James
No Beginning No End 2Rainbow Blonde, 2020.
CD...$13.99
14.98
Really mindblowing work from Jose James – an artist we loved right from his very first record, but one who has us completely over the top with this record – a set that may well push James from the soul underground into firmly classic territory – the sort of space that will have ... CD (Neo Soul CD)
Kandace Springs
Woman Who Raised MeBlue Note, 2020.
Maybe the straightest jazz set we've heard to date from Kandace Springs – a record that's got a great old school vibe overall, and the sorts of moody, dark-tinged qualities that takes us back to vintage material by Abbey Lincoln or Nina Simone – something we might not have said about ... CD (Neo Soul CD)
Irreversible Entanglements
Who Sent YouInternational Anthem/Don Giovanni, 2020.
CD...$11.99
12.99
Damn incredible work from Irreversible Entanglements – a Philly group, but one who definitely belong in the special, small universe of the International Anthem label from Chicago! This set is even more fierce, more focused than their great debut – burning with righteous energy from a ... CD (Jazz CD)
Moses Boyd
Dark MatterExodus (UK), 2020. 2LP
A hell of a record from drummer Moses Boyd – a musician who's fast becoming way more than a drummer! Here, Boyd is in the same "jazz plus" territory of Makaya McCraven – still strongly respectful of his lineage in the music, but also trying very hard to push the whole thing ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
George Burton
ReciprocityGeorge Burton, 2020.
An album that explodes with life, soul, and energy right from the very first note – a jazz set from keyboardist George Burton, but a record that weaves in lots of different strands along the way – with a sense of imagination that's certain to make Burton's music something to really keep ... CD (Jazz CD)
Alessandro Alessandroni
ForeverFour Flies (Italy), 2017.
New material from the legendary Alessandro Alessandroni – one of the key forces in helping define the sound of Italian film scores in the 60s and sound library material in the 70s – still alive and well here, and working in a style that's maybe a more intimately focused presentation of ... CD (Sound Library CD)
Star Beams
Star Beams Play Disco SpecialsGallo/Mr Bongo (UK), 1976.
A fantastic set from 70s South Africa – and a record that maybe has a lot more of an American funk vibe than you'd expect! The style is nice and lean, and is often in a mode that echoes some of the cooler underground disco of the late 70s on the east coast – almost as if these cuts ... CD (Global Grooves CD)
Harrison Kennedy
Hypnotic Music (180 gram pressing)Invictus/Demon (UK), 1972. (reissue)
An amazing solo effort from Harrison Kennedy – a record that's quite different than his work with Chairmen Of The Board, and a set that's easily one of the most compelling albums ever issued on the Invictus Records label! The set's nice and funky at times – the heaviest expression of ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Gerald Cleaver
Signs (with bonus download)577, 2020.
LP...$18.99
19.99
An all-electronic set from Gerald Cleaver, but one that's got the same sort of rhythmic pulse as his better-known work on the drums – a record that, in fact, almost feels as if Cleaver is triggering various electronic elements with live work on the drums – or, more likely, using live ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Bottom Rhythm Jam
PrimitiveBasis (Japan), 2019.
It's been a number of years since we last heard from Bottom Rhythm Jam – but man, these guys have definitely kept things together – and maybe even seem more "bottom rhythm" than ever before! The lineup features drums from Takehiro Shimizu of Indigo Jam Unit – mixed with ... CD (Jazz CD)
Eighties Ladies
Ladies Of The EightiesUno Melodic/Expansion (UK), 1980.
A legendary project from Roy Ayers – and a record that's almost as in-demand as his classic Ramp album! The Eighties Ladies were a hip vocal quartet, with the soulful Sylvia Striplin on lead – and they work here in a mix of perfect Ayers-styled grooves – often using female ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Jeff Parker
Suite For Max BrownInternational Anthem/Nonesuch, 2020.
