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Various
Blue Note Re:Imagined 2020Blue Note, 2020. 2CD
The sound of Blue Note Records – reimagined, but by a younger British group of musicians who don't record for the label at all! The sound here is more like recent work on Brownswood, A22, or Impulse Records – as the collection features lots of great contributions from artists who are ... CD (Jazz CD)
Kiki Dee
Fontana & Motown Years (3CD set)Universal/Edsel (UK), Late 60s. 3CD
A stunning collection of work from Kiki Dee – a British singer that most folks only discovered in the US in the mid 70s, thanks to a duet with Elton John – but one who gave her homeland some fantastic music in the 60s! The set's the first to fully dip into this part of Kiki's career, ... CD (Soul CD)
Tino Contreras
La Noche De Los DiosesBrownswood (UK), 2020.
CD...$13.99
14.99
A brilliant late statement from Tino Contreras – the legendary Mexican drummer who's been part of the jazz scene in Mexico City for decades – and who can still give the world wonderfully vibrant music like this! There's a deeply spiritual vibe to the record – a sound that's like ... CD (Latin CD)
BBE (UK), Late 2000s/2010s.
CD...$14.99
18.99
An excellent collection of Neo Soul gems – the kind of standout cuts that have made the movement such an important part of modern music over the past 20 years – a continuing evolution of classic soul styles, at a level you'll never find in the chartbound mainstream! These aren't ... CD (Neo Soul CD)
Motown (UK), 1960s/Early 70s. 2CD
A long-overdue fifth entry in this amazing series – and like the previous volumes, a double-length set of rare material from the Motown vaults! 20 of the 43 tracks on the set are previously unreleased – and all of the material here goes way past the hits – to really show the full ... CD (Soul CD)
Roland Haynes
2nd WaveBlack Jazz/Real Gone, 1975.
One of the heaviest keyboard albums you'll ever hope to find – a completely sublime session that not only features Fender Rhodes by pianist Roland Haynes, but also features additional keyboards from Kirk Lightsey – a double blend that really makes the record sparkle! The twin-keyboard ... CD (Jazz CD)
Sumy
Funkin In Your Mind (parts 1 & 2) (180 gram blue vinyl pressing) (2020 Record Store Day Release)Philips/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), Early 80s. (pic cover, reissue)
A wicked electro groove – one that's got a hook that's so catchy, it will definitely be funkin in your mind long after the single is over! The tune builds nice and slow over the extended two-part version – basslines bumping, keyboards setting the scene, and riffing guitar really taking ... 12-inch, Vinyl record (Soul 12-inch)
Aquiles Navarro & Tcheser Holmes
Heritage of the Invisible IIInternational Anthem, 2020.
One of the boldest albums so far on the International Anthem label – and that's really saying a lot, given the boldness of most of their records! The set features wonderfully dynamic energy from Aquiles Navarro and Tcheser Holmes – the former a trumpeter, the latter a drummer – ... CD (Jazz CD)
Joel Ross
Who Are YouBlue Note, 2020.
CD...$13.99
14.99
Beautiful work from vibist Joel Ross – a player who's just starting to blossom as a leader, and who's clearly on the right path! The sound is wonderfully rich – not just vibes from Ross, but especially nice work from bassist Kanoa Mendenhall, who's a really key part of the sound here ... CD (Jazz CD)
Savoy/Honest Jons (UK), Late 50s/1960s/1970s/Early 80s. 3CD
An insanely fantastic look at the strong legacy of gospel music from Savoy Records – a company who were initially a powerhouse in the fields of jazz and R&B, but who moved into the gospel world and dominated that market for decades! Savoy is a bit like Chess Records – a company who ... CD (Gospel CD)
Kahil El Zabar
Kahil El Zabar's America The Beautiful (180 gram pressing)Spiritmuse, 2020.
LP...$32.99
34.99
A bold vision for a better version of our nation – served up here by percussionist Kahil El Zabar, but in a mode that also has him working as the conductor of a larger ensemble too! The record has all the sense of pride, power, and optimism of some of the best sessions of this type from the ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Atlantic, 1970s. 7CD
CD...$49.99
54.98
A fantastic run of records – music that firmly established John Prine as one of the most inventive singer/songwriters of the 70s! Prine rose up out of the Chicago folk scene of the 60s – but he soon became something different than just a folk or country singer – even though he ... CD (Folk/Country CD)
Sure Fire Soul Ensemble feat Kelly Finnigan
Impeach The President/Colemine, 2020. (pic cover)
The Honeydrippers first recorded the tune back during the years of Nixon – but "Impeach The President" is a cut that maybe matters more now than ever – given a tight reading by the Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, and topped with vocals from Kelly Finnigan! The monstrous drum break ... 7-inch, Vinyl record (Funky 45's 7-inch)
Isao Suzuki
All RightThree Blind Mice/Craftman (Japan), 1974.
Groovy electric work – in a style that's both funky and swinging, with many different strands and styles running through at once! Isao Suzuki plays electric piano, Hammond organ, vibes, and cello – a great mix of instruments that come off surprisingly well in his hands – ... CD (Jazz CD)
Ryko, 1970s/1980s. 2LP (reissue)
A special vinyl sampler from Frank Zappa – intended to point the way towards the big run of releases that would soon come on CD under the same title! The set brings together some of the best of that enterprise – and features live performances from 1969 through 1984 – all mastered ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Harlem Underground
Harlem UndergroundWinley/Demon (UK), 1976. (reissue)
A legendary album – and for good reason too – a set that's as mysterious as it is funky, and a record that's stayed at the top of our crates for years! The album features a really unusual collective of musicians, pulled together under the guidance of producer Paul Winley – a ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Ayalew Mesfin
WegeneNow Again, Mid 70s.
LP...$20.99
25.98
Otherworldly sounds from Ayalew Mesfin – easily one of the most enigmatic artists on the mindblowing mid 70s scene in Ethiopia! Mesfin's got this way of inflecting his vocals that's amazing – an ability to run up and down the scale, all while moving forward – which makes his ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Ray Barretto
Barretto Power (180 gram pressing)Fania/Craft, 1972. (reissue)
LP...$22.99
24.99
A great Ray Barretto album from 1972 – one that beautifully showcases the master percussionist as he effortlessly shifts between Latin soul and 70's salsa styles! The group's nice and lean – with Adalberto Santiago on vocals, Papy Roman on trumpet, Louis Cruz on piano, and the great ... LP, Vinyl record album (Latin LP)
Little Richard
Second Coming (with bonus tracks)Reprise/Omnivore, 1972.