CD...$13.99
14.98
Mindblowing music from Jeff Parker – sounds that we always knew were part of his core, but which have maybe taken most of his career to emerge! This album follows beautifully from Jeff's previous album for International Anthem – and like that one, it's an explosion of new and old ideas ... CD (Jazz CD)
Wildflower
Season 2Ill Considered (UK), 2020.
An amazing group, sounding even better here on their second album than they did the first time around – which is quite an achievement, as we really loved that record from this mighty trio! The group's an offshoot from the Ill Considered combo – and they've got an approach that's ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Reprise/Real Gone, 1973. Gatefold (reissue)
LP...$25.99
26.99
A really wonderful little record – by a group who should have been much bigger than they were! Despite the fact that these guys are an obscure rock band with a silly name, the record's a perfect example of the subtly soulful work that was coming out of various west coast sources during the ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Bell/BGO (UK), Late 60s. 2CD
Four full albums from the Box Tops, plus bonus tracks too! First up is The Letter/Neon Rainbow – a powerhouse set from The Box Tops – a 60s group who showed the world that the Memphis scene had as much to offer the world of rock as it did the worlds of blues and soul – thanks to ... CD (Rock CD)
Freddie King
Blues Journey (3CD set)Sunset Blvd, Early 70s. 3CD
CD...$24.99
25.99
A definite journey in blues from the legendary Freddie King – as the guitarist was really burning up the clubs across the US at the time of these recordings – playing with energy that may well top his well-received studio albums during the same stretch! There's not much in the way of ... CD (Blues CD)
Sonora Casino
Trompeteros (180 gram pressing)Mag/Vampi Soul (Spain), 1972. (reissue)
A very groovy set, and one that already won us over with its cover – even though we're not sure the pink-pantsuited lady playing vibes is part of the group at all! Instead, these guys are a heavily percussive combo that thrive on the best modes of small combo 60s Latin – think Joe Cuba ... LP, Vinyl record album (Latin LP)
David Grubbs
Voice In The HeadphonesDuke University Press, 2020.
Book...$15.99
21.95
Groundbreaking work from David Grubbs – a name you might know from his decades as a musician, singer, and improviser in a variety of settings – or from his more recent emergence as an author – heard from here in a book that unifies both sides of his creative personality! In some ... Book (Book)
Boddhi Satva
18BBE (UK), 2020. 2CD
CD...$14.99
18.99
A double-length collection of work from Boddhi Satva – a retrospective of sorts, as the package features tracks from the past 20 years of his career – but maybe more of a special celebration of his talents, as the album brings together special projects, collaborations, and under-exposed ... CD (New Grooves CD)
Soulmusic.com (UK), 1970s/Early 80s. 6CD set
A massive collection of work from Sister Sledge – a Philly quartet who were able to take an older version of female group soul deep into the disco years – then keep on making great music well into the 80s! The hits of the group are certainly well-known, but they've got a rock-solid ... CD (Soul CD)
Onipa
We No Be MachineStrut (UK), 2020.
That image on the cover is a fantastic visual representation of the sound of Onipa – a group who draw on older cultures with roots in Ghana, but who are clearly poised to shoot out into the cosmos with lots of future energy in their music! Percussion is a mix of acoustic and electric, and ... CD (Global Grooves CD)
Armando Trovajoli
Le Dolci SignoreDigitmovies (Italy), 1967.
A beautiful little soundtrack from Armando Trovajoli – the best sort that he did in the 60s, at a time when he and a few other Italian soundtrack artists were helping push things forward from straighter jazz into the sorts of groovy modes that would make their scene stand out from the rest! ... CD (Soundtracks CD)
David Toop & Paul Burwell
WoundsQuartz/Song Cycle (UK), 1980. (reissue)
A fantastic set of music from the young David Toop – a package that comes from tapes of improvisations with percussionist Paul Burwell – who plays "a variety of percussion arranged on the floor, and in a kit, most of which fell over immediately prior to this performance"! ... LP, Vinyl record album (Out Sound LP)
Martha High
Nothing's Going WrongBlind Faith (Italy), 2019.
Martha High has a hell of a legacy in soul music – one that includes early work with James Brown, and a surprisingly strong run of recent records that includes this well-crafted gem! Martha's singing here with a younger group from Italy, but the sound is very old school throughout – ... CD (Soul CD)
Torbjorn Zetterberg & Den Stora Fragen
Are You HappyMoserobie (Sweden), 2020.
Torbjorn Zetterberg has always been a hell of a bassist – but in recent years, he really seems to be exploding as a greater jazz visionary – working with a group like this in a range of explosive new ideas we never would have expected just a few years ago! The music is often incredibly ... CD (Jazz CD)
Ryo Fukui
Letter From Slow BoatHMV (Japan), 2015. (reissue)
Beautiful work from pianist Ryo Fukui – a relatively recent set, but one that sparkles with all the charm and imagination of his famous records from years back! The format is a familiar trio – with Takumi Awaya on bass and Itetsu Takemura on drums – but as always with Fukui, the ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Pinche (Spain), Mid 60s.
A really cool collection of rockers from the 60s scene in Chile – music that partly echoes American modes of the time, but which also has all these really cool and groovy touches! A fair bit of these tunes have a touch of the exotic – an echoey organ line, a strangely-tuned guitar, ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Beat (Italy), 1981/1983. 2CD
Riz Ortolani is best known for his big scores of the 60s – but here, the maestro turns in two early 80s soundtracks – one sci-fi, one horror – both with a very distinct vibe! First up is I Guerrieri Dell'Anno 2072, a soundtrack that has some "future" elements in its use ... CD (Soundtracks CD)
Gruppo Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza
Eroina (clear vinyl pressing)Cometa (Italy), 1971. (reissue)
Rare work from this legendary Italian improvisational group – a lineup that features famous modernists Mario Bertoncini, Egisto Macchi, and Walter Bianchi – as well as soundtrack genius Ennio Morricone! The sounds are quite dark and abstract – often somewhere out in the space of ... LP, Vinyl record album (Sound Library LP)
Alejandro Medina Y La Pesada
Alejandro Medina Y La PesadaFonocal/Svart (Finland), 1974.
A set that takes off with plenty of fire and frenzy from Alejandro Medina – who's working here with his group La Pesada, which translates into "The Heavy" – and definitely gives you a clue as to the sound of this set! Medina's vocals are as wild as his guitar – and he ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Cuero
Tiempo DespuesFonocal/Svart (Finland), 1973. (reissue)
A fantastic hard rock set from the Argentine scene of the 70s – and a record that shows that nation could boast the kind of power trio to match the giants on the UK and US scenes! Nacho Smilari may well be the powerhouse driving the whole thing – as his vocals are already strong, but ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Svart (Finland), 1980s/Early 90s. 2LP Gatefold
Finland's been giving us some great funk and soul sounds in recent years, but that legacy stretches back much longer than we might have guessed – to a point that includes all these groovy disco and electronic dance tracks from the 80s! The set's a follow-up to the Satan In Love compilation, ... LP, Vinyl record album (Funky Compilations LP)
Steve Tibbetts
Acoustibbetts/Steve Tibbetts, 1970s/1980s/1990s/2000s. 3CD
A huge collection of work from Steve Tibbetts – a guitarist who really helped open up the sound of ECM Records in the 70s, then kept on exploring music that was always at the fringes of jazz and other styles too! The package is put together by Steve himself, and features key moments from ECM ... CD (Jazz CD)
Cosmic Neighbourhood
Library Music Vol 1 (10 inch LP)Kit (UK), 2020.