Funky 70s Little Richard – very much in the spirit of his Rill Thing album, although a bit more polished! The album features production and arrangements from New Orleans soul legend Bumps Blackwell – who first handled Richard way back when – and the record's sort of divided half ... CD (Soul CD)
Dan Lacksman
Dan LacksmanRKM/Real Gone, 1973.
A really cool record from the European scene of the early 70s – a set that features rockish vocals and guitar, but also a heck of a lot of moog and other keyboards too – all of which makes for an album that's years ahead of its time! Sure, there had been plenty of moog pop instrumental ... CD (Rock CD)
Merry Clayton
Gimme Shelter (black & white vinyl pressing)Ode/Real Gone, 1970. (reissue)
LP...$23.99
24.99
A classic from Merry Clayton – and a record whose title follows from her big fame of singing on the original version of "Gimme Shelter" by the Rolling Stones! The sound here is a lot more soul-based, as you'd guess – arranged beautifully by Gene Page, with a really righteous ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Ken Kesey/
Acid Test (yellow vinyl pressing)
Jackpot, 1966. (reissue)
LP...$20.99
29.99
A fantastic 60s happening committed to record – one of the famous "acid tests" by Ken Kesey – recorded over the span of 14 hours, and condensed to the space of a single album – featuring early work by The Grateful Dead, plus tape loops, harmonica solos, and lots of weird ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Cold Crush Brothers
TroopersWest Side/Demon (UK), 1988. (reissue)
The Cold Crush Brothers were a seminal force in New York hip hop in the mid 80s – thanks to singles on Tuff City, Profile, and B Boy – but this is the first full album the group ever issued, and really the only one until later collections of their work! The vibe here follows from the B ... LP, Vinyl record album (Hip Hop LP)
Curren$y & Harry Fraud
OutrunnersSRFSCHL, 2020.
CD...$13.99
15.99
Curren$y & production partner Harry Fraud, outrunning a lot of their peers, even on relatively low key sets like Outrunners – with Curren$y's laidback fIow in as fine of form as ever – and Fraud's production honestly rock solid track for track! The set is filler free and faultless, ... CD (Hip Hop CD)
Dewey Redman
ChoicesEnja/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1992.
Late work from avant tenor legend Dewey Redman – and surprisingly great, with all the best energy of his sides from older years! The album features Dewey playing in a trio with Cameron Brown on bass and Leon Parker on drums – plus guest appearances on about half the tracks by a young ... CD (Jazz CD)
Soul Jazz (UK), 2020. 2CD
A glittering constellation of groundbreaking jazz from the contemporary UK scene – a world of jazz that's changed dramatically over the past decade or so, with huge new advances in sound and styles in a range of different directions! The changes going on are a bit like some of those that ... CD (Funky Compilations CD)
Frankie Reyes
OriginalitosStones Throw, 2020.
LP...$16.99
17.99
A set that definitely earns its title – given that it features freshly original keyboard instrumentals from Frankie Reyes – a musician who plays here unlike anyone else we can think of! The tracks are all quite spare – the keyboard (organ?) serving as both the rhythm and the ... LP, Vinyl record album (Deep Funk LP)
Sen Morimoto
Sen MorimotoSooper, 2020.
A fantastic second album from Chicago's Sen Morimoto – and, like the first, a set that really moves beyond simple definition! Sen's got years of experience in jazz and rock – and those elements come into play with his hip hop production, in ways that make for a real genre-crossing ... CD (Hip Hop CD)
Tommy Flanagan
Ballads & BluesEnja/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1978.
A key 70s session from Tommy Flanagan – a record that showed that he was still one of the most fluid and soulful players of his generation! The album has Flanagan working only with the bass of George Mraz – in a drum-less format with even less structure than usual, a perfect setting ... CD (Jazz CD)
Dan Lacksman
Electronic System Vol 2RKM/Real Gone, 1973.
A really sweet electronic album from Dan Lacksman – one that's a lot more instrumental than his debut album, but which still sounds different than some of the moog records that came before! Dan's really opening up his analog skills here – and he uses the world of electronics in ways ... CD (Rock CD)
Freddie Gibbs & Alchemist
AlfredoESGN, 2020.
CD...$11.99
12.99
Freddie Gibbs's gradual ascent to the upper echelon of modern hip hop – and his impeccable choice in production partners, this time working from beginning to end with long serving beat king The Alchemist – shows no signs of slowing down! Lyrically, Freddie is riffing on mob lore on ... CD (Hip Hop CD)
Stax/Soulmusic.com (UK), 1960s. 4CD
A long-overdue collection of the wealth of work that Carla Thomas did for Stax Records in the 60s – the wonderfully rich first section of her career, when the label was working in strong partnership with Atlantic Records! Carla's the daughter of Memphis soul legend Rufus Thomas – who ... CD (Soul CD)
Shigeko Toya
Shigeko Toya With The Imada Masaru TrioThree Blind Mice/Craftman (Japan), 1972.
An unusual little session from early 70s Japan – one that features some jazz vocals from Shigeko Toya, but also a fair bit of piano as well – set alongside backing from the trio of Masaru Imada, who plays organ on the numbers that don't feature Toya on the piano! If that sounds ... CD (Jazz CD)
Danny Woods
AriesInvictus/Demon (UK), 1972. (reissue)
A rare solo effort from Danny Woods – a record cut away from Chairmen Of The Board during a stretch when the group had temporarily disbanded – and an excellent showcase for Danny's strength on his own! Woods is really wonderful here – with a proud, righteous quality that really ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
New York Jazz Quartet
Blues For SarkaEnja/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1978.
A surprisingly wonderful album – even if these guys break our cardinal rule of jazz combos, which is never to put the name of your home city in place of the players in the group! The group's a quartet with Frank Wess on flute and tenor, Roland Hanna on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Grady ... CD (Jazz CD)
Blossom Dearie
Blossom Dearie Sings Rootin' SongsHires Hits/Craftman (Japan), 1963.