Cosmic Neighbourhood move into the realm of sound library music with this delightful little record – a 10" album that's filled with short, captivating tunes – mostly melodic, and with electronic components, but delivered in a style that's really organic, and very beautiful! At ... LP, Vinyl record album (Sound Library LP)
BBE (UK), Late 70s/Early 80s. 2LP Gatefold
LP...$26.99
29.99
A whole new genre of soul music – all pulled together by the legendary Rainer Trueby – famous global DJ, and the guiding force behind Compost Records for many many years! This set's all older work, a mix of rare and familiar soul records from the late 70s and early 80s – but ... LP, Vinyl record album (Funky Compilations LP)
Sebastiao Tapajos & Pedro Dos Santos
Sebastiao Tapajos & Pedro Dos Santos Vol 2Trova/Vampi Soul (Spain), 1974. (reissue)
Brazilian guitarist Sebastiao Tapajos usually records in a relatively mellow mode – but here, he'd working with percussive backings from Pedro Dos Santos – who plays a wide variety of instruments, and really adds a lot to the sound of the set! There's kind of a bossa guitar with ... LP, Vinyl record album (Brazil LP)
Laurel Aitken & Others
Skinhead Train – Complete Singles Collection 1969/Pressure Drop (UK), Late 60s. 5CD set
An insanely huge amount of work from British rocksteady legend Laurel Aitken – especially when you consider that this set of 138 tracks was issued in the short space of just two years! In truth, Laurel's not the lead artist on all the cuts, but he had something to do with all of them – ... CD (Reggae CD)
Alhaji Kollington Ayinla & His Fuji 78 Organization
BlessingKollington/Soul Jazz (UK), 1978. (reissue)
LP...$29.99
32.99
An album of heavy righteous power from Alhaji Kollington Ayinla and his Fuji 78 ensemble – a group who bring a very different sound to this record than some of the more mainstream Afro Funk work of the Nigerian scene at the time! The group are heavily percussive, and also use their drums in ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Various
Napoli Segreta Vol 2NG (Italy), Late 70s/Early 80s.
A really wonderful second set in this totally unique series – one that looks at really obscure Italian grooves from the late 70s and early 80s – not the big disco work of the time, but some of the more unusual, more sophisticated sounds that were bubbling under in the farther reaches of ... LP, Vinyl record album (Funky Compilations LP)
Juju (Oneness Of Juju)
Chapter Two – NiaStrata East/Now Again, 1974. (reissue)
LP...$22.99
25.98
The rare second album from Juju – the avant jazz collective who'd later morph into funk band Oneness Of Juju, but who still sound pretty revolutionary here! There's a bit more focus than before – still energy that's a lot like the best righteous jazz groups coming out of Chicago or St ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Jimi Tenor
NY Hel BarcaBureau B (Germany), 1990s/Early 2000s. 2CD
A collection of early work from Jimi Tenor – an artist who's maybe known best these days for his spiritual jazz and funk recordings, but one who sounded very different at the time of this material! Jimi issued much of this music on the Warp label back in the 90s – and although there's ... CD (New Grooves CD)
Arat Kilo with Mamani Keita & Mike Ladd
Visions Of Selam (with bonus download)Accords Croises (France), 2020. 2LP Gatefold
Arat Kilo blend together sounds of West Africa, currents of hip hop, and older Mid East modes – all filtered through their unique Parisian perspective, and topped here with help from Mike Ladd and Mamani Keita on vocals! The record's a great evolution of older world music blends that never ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Super Sonic Jazz (Netherlands), 2020. 2LP
An assortment of work from the contemporary Dutch scene – music that's partly jazz, but which also has lots of 21st Century elements too – although never in a way that falls into any sort of too-easy remix of downtempo modes! Most of these artists use a fair bit of electric ... LP, Vinyl record album (New Grooves LP)
Super Mama Djobo
Na CambancaCobiana/Mar & Sol (Netherlands), 1978. (reissue)
Brightly beautiful sounds from this popular Guinea group of the 70s – served up in a cascading array of guitars and percussion, all topped with warmly harmonic vocals from the group! The guitar interplay is what really makes the record great, especially on the fast-moving songs – as ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Bobby Lewis
Mumblin, Tossin, & TurninJasmine (UK), Late 50s/Early 60s.
CD...$12.99
13.99
A really wonderful overview of the early career of Bobby Lewis – a pre-soul singer who recorded for a variety of different labels, and always managed to pack a hell of a punch! Bobby can have a very dynamic vocal approach when he wants – a sometimes-explosive approach that paves the ... CD (Soul CD)
Dial/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1978.