One of Blossom Dearie's hippest albums – done in that lightly grooving style that makes her 60s work some of our favorite! The style is groovier than Dearie's already-great work on Verve – a bit in the mode of her Capitol Recordings, and some of her British 60s gems from overseas ... CD (Vocalists CD)
John Szwed
Space Is The Place – The Lives Of Sun RaDuke University Press, 1997.
Book...$17.99
24.99
A wonderful biography of one of the most colorful and significant figures in modern music. There's no need for us to go into the impact Sun Ra's music has made in the realm of the sort of records our pages are filled with – in spite of the mainstream musical audience's ignorance of his vast ... Book (Book)
Kenny Carter
Showdown – The Complete 1966 RCA RecordingsRCA/Kent (UK), 1966.
CD...$12.99
18.99
The long-overdue release of the complete RCA recordings of Kenny Carter – a hell of a singer who should have been huge, but who only saw a few tracks issues as singles back in the day! This set corrects that fact, and brings together 22 titles that Kenny recorded for RCA – magnificent ... CD (Soul CD)
Rhythm & Blues (UK), Mid 60s. 4CD
A massive collection of jazzy tracks, and one that maybe has a bit of interest to the soul instrumental scene too – given that these were the kind of cuts that played big with the mod scene in London in the mid 60s! The approach is pretty great – in that each of the 4CDs is divided up ... CD (Jazz CD)
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys MusicCapitol, 1980s/1990s/2000s.
CD...$13.99
14.98
A career-spanning set of work from the Beastie Boys – one that features tracks from both their Def Jam and Capitol/Grand Royal years – in a way that really shows the continuing evolution of their sound! The tracklist is great – classics from every generation, and the kind of cuts ... CD (Hip Hop CD)
Tim Berne's Snakeoil
Deceptive 4Intakt (Switzerland), 2020. 2CD
CD...$29.99
32.99
There's nothing deceptive about this quartet – as the group work here live, completely unfettered – with the kind of honest, open interaction that have made Snakeoil one of the greatest musical contributions from reedman Tim Berne! The lineup has a special sort of edge – no bass, ... CD (Jazz CD)
Christopher Parker & Kelly Hurt with Brian Blade
No Tears SuiteMahakala, 2020.
A fantastic project dedicated to the legendary Brown V Board Of Education moment in the Civil Rights Movement – a suite of tracks recorded in Little Rock, home of the original moment of integration – with music by pianist Christopher Parker, and songs and recitations from Kelly Hurt! ... CD (Jazz CD)
Jimmy James & The Vagabonds
New Religion/Pye/BGO (UK), Late 60s. 2CD
Four classic albums from this hip British soul group – issued here in a single set, with bonus tracks too! First up is New Religion – a record that was also released in America by Atlantic Records. Although they were a UK soul act, Jimmy James and The Vagabonds were a perfect match ... CD (Soul CD)
Don Cherry
Om Shanti OmBlack Sweat (Italy), 1976.
Rare 70s work from Don Cherry, and one of the most perfect realizations of his organic music concept – a quartet session recorded for Italian broadcast, with long songs that have a very spun-out, meditative vibe! Cherry's on pocket trumpet, but is way more than a horn player – as his ... CD (Jazz CD)
Various
Guitar Wizards 1926 to 1935Yazoo, Late 20s/Early 30s. (reissue)
LP...$20.99
24.98
A fantastic look at early guitar genius – pulled from old blues recordings of the 78rpm years – decades before folks plugged in and started showing off in arenas with their rock and roll skills! The amazing things about these recordings is the way that these guys do so much with such ... LP, Vinyl record album (Blues LP)
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
Bad Boys Of Jazz (Instrumentals)Pheelco, 2020. 2LP
LP...$25.99
26.99
We're not sure if we'd call these guys "bad boys" – but we certainly love them to death, and their music only seems to get better and better with each new release! The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble first hit our ears over a decade back – first from attention they were getting ... LP, Vinyl record album (Deep Funk LP)
Pete Rock
80 Blocks InstrumentalsSoul Brother, 2020.
LP...$21.99
23.99
A backward step from the second 80 Blocks From Tiffany's project – one that shows just how strong Pete Rock remains as a producer over the years – and how great the rock-solid rhythms of his work can be, even without any vocals! Pete first helped set the tone for a generation 25 years ... LP, Vinyl record album (Hip Hop LP)
Augusto Martelli
Black Sound From White PeopleSonor (Italy), 1972. (reissue)
If you can forgive the title of this one, you'll find it to be a very groovy record! The album's a killer batch of funky instrumentals ("black sound") recorded in Italy in 1972 by Augusto Martelli ("white people") – and it's got the groove and swing of some of the best ... LP, Vinyl record album (Sound Library LP)
Horace Tapscott & The Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra
Ancestral Echoes – The Covina Sessions 1976Dark Tree (France), 1976.
CD...$14.99
16.99
A never-issued performance from Horace Tapscott and his Pan Afrika Peoples Arkestra – the large ensemble that provided a perfect platform for the bigger ideas he was bringing into his music in the 70s! A record like this marks Tapscott as every bit the spiritual visionary as Charles Tolliver ... CD (Jazz CD)
Gorillaz
Song Machine – Season OneParlophone, 2020.
A record that's a bit of an anomaly, given that it was created in the time of Covid – as the Gorillaz work here with a whole host of guest stars – in the kind of musical party that most local authorities would shut down! Yet given the virtual nature of the group – the core of ... CD (Rock CD)
Yosuke Yamashita
Tribute To Mal WaldronEnja/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1980.
A slightly different album than usual from Japanese avant piano legend Yosuke Yamashita – a tribute to Mal Waldron, and one that maybe has a bit more of a straight swing and sense of soul than some of Yamashita's other records from the time! The Waldron vibe is very strong here – and ... CD (Jazz CD)
Parlophone, 2020. 2CD
CD...$17.99
18.99
A record that's a bit of an anomaly, given that it was created in the time of Covid – as the Gorillaz work here with a whole host of guest stars – in the kind of musical party that most local authorities would shut down! Yet given the virtual nature of the group – the core of ... CD (Rock CD)
RKM/Real Gone, 1974. (reissue)
LP...$22.99
23.99
Maybe not the first album of electronics to come out of the European scene – but a set that definitely marked that standout moment when moogy pop found a great way forward! Dan Lacksman had plenty of studio experience before cutting this gem of a record – and he brings that all to bear ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Archie Shepp & Richard Davis
Body & SoulEnja/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1989.