Joe Tex is definitely not without funk on this sweet little set – a smoking TK Records session that carries strongly from the vibe of his "I Gotcha" years! Longtime producer Buddy Killen is still on deck to keep everything tight and right – a mix of Joe's southern soul roots ... CD (Soul CD)
Brigitte Bardot
La Belle Et Le BluesAce (UK), Late 60s.
CD...$14.99
19.99
Brigitte Bardot's best known on these shores as an actress, but during the 60s she cut some really fantastic work on the scene in Paris – including a fair bit of groovers that were done with help from the legendary Serge Gainsbourg! Bardot provided a fantastic new voice in the world of pop ... CD (French CD)
Alex Puddu
DiscothequeSchema (Italy), 2020.
A fantastic album of grooves from the mighty Alex Puddu – and a record that's worth it alone for its guest work from Gene Robinson Jr on a few tracks – a singer whose voice was part of the classic sound of Breakwater! Puddu's groove has really shifted into the jazzy funk of Robinson's ... CD (New Grooves CD)
George McCrae
Diamond TouchTK/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1976.
The Diamond Touch here is from Gregg Diamond – who brings a real Bionic Boogie feel to this album for George McCrae – a sound that shifts slightly from the Miami soul approach of earlier records, moving George up to New York for the session, and coming up with a strong disco groove ... CD (Soul CD)
Tramp (Germany), 1960s/Early 70s. 2LP Gatefold
The tenth edition in this really fantastic series – a collection of tunes that's moved way past the traditional funk compilations from years back – really showing the evolving taste for a groove in the global underground! The tunes here effortlessly mix together rare soul, groovy jazz, ... LP, Vinyl record album (Funky Compilations LP)
Stefano Torossi & Giovanni Tomasso
Echoing America (colored vinyl pressing)Cometa (Italy), 1970. (reissue)
A record that definitely lives up to its title – an obscure Italian sound library session that blends instrumental touches that evoke an America at the start of the 70s with some of the hipper, deeper currents you'd expect from the team of Stefano Torossi and Giovanni Tomasso! There's plenty ... LP, Vinyl record album (Sound Library LP)
Satisfaction
SatisfactionDecca/Alternative Fox (UK), 1971. (reissue)
The only album ever recorded by Satisfaction – a wonderful British group from the key jazz rock years of the scene, but one who have a sound that's maybe more personal and intimate than the rest! These guys are never too proggy, and are only just a sextet – one that's fronted by some ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Bobby Previte/
Music From The Early 21st Centry
Rare Noise (UK), 2020.
CD...$14.99
15.98
A pretty heady little set, from a pretty heady trio of talents – drummer Bobby Previte, guitarist Nels Cline, and keyboardist Jamie Saft – who works here on Hammond, Fender Rhodes, and mini-moog! The music is very dark and often distorted – as if the other two musicians have ... CD (Jazz CD)
Bongo Joe (UK), 1970s/1980s. 2LP Gatefold
Lively grooves from the islands of Sao Tome and Principe – two nations located in the gulf of Guinea – at a unique crossroads that makes for a really wonderful criss-crossing of styles and sounds! The nations are part of the older Portuguese colonial network, and share some sounds with ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Ogyatanaa Show Band
African Fire YerefrefreSurvival Research (Australia), 1975. (reissue)
The debut album from the Ogyatanaa Show Band – a group who'd been working heavily on the Ghana scene in the early 70s, and who begin this set with a side-long track that pays tribute to all the giants in the world of highlife! That track's quite unusual – a highlife number, but one ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Collocutor
ContinuationOn The Corner (UK), 2020.
One of the moodiest, most introspective groups to emerge from the London scene in the past few years – a group headed up by Tamar Osborn, who blows flute, clarinet, and baritone sax – in addition to handling a lot of the basslines on the set – in this balance between the reeds and ... CD (Jazz CD)
Sven-Ake Johansson
Schlingerland/Cien Fuegos (Austria), 1972. (reissue)
A seminal album of solo drum tracks from 1972 – created and performed by Sven-Ake Johansson, a key figure in the European improv scene of the late 60s and early 70s – although an artist who's maybe at his best on a record like this! Johansson plays only a standard drum kit – but ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Alessandro Blonksteiner
Apocalypse Domani (Cannibal Apocalypse) (with bonus tracks)Beat/Chris' Soundtrack Corner (Germany), 1980.
A surprisingly sweet soundtrack for a film that deals with cannibalism – one that's scored by Alessandro Blonkensteiner with a mix of modes that rivals some of the 70s greats by composers like Stelvio Cipriani, or the duo of Guido & Maurizio DeAngelis! Like both of those talents, ... CD (Soundtracks CD)
Giuliano Sorgini
Sounds From The Far SpaceSonor/Musica Per Immagini (Italy), 1973.
A never-issued album from Italian composer Giuliano Sorgini – and one that's very much in the best spirit of some of his better-known sound library albums from the 70s! Like some of those, Sorgini does a great job here of balancing more experimental modes with more familiar ones – ... LP, Vinyl record album (Sound Library LP)
Various
Spring NYC SoulSpring (UK), 1970s/Early 80s.
CD...$12.99
18.99
A fantastic look at the Spring Records label in New York – a company that had a few big crossover hits in the 70s, but also issued a lot more rare and obscure material over the years – with a long legacy that even hit the early years of the old school scene! One of Spring's great ... CD (Soul CD)
Tatham, Mensah, Lord, & Ranks
6th EP2000 Black (UK), 2020.
The record comes in a plain white sleeve, with little to announce its presence on the front – but that's A-OK with us, because this mighty quartet always make their presence known in the grooves of the record! The set begins with the bristling cosmic energy of "Life After Subway" ... 12-inch, Vinyl record (New Grooves 12-inch)
Stax/Craft, Late 60s/Early 70s. 7 LPs
LP...$130.99
149.99
Legendary sounds from the Staple Singers – a set of albums for Stax Records that really helped push the group from the gospel folk underground into the soul music mainstream – and which also helped transform the rest of the scene in the process! The Staple Singers had recorded ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Markus Rutz
Blueprints Figure One – FrameworksOrigin, 2020.
Heartfelt yet exciting work from Chicago trumpeter Markus Rutz – heavy on originals, but with some distinctive takes on classics by Wayne Shorter, Charlie Parker and another couple of covers – showing love and appreciation for his influences in music and life in general with a wonderful ... CD (Jazz CD)
Neneh Cherry
Raw Like Sushi (3CD deluxe edition)Virgin, 1988. 3CD
Maybe the crowning moment of genus from the great Neneh Cherry – a record that's a huge evolution from her post punk funk of just a few short years before – and one that really helped her bridge the Atlantic and find a huge following over here at the time! There's a great mix of hip ... CD (Soul CD)
Tabansi Studio Band
Tabansi Studio Band Vol 3 – Wakar Alhazai KanoBBE (UK), Late 70s.
Fantastic longform grooves from the Tabansi Studio Band – a cool combo who worked to support Nigerian artists on the Tabansi label, but who have a sound here that's very much their own! These tracks are a lot wilder and more freewheeling than any of the group's music behind a singer – ... CD (Global Grooves CD)
Marcos Valle
Braziliance!Warner/Mr Bongo (UK), 1967.
One of the most important early albums by Marcos Valle – a set of instrumental tracks recorded with lots of acoustic guitar! Even though Valle was well known as a singer and composer of bossa nova tunes, the set instead focuses on his instrumental work – recording his guitar ala Jobim ... CD (Brazil CD)
Ville Vannemaa Cassiopeia
Ville Vannemaa Cassiopeia (10 inch)Jazzaggression (Finland), 2020. (pic cover)
A group with players that you probably can't pronounce, but a sound that will grab you right away – a fantastic combination of vibes, saxes, and trombone – all set to some really great modal rhythms! The combo is led by Ville Vannemaa, who blows tenor and bass clarinet – but the ... 12-inch, Vinyl record (Jazz 12-inch)
Tim Berne's Snakeoil
Fantastic Mrs 10Intakt (Switzerland), 2020.