A great little record in the sort of format that always worked well for Archie Shepp during this point in his career – a new take on older modes, and one that balances the tenorist perfectly between his avant jazz roots and that new appreciation of standards that started to take hold in the ... CD (Jazz CD)
Bill Evans
Live In Tokyo (Japanese pressing)Columbia (Japan), 1973. (reissue)
A great live date from Bill Evans – one of his essential sides of the 70s, even if you've already got a bunch of other Evans live material! We know what you're thinking: "Do I have this one? Seems to be a lot of tunes here that I've got on other Evans recordings." But take it ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Eugene Chadbourne
Live At Grady's Records (3CD box set)Weird Cry, 2015/2018/2020. 3CD
Three different performances from guitar genius Eugene Chadbourne – each recorded in a very intimate setting at Grady's Record Refuge in Ventura! Each CD features two long tracks – one an extended performance with guitar, the other with banjo – usually with Chadbourne delivering ... CD (Rock CD)
Decca (UK), 1970. (reissue)
A really great record from the legendary Davy Graham – and one of his few to be recorded with wife Holly Gwyn! Holly's an American singer, and one who's maybe got a bit more of a folk blues approach than Davy – and their balance together is mighty nice – lots of that fantastic ... LP, Vinyl record album (Folk/Country LP)
Fremeaux & Associates (France), 1940s/1950s. 4CD
CD...$22.99
29.98
If you've ever doubted the genius of Yma Sumac, here's a set that will really change your mind – as the overstuffed package presents a huge amount of music from the legendary singer – including a full disc's worth of material recorded in Argentina, before her famous postwar work on ... CD (Vocalists CD)
Captain Sky
Adventures Of Captain SkyAVI/Past Due, 1978.
A legendary funk set from late 70s Chicago – served up by our own Captain Sky, aka Daryl Cameron – an imposing figure who often worked in the same space-themed territory as the P-Funk empire in the mid 70s! The difference here, though, is that Cameron wrote, produced, and put the whole ... CD (Soul CD)
Masaru Imada
NowThree Blind Mice/Craftman (Japan), 1970.
Subtle brilliance from Japanese pianist Masaru Imada – a record that bubbles beautifully with some spare and personal touches – sometimes slightly free, sometimes wonderfully melodic – always with a strong sense of vision and energy! The group here features Imada on acoustic ... CD (Jazz CD)
Martin Denny
Hypnotique (blue vinyl pressing)Liberty/Jackpot, 1959. (reissue)
LP...$20.99
24.99
An amazing little set that's as compelling as the title and cover might imply – and easily one of our favorite Martin Denny albums ever! There's a sound here that is, actually, quite "hypnotique" – as Denny's core combo is expanded by some larger arrangements, Japanese ... LP, Vinyl record album (Now Sound LP)
Dollar Brand (Abdullah Ibrahim)
Dollar Brand At MontreuxEnja/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1980.
Extremely solid live work from Dollar Brand – playing here before a very enthusiastic crowd at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1980! The group is especially nice – a tight quintet with Carlos Ward on flute and alto, Craig Harris on trombone, Andre Strobert on drums, and Alonzo Gardner on ... CD (Jazz CD)
Octobre
Octobre (tan vinyl pressing)Return To Analog (Canada), Early 70s. (reissue)
An excellent prog set from the early 70s Quebec scene – work that really shows just how special that oft-overlooked world of music could be at the time! Octobre certainly have the instrumental chops to rival bigger prog groups, but they also come across with a quality that's more personal ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Quin Kirchner
Shadows & The LightAstral Spirits, 2020. 2LP Gatefold
LP...$24.99
30.00
A double-length set that showcases the ever-growing, ever-evolving talents of drummer Quin Kirchner – working here in a variety of settings with help from some other great talents on the Chicago scene! Most of these tunes have a core sense of structure – and even when Quin is ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Joe McPhee/
Harmonia Macrocosmia
Actions For Free Jazz (UK), 2020.
The notes here are a bit different than usual for an album of improvised music – as the instruments aren't listed, and instead the back cover just states "all sounds by Joe McPhee and Lasse Marhaug" – which is a great way of really getting at the spirit of the record! ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Ri Fi/Ace (UK), Mid 60s.
CD...$14.99
19.99
Fantastic work from one of the grooviest singers of the 60s – the amazing Mina, a vocalist who hardly made waves on this side of the Atlantic, but who served up a wealth of wonderful material from the Italian scene at the time! You might know Mina from a few key soundtrack contributions she ... CD (Vocalists CD)
Martin Denny
Exotica (mono – red vinyl pressing)Liberty/Jackpot, 1957. (reissue)
LP...$20.99
24.99
The birth of a sound and the birth of a legend – Martin Denny's first album in the Exotica series, and a record so great it named an entire genre! Denny certainly didn't invent the tropical style of easy listening that came to be known as "exotica" in the 50s – but with a ... LP, Vinyl record album (Now Sound LP)
Pre/Cherry Red (UK), Late 70s/Early 80s. 3CD
A huge collection of work from Scars – maybe more than they ever released back in the day! The set begins with the album Author Author – the only full length album from Scars – a group that rose out of the same Leeds scene that gave the world The Mekons and Gang Of Four – ... CD (Rock CD)
Cameo/Abkco, Mid 60s.
CD...$11.99
12.99
Rare soul gems from a legendary Philly family of labels – the Cameo/Parkway imprints, and the related Fairmount as well! Cameo and Parkway were home to plenty of pop hits at the start of the 60s – but they always put their money back into the scene, and were close to the ground digging ... CD (Soul CD)
Diana Ross & The Supremes
Funny Girl (2CD ultimate edition)Motown/Real Gone, 1968. 2CD
CD...$26.99
27.99
A great little album from Diana Ross – maybe one of her lesser-known efforts with The Supremes, and a set that really points the way towards the solo years to come! One of the reasons for that is that the set really just features Diana out in the lead, with different backing singers behind ... CD (Soul CD)
Hideto Kanai
Concierto De AranjuezThree Blind Mice/Craftman (Japan), 1978.
Despite the "concierto" in the title, the album's a relatively stripped-down studio affair – a spacious set played by the quintet of Japanese bassist Hideto Kanai, with a lineup that features some especially great work on saxes! The tracks here are all quite long, and there's a bit ... CD (Jazz CD)
Giancarlo Chiaramello
Quando Gli Uomini Armarono La Clave E – Con Le Donne Fecero Din-DonBeat (Italy), 1971.
One of the more obscure entries in the caveman comedy genre that cropped up briefly at the end of the 60s – a set of very groovy tunes for a movie that has the females going on a sex strike to keep the men from fighting! There's very little in the music to tie the film to Lysistrata – ... CD (Soundtracks CD)
Kent/Ace (UK), Late 60s.
CD...$12.99
18.99
Fantastic west coast blues from the 60s, none of issued at the time – collected together here in a set that really shows the continuing evolution of the sound of LA! During the 60s, the city's blues took on some of the transformations that were happing in Chicago – with similar roots ... CD (Blues CD)
Black Pumas
Black Pumas (2CD deluxe edition)ATO, 2019. 2CD
CD...$14.99
15.99
Soulful sounds from Black Pumas – a collaboration between singer Eric Burton and the great Adrian Quesada – the latter an instrumentalist and producer that you'll know from a variety of different funky projects over the years! This set might well be Adrian's ticket to the big time ... CD (Deep Funk CD)
Procol Harum
Something Magic (2CD edtiion – with bonus tracks)Chrysalis/Esoteric (UK), 1977. 2CD
Relatively late work in the classic years of Procol Harum – but as any true fan of the group will tell you, these guys never stopped being great – even if the rest of the world wasn't paying as close of attention as they were back in the 60s! Gary Brooker's vocals and piano are still ... CD (Rock CD)
Gladys Knight & The Pips
Essential Gladys Knight & The Pips 1961 to 1965Sunset Blvd, Early 60s. 2CD
CD...$20.99
21.99
If you only know Gladys Knight from her Motown classics, or her big hits of the early 70s, you'll find a huge amount to discover here – because right from the start, the lady and her group were really something special! The idea of a male/female vocal group was a bit unique in the early 60s ... CD (Soul CD)
Esoteric (UK), Late 60s/Early 70s. 3CD
A heady look at the Danish psych scene at the end of the 60s – music that's not nearly as well known as US or UK material from the time – but every bit as groovy! Most of these groups sing in English, and are sharing some of the same influences that were coming out of the British scene ... CD (Rock CD)
Trans-Kalahari Quintet
Long Journey HomeAnsonica, 2020.
CD...$13.99
14.99
Nice work from the Trans-Kalahari Quintet – a group that mostly resides in Botswana, but which also has a vibe that reminds us of South African jazz traditions from back in the 70s and 80s! The tunes all have a strong sense of flow – a rhythmic pulse that engages other southern African ... CD (Jazz CD)
Thing With Joe McPhee
She KnowsHat Art/Ezz-Thetics (Switzerland), 2001.
An important early record from the Thing trio of reedman Mats Gustafsson – and one that already has the group taking off from their initial mandate of working with Don Cherry material, as Joe McPhee joins the group and really opens up their sound! McPhee echoes a bit of Cherry on pocket ... CD (Jazz CD)
Ledisi
Wild CardBMG, 2020.
CD...$13.99
14.98
Fantastic work from Ledisi – an artist we've loved for almost 25 years, and who maybe sounds better here than she has in the last decade! There's this back to basics approach that maybe recalls some of her self-released albums at the start – but mixed with the maturity in all the years ... CD (Neo Soul CD)
Calibro 35
Calibro 35Cinedelic/Record Kicks (Italy), 2008. 2LP Gatefold
A contemporary combo, but one who really get the sound of older soundtracks right – particularly the late 60s/early 70s Italian generation that's inspired the name and artwork of this set! Instrumentation is nice and lean – keyboards, guitar, bass, and percussion – used more in ... LP, Vinyl record album (New Grooves LP)
Various
Actions For Free JazzActions For Free Jazz (UK), Late 2000s/Early 2010s.
An explosive collection of improvised musical moments – 40 short tracks taken from the large catalog of the Smalltown Supersound/Superjazz label – distilled down here to a core nugget of sonic intensity, by way of paying tribute to its 7 hears of musical creativity! Lasse Marhaug dug ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Various
Spiritual Jazz Vol 12 – Esoteric, Modal, & Progressive Jazz From Impulse Records 1962 to 1975Impulse/Jazzman (UK), 1960s/Early 70s. 2 CDs
An essential look at the spiritual jazz legacy of Impulse Records – a set that's maybe a bit overdue in this series, given that Impulse first opened the door to these modes with their recordings of John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders in the 60s! For some reason, Impulse had a perfect ear for ... CD (Funky Compilations CD)
Eddie Barclay & Others
Arrangeur, Interprete, Et Producteur 1946 to 1962 (3CD set)Fremeaux & Associates (France), Late 40s/1950s/Early 60s. 3CD
CD...$18.99
29.99
A huge tribute to a giant force in French music at midcentury – bandleader, arranger, and producer Eddie Barclay – a man who recorded plenty of records on his own, then went on to launch the Barclay label to showcase a generation worth of fresh French talent! The first two CDs provide ... CD (Jazz CD)
Martin Denny
Quiet Village (green vinyl pressing)Liberty/Jackpot, 1959.
LP...$20.99
24.99
An undisputed classic in the exotica genre – and the record that yielded Martin Denny his biggest hit! The title track "Quiet Village" was originally written by Les Baxter, but it was Martin Denny's approach that really managed to send the tune over the top – using spare ... LP, Vinyl record album (Now Sound LP)
Hi Records/Fat Possum, 1970s. 2LP (reissue)
A killer collection, and a very unique look at the legendary Hi Records – one that goes way past the big hits on the label, and which features the rare singles and unusual cuts that remind us what an important player Hi was on the Memphis scene during the Stax generation! The package ... LP, Vinyl record album (Funky Compilations LP)
Dusty Fingers Orchestra
Dramatic UnderscoresDusty Fingers, 2020.