CD...$17.99
19.99
That's no snake oil in the bottle, it's fantastic music from this razor-sharp quintet – maybe one of the most fantastic projects that saxophonist Tim Berne has given us in many years, and a group that just seem to get better and better with each new record! There's a combination of reed and ... CD (Jazz CD)
Ariola/Big Break (UK), 1979.
A sweet bouncy groover – one of the rare albums of modern soul cut by the group Delegation! The group in this incarnation are a trio – Ray Patterson, Ricky Bailey, and Bruce Dunbar on vocals – stripped-down harmonically, a perfect fit for the album's groove-heavy arrangements. ... CD (Soul CD)
Aleksi Heinola
Aleksi Heinola Quintet (10 inch)Jazzaggression (Finland), 2020. (pic cover)
A contemporary Finnish group, and a great one too – a combo who play with the sharp, soulful tones of a Blue Note lineup from the 60s – but all without ever sounding like they're trying to copy that mode too much! Instead, these guys just have a proud, confident sense of their ... 12-inch, Vinyl record (Jazz 12-inch)
Dusty Groove T-Shirt!
Vintage Ad – Grey Shirt, Blue Design (LARGE)Dusty Groove Gear, 2019.
The music at Dusty Groove goes way way way back, and here's a shirt that does the same – a lovely image that evokes the feel of a vintage phone book ad – simple, elegant, and very much to the point! The lines are lean, but the image is bold and striking – never overdone, with a ... Clothing (Clothing)
Blowfly
ButterflyWeird World/Ultra Vybe (Japan), Mid 70s.
The raunchy one is at it again – serving up funky, filthy, and funny parodies of 70s soul and pop songs with more than enough bad language to make even the most street hip hopper turn red! The band is nice and tight on most of the tracks, grooving hard with a funky wah-wah sound underneath ... CD (Soul CD)
Family Of Swede
Family AlbumCordial (UK), Late 70s/Early 80s.
A long-overdue full length album from Family Of Swede – not a group from Stockholm, but a funky soul combo that worked in Oakland in the late 70s, but only ever managed to issue one single at the time! This set brings together a nice batch of unreleased music by the group – finally ... CD (Soul CD)
A Chahine & Fils/BBE (UK), 1979.
A really fantastic little record – and one that's even better than you might expect from the title – which itself is already pretty darn fantastic! The set is upbeat and funky, but not entirely disco – more this very groovy blend of Mid-East elements and more familiar keyboards ... CD (Global Grooves CD)
Grant Green
Sunday Mornin' (180 gram pressing)Blue Note/Slow Down Sounds, 1961. (reissue)
LP...$28.99
32.98
A beautiful little session from one of the greatest guitarists ever! The album's part of Blue Note's tendency to "churchify" Grant Green on some albums – giving his guitar a gospelly groove that has some nicely soulful connotations – but it's also a record that's maybe the ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Comet Is Coming
AfterlifeUniversal (UK), 2019.
A brilliant blast from The Comet Is Coming – their second album on Impulse in less than a year – and it's as exciting as anything they've done so far! Their core vibe of mixing spiritual jazz with electronic experimentation is here in full force, but they take it new directions. While ... CD (Jazz CD)
Mari Nakamoto
UnforgettableThree Blind Mice/Craftman (Japan), 1973.
Torchy vocals from singer Mari Nakamoto – sung in English, and graced with some really lovely arrangements! The tunes are mostly standards, and Mari's presentation is traditionally torchy – but the backings have a lightly swinging quality that features some of the great touches the ... CD (Vocalists CD)
Steven Halpern
Christening Is Listening – A Soundtrack For Every BodyAartrud (France), 1975. (reissue)
Some of the earliest work we've ever seen from Steven Halpern, and some of the best – a mid 70s set that predates some of his better-known new age records of later years – and which has a sound that's maybe a bit more compressed and focused overall! Steven's still playing plenty of ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Thompsons
I'll Get Over ItBCW, Mid 70s. Gatefold (reissue)
A tremendous album from a totally hip Philly soul group of the 70s – the kind of quartet who would have been huge, had they recorded in another city – but whose genius was most likely eclipsed by the superstars that were stuffing the Philadelphia scene at the time! These guys have a ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Torben Snekkestad/
Swiftest Traveler
Trost (Austria), 2020.