A really great project from Dusty Fingers – the beat-digging collective who turned countless producers and hip hop DJs onto the world of sound library grooves back in the 90s, thanks to their legendary collections! This album has the DF team almost returning the favor – using the title ... LP, Vinyl record album (Deep Funk LP)
Captain Sky
Pop Goes The CaptainAVI/Past Due, 1979.
The second smoking album from Captain Sky – a Windy City funk legend, and one who's cut from some of the same cloth as Bootsy Collins or Rick James! Like both of those artists, the Captain's a pretty imposing figure, with a bit of future flash to his looks – and while he uses lots of ... CD (Soul CD)
Atlantic/Soulmusic.com (UK), 1960s. 3CD
Damn fantastic work from Barbara Lewis – one of our favorite soul singers of the 60s, and an artist who's a bit unlike anyone else! Lewis hails from the Detroit area, but also did a fair bit of early recording in Chicago – and in a way, her sound is maybe a mix of the class of Motown ... CD (Soul CD)
Aaron Lupton & Jeff Szpirglas
Planet Wax – Sci-Fi/1984, 2020.
A fantastic book on a unique slice of soundtrack culture – the rise of the sci-fi soundtrack in the 60s and 70s, which also matched a real rise in new musical styles too! The book is filled with color images of vintage records, but is also way more than just an artwork book – as the ... Book (Book)
Butcher Brown
#KingButchConcord, 2020.
Fantastically jamming genius from Butcher Brown – a contemporary funk combo, but one with a sound that owes nothing to anyone else! These guys aren't retro, or any kind of jamband offshoot – and instead, they rework vintage instrumentation with a very fresh feel of their own – a ... CD (Deep Funk CD)
Blue Note/Slow Down Sounds, 1961. (reissue)
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)
Chene Noir
Orphee 2000Chene Noir/Heavenly Sweetness (France), 1976.
A spiritual set from 70s France – but one that has a very different origin than most! Chene Noir come from a theatrical background, and do a wonderful job of mixing up elements – that free-spirited sense of genre-stepping that took place on the French scene after the initial ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Robert Wyatt
His Greatest Misses (with bonus download)Domino, Late 70s/1980s/1990s/Early 2000s. 2LP
LP...$25.99
26.99
The title's a bit of a joke – given that in all his many decades of music, Robert Wyatt never really had any hits – although he's continued to have a profound influence on audiences for many many years! Wyatt first started out in Soft Machine, but a freak accident forced him to ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Toto/
Dune – Original Soundtrack
Polydor/Jackpot, 1984. (reissue)
LP...$22.99
29.99
One of the stranger pairings of artists to ever appear on record during the 80s – but maybe that's no surprise, as Dune was also one of the stranger films of the decade! Toto seems like an odd choice for a movie directed by David Lynch – but in their own sort of way, they do a pretty ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soundtracks LP)
Little Beaver
Black RhapsodyCat/Solid (Japan), 1974.
Incredible funky guitar – an all-instrumental gem from the legendary Little Beaver – quite different than his other vocal albums of the 70s, and a fair bit funkier too! The sound here is amazing – lots of snakey compressed guitar parts, nice wah wah moments, and a dope laidback ... CD (Soul CD)
Mike Hanapi
Mike Hanapi With Kalama's QuartetMississippi, Late 20s/Early 30s.
Groundbreaking guitar work from Mike Hanapi – one of the important early guitarists in the Hawaiian slide mode – from a generation that had a huge impact on blues and country music to come! Mike's style here isn't the cheesy 60s Hawaiian modes of the Don Ho generation – and ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
A Kostis (Constantinos Kostas Bezos)
Jail's A Fine SchoolMississippi, 1930/1931.
Beautifully folksy work from pre-war Greece – a series of 78s from Constantinos Bezos, not only a musician, but also a journalist and actor too – and reportedly one with a very political wit! That wit comes through in the title of the collection – but might not in the lyrics to ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Blundetto
Good Good ThingsHeavenly Sweetness (France), 2020.
The title might seem familiar – given that Blundetto's first album was called Bad Bad Things – but this record really shows a strong evolution of his sound over the ten years since that release – the shifting sense of sound between hip hop, global roots, and more dynamic elements ... CD (New Grooves CD)
CAM/Quartet (Italy), 1961. 2CD
A wonderful Nino Rota score – composed around the same time as his better-known work for Fellini, but done for a film directed by Luchino Visconti! There's a great mix of darkness and light in the music – some playful themes mixed with moodier moments – set to instrumentation ... CD (Soundtracks CD)
Sly5thAve
What It IsTru Thoughts (UK), 2020.
Sly5thAve is deeper and more soulful than ever before – really stepping past his initial role as a creative beatmaker, and emerging here more as a fully-formed producer with a strong ear for his overall sound! The tunes here are a mix of instrumental and vocal numbers – woven together ... CD (Neo Soul CD)
RCA/Bear Family (Germany), 1970s/Early 80s. 8CD
CD...$216.99
249.99
A huge tribute to one of the most important partnerships in country music during the 70s – the vocal talents of Bobby Bare and the offbeat songwriting skills of Shel Silverstein – one that helped both artists really hit their heights during the decade! Bare had cut some great work for ... CD (Folk/Country CD)
RCA (Italy), 1970. Gatefold (reissue)
Patty Pravo looks a bit creepy on the cover, but the images inside make her look really lovely – and the sound of the record lies somewhere in between! The album's in the territory of offbeat late 60s work by Rita Lee or Brigitte Fontaine – equally distinct, and a strong statement from ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Pokus
PokusIll Considered (UK), 2020.
A familiar trio setting, but a sound that really earns these guys a place on the Ill Considered label – in part because they get some mixing here from Emre Ramazanoglu of that other group! The combo features keyboards from Sam Crowe, bass from Leon Brichard, and drums from Dave DeRose – ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Il Rovescio Della Medaglia
Io Come Io (white vinyl pressing) (2020 Record Store Day Release)RCA (Italy), 1972. (reissue)
A rare hard rock gem from the Italian scene of the early 70s – definitely part of the prog generation that made that scene so great, but maybe a bit less prog than some of their contemporaries! The tracks are long and open, but the focus is mostly on hard-jamming guitar over keyboards or ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Alessandro Alessandroni
Alessandro Alessandroni – Farfalla (Butterfly)CEM/Cometa/Sonor (Italy), 1971.
Stunning sounds from the great Alessandro Alessandroni – an artist who contributed to countless Italian soundtracks in the 60s and 70s, and who sounds even more amazing here in this rare set of sound library funk! The album's all instrumental, and is overflowing with groovy little tracks ... LP, Vinyl record album (Sound Library LP)
Richard Groove Holmes
Dancing In the SunVersatile/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1977.
Groove Holmes is definitely dancing in the sun here – working with full arrangements from Mario Sprouse, in a sweetly soulful style that's not unlike Johnny Hammond at the time! Groove still plays Hammond on most numbers – but also a bit of mini Korg too – and although the ... CD (Jazz CD)
Elektra/Esoteric (UK), Late 60s. 3CD
A great little package – three overlooked gems from Rhinoceros – all packaged together in a single box set! First up is their self-titled debut – the great first album from Rhinoceros – a group that's every bit as heavy as their name, and who really deserved much bigger ... CD (Rock CD)
Twilite Tone
ClearingStones Throw, 2020.
A really great Stones Throw debut from Twilite Tone – a Chicago beatmaker who's been one of our local heroes for years, and who finally gets the wider exposure he's deserved for way too long! Tone's done some big name work for Common, Kanye, and others – but here, he's very much at ... CD (Hip Hop CD)
Cinephonic
Les Paradis ArtificielsMarlow (Canada), 2020.
A nice little record that lives up to the name of the group – a record that's maybe jazz at the core, but served up in very cinematic ways – very much the spirit of the dark, moody image pictured on the cover! This isn't chase, crime, or cop music – but instead maybe the sounds ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Sandro Brugnolini
Abstract Forms – A Selection Of Electronic Moods & AtmospheresMusica Per Immagini/Sonor (Italy), Late 80s/Early 90s.
Late work from Italian sound library giant Sandro Brugnolini, but great work too – a set that shifts a bit in the styles of instrumentation used, but which follows lots of the same dark passages that Sandro explored in the 70s! The keyboards and electronics are more digital than analog, but ... LP, Vinyl record album (Sound Library LP)
Freedom Power
Freedom PowerCMT/Sonor (Italy), Early 70s. (reissue)
Mad funky work from the Italian studio scene of the 70s – the only album we've ever seen from Freedom Power – a combo who play with the energy of an American blacksploitation soundtrack from back in the day! There's loads of heavy drums, fast-riffing guitar, and sweet keyboards on the ... LP, Vinyl record album (Sound Library LP)
Ill Considered
Ill Considered 3Ill Considered (UK), 2018.
We can't get enough of this group – and their unique piano-less style has a different approach to spiritual jazz modes than you might ear from another combo – especially since the drums and percussion are often used in ways that are complicated, but never to free to lose the groove of ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Anteloper (Jaimie Branch & Jason Nazary)
Tour Beats Vol 1International Anthem, 2020.
LP...$18.99
19.99
Mindblowing sounds from Anteloper – a great side project from trumpeter Jaimie Branch, and one that lets her open up with lots of the more electronic sides of her spirit! The set's a collaboration with Jason Nazary – who adds in acoustic drums plus a host of electronics and effects ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Grapefruit (UK), Early 70s. 3CD
A fantastic collection of work from the UK scene at the start of the 70s – a treasure trove of pop cuts from the time, most of which never made it across the Atlantic to our neck of the woods – and which represent a whole different world of music than you'd know from the classic rock ... CD (Rock CD)
Budos Band
Long In The ToothDaptone, 2020.
Budos Band may be long in the tooth – 15 years since their first record (!) – but they still sound pretty darn funky and fresh to our ears, and maybe even return here to some of the rawer modes of their first few records! The approach is simple, but fantastic – heavy drums on the ... CD (Deep Funk CD)
Strut (UK), Late 70s/1980s/Early 90s.
A great look at one of our favorite record labels of all time – a company that was one of the first we ever worked together with, back when we started Dusty Groove – and whose music has been a huge inspiration to us for decades! Black Fire is a really special record label from the DC ... CD (Funky Compilations CD)
Edikanfo Super African Band
Pace SettersEG/Glitterbeat (Germany), 1981.
A classic album from this great group from Ghana – one that probably got more exposure than usual, thanks to the fact that they were taken under the wing of Brian Eno, who produced the album, in a tradition that would stretch back to Ginger Baker's work with Fela! The group have a great ... CD (Global Grooves CD)
Lowell Fulson
Complete Kent Recordings 1964 to 1968 (4CD set)Kent/P-Vine (Japan), Mid 60s. 4CD
Funky blues and plenty of soul – a massive 4CD set that not only features the complete 60s recordings done by Lowell Fulson for the Kent label, but which also includes a fair bit of rarities and unreleased material! If you're a fan of funky soul, you've probably heard Lowell's classic "T ... CD (Blues CD)
Ayalew Mesfin
Tewedije LimutNow Again, Mid 70s.
Mindblowing work from a revolutionary artist – one of the coolest cats on the Ethiopian scene of the 70s – and a singer who could effortlessly blend together American funk with East African elements! The music here definitely echoes some of the Ethio modes of some of Ayalew Mesfin's ... CD (Global Grooves CD)
Garland/Beat Rocket, Late 60s.
CD...$13.99
14.99
A really cool collection of work from the surprisingly deep musical well of Garland Records – a Pacific Northwest imprint that's maybe best known for some garagey gems, but who here display a great ability to cut country-tinged records too! The vibe here is a bit Bakersfield, but filtered ... CD (Rock CD)
Groovie Goolies
Groovie GooliesRCA/Real Gone, 1970.
CD...$13.99
14.99
A wild little record from the Groovie Goolies – a monster rock band that was an offshoot of the Archies TV show – and who work here in a mode that's got the same sort of sing-song pop style we love from that group! Sure, these guys aren't The Cramps or The Misfits – heck, their ... CD (Rock CD)
Betty Wright
Hard To StopAlston/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1973.
A deep soul classic from Betty Wright – one of her earliest albums of the 70s, and a Miami soul landmark that was one of the greatest female southern soul records of the time! Although Betty was well known for her earlier hit "Clean Up Woman", she didn't give into that fame – ... CD (Soul CD)
George Clinton & The P-Funk All Stars
Make My Funk The P-Funk (180 gram violet vinyl) (2020 Record Store Day Release)Trading Places (UK), Late 70s/1980s/Early 90s.