Three musicians who have a really great way of improvising together – sounds that almost make you feel like one player tripped, and the other two decided to follow – falling through sonic space with all these happy accidents in music – yet somehow making complete sense as they ... CD (Jazz CD)
Professionals (Madlib & Oh No)
Professionals (plus instrumentals)Madlib Invazion, 2020. 2CD
A masterful duo project from Madlib & Oh No – Madlib on the beats and younger brother Oh No on the mic, 2 independent hip hop heavies still riding a creative peak after a couple decades in the game! The Professionals moniker is more than earned here. Madlib has been one of the most ... CD (Hip Hop CD)
Umbra
UmbraLion, Early 70s.
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 ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Bear Family (Germany), Late 50s/Early 60s.
CD...$10.99
11.99
The kids on the cover might look pretty mainstream, but the sounds on the record are in the best tradition of rockabilly and hillbilly styles of the Bear Family label! The set's overflowing with romping little gems that work equally well far from a dancefloor filled with gals in skirts and guys in ... CD (Rock CD)
Original Music/Take It Acid Is, 1987. (reissue)
LP...$19.99
23.98
A set of recordings made in the Somali city of Baraawe, which is a bit south of Mogadishu – all done in the late 80s, but with a quality that sounds far more timeless and ancient! The instrumentation is all acoustic – mostly vocals and a single stringed instrument – used in ways ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Bobby Patterson
It's Just A Matter Of Time (purple vinyl pressing)Paula/Real Gone, 1972. (reissue)
LP...$22.99
23.99
One of the best soul records to come out on the Paula label in the early 70s – one with a number of beautifully soulful moments – and a few surprisingly funky ones, too! Although Bobby Patterson did a lot of work for other singers, this is one of the few albums he actually cut under ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Calibro 35
MomentumRecord Kicks (Italy), 2020.
Calibro 35 have certainly gained momentum in our book – as the group's given us more than a few albums over the years, and just keep sounding better and better with each new one! This set has the group still strongly in their core territory of Italian soundtrack and sound library funk – ... CD (New Grooves CD)
LaRombe
From PhillyAthens Of The North (UK), 1979.
LaRombe Baker hails from Philly, but he's best known for his late 70s work on the LA scene – a place where he was continually bubbling under, but never fully got the chance he deserved! Hearing this set, it's clear that LaRombe was one of the great almost-rans of his generation – an ... CD (Soul CD)
Dusty Groove T-Shirt!
Vintage Ad – Cardinal Red Shirt, White Design (LARGE)Dusty Groove Gear, 2019.
The music at Dusty Groove goes way way way back, and here's a shirt that does the same – a lovely image that evokes the feel of a vintage phone book ad – simple, elegant, and very much to the point! The lines are lean, but the image is bold and striking – never overdone, with a ... Clothing (Clothing)
If you're ever in Chicago, be sure to visit our Chicago record store!
1120 N Ashland Ave Chicago, IL 60622
Open 10am–4pm daily.
All the great stuff appears here at our online record store first — but if you shop locally, you'll also get a chance to handle the goods before you buy!
1120 N Ashland Ave Chicago, IL 60622
Open 10am–4pm daily.
All the great stuff appears here at our online record store first — but if you shop locally, you'll also get a chance to handle the goods before you buy!
We buy new and used LPs, 45s, vinyl records, and CDs
in the store from No in-store buying at this time. Feel free to stop by with used vinyl and sell or trade with us.We pay top prices for older jazz, soul, funk, hip hop, and other genres in good shape!
See why Dusty Groove is consistently rated one of Chicago's Best Record Stores!
We happily accept debit and credit cards!