An obscure set of work from George Clinton and the P-Funk empire – a selection of live material from years when George wasn't hitting the studio as much, but still doing great concerts all around the globe! There's not much in the way of dates or players here, but if you caught a Clinton ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Nicole Mitchell & Moor Mother
Offering – Live At Le Guess WhoDon Giovanni, 2020.
CD...$11.99
12.99
Nicole Mitchell is an artist who made us sit up and say "wow" when we first saw her perform on the south side of Chicago 25 years ago – and she continues to make us express the same sort of surprise as the years go on – ever shifting her music, changing her focus, and ... CD (Jazz CD)
Serge Gainsbourg
Enregistrement Public Au Theatre Le Palace (with bonus tracks)Philips/Mercury (France), 1980. 2CD
A fantastic live set from Serge Gainsbourg – and a record that stands as a concert accompaniment to his famous albums Aux Armes Et Cetera and Mauvaises Nouvelles Des Etoiles – both done in a reggae mode with work from Sly & Robbie! The famous Jamaican duo are part of the group here ... CD (French CD)
Vince Guaraldi
Peanuts Portraits – The Classic Character ThemesFantasy/Craft, 1960s/1970s.
LP...$18.99
21.99
Some of the grooviest tunes from the Peanuts cartoons – key character themes penned and played by the legendary Vince Guaraldi, in a set of recordings that features both acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes! A few cuts get really funky, too – the electric numbers, which remind us that back ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Ryo Fukui
Letter From Slow BoatWRWTFWW (Switzerland), 2015.
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 ... CD (Jazz CD)
Penny Penny
Yogo YogoAwesome Tapes From Africa, 1996.
The strong second album from Penny Penny – a set that has the South African singer emerging as even more of a superstar than before – as you might guess from his look on the cover! The style is this unique blend of older South African vocal modes with more contemporary club elements ... CD (Global Grooves CD)
Emma-Jean Thackray
Um Yang EP – Night Dreamer Direct To Disc SessionsNight Dreamer (UK), 2020.
A fantastic EP UK trumpeter Emma Jean Thackray – really growing into an important role as a leader here, amidst some of her hippest contemporaries from the London scene! The album features two side-long tracks, both brilliant – built up from spontaneous interplay between Thackray and ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella – The Lost Berlin TapesVerve, 1962. 2LP
LP...$24.99
29.99
Ella Fitzgerald recorded one of her most successful albums in Berlin – a smoking live set that gave the world her take on "Mack The Knife" – and this set marks a fantastic second chapter to that record – unreleased tapes that appear here for the first time ever! The ... LP, Vinyl record album (Vocalists LP)
Vince Guaraldi Trio
Charlie Brown Christmas (70th anniversary edition – with 3D cover)Fantasy/Craft, 1965. (reissue)
LP...$22.99
24.99
An amazing record – one with a depth that goes way beyond its simple roots, and which has gone on to become one of the true Christmas classics of the 20th Century! Although a Christmas soundtrack, the album's more of a tapestry of sadness, longing, and loss – the best qualities that ... LP, Vinyl record album (Holiday Music LP)
Horace Tapscott & Michael Session
Live in Avignon, France – 1989Village, 1989.
LP...$28.99
29.99
A beautiful lost performance from pianist Horace Tapscott – a set of duets with saxophonist Michael Session, recorded in France at the end of the 80s – and based around three long tracks, one penned by Tapscott himself – the other two by LA/Nimbus contemporaries Jesse Sharps and ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Verbal Kent & The Other Guys
Blade Of The Short CutHipnott, 2020.
LP...$18.99
19.99
Chicago MC Verbal Kent teams up with The Other Guys production team for a strong solo effort! Regardless of the album and title track here, one thing Verbal Kent certainly has not done over the years is take a short cut, he's a veteran underground force in it for the long haul – with ... LP, Vinyl record album (Hip Hop LP)
Tony Oxley
February PapersIncus/Discus (UK), 1977.
Excellent 70s work from Tony Oxley – a record that features the legendary drummer in three different settings! The set features two quartet tracks with a very string-heavy sound – the bass and bass guitar of Barry Guy, the violins of David Bourne and Philipp Wachsmann, and even some ... CD (Jazz CD)
Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone De Sergio Leone A Quentin Tarantino (4CD set)Universal (France), Late 60s/2000s/Early 2010s. 4CD
A key look at two different slices in the mighty soundtrack career of Ennio Morricone – his legendary work for Italian director Sergio Leone, and his later re-use by Quentin Tarantino – the American director who was strongly influenced by Leone's work in the 60s! If you've never heard ... CD (Soundtracks CD)
Cecilia Stalin
I Am (clear vinyl pressing)Step Like A Giant (Sweden), 2020.
It's been awhile since we last heard from Cecilia Stalin, but the singer's still got everything in place that made us love her so much in the first place – those strong vocals that first emerged in Koop, then really took shape once she started writing more of her own songs! The album's got ... LP, Vinyl record album (Neo Soul LP)
Decca/Real Gone, 1964.
LP...$22.99
23.99
A very cool little record from the 60s – even if it does try to trick you into thinking that Herman Munster and his family are making music on the set! Instead, the Munsters here are a bunch of top shelf studio musicians, working with a trio of singers – in a mix of tunes that really ... LP, Vinyl record album (Halloween LP)
Fly Casual, 2007. (reissue)
LP...$21.99
27.98
MC Esoteric's excellent solo album – coming after years of honing his skills in the Boston underground duo 7L & Esoteric (the former playing a guest roll on cuts & production on a few tracks) – and a few years before doing great things with the 7L & Inspectah Deck in ... LP, Vinyl record album (Hip Hop LP)
Mildlife
AutomaticHeavenly, 2020.
Mildlife snuck under the radar a bit with their previous record – but here, they seem poised to break big, and with a sound that's very much their own! All the great keyboard work from before is still in place, but the vocal quotient of the music has been increased – to a level where ... CD (Deep Funk CD)
Makaya McCraven
Universal Beings E & F SidesInternational Anthem, 2020.
A really great idea for a record – and one that echoes the same "E & F" mode that Makaya McCraven brought to his previous album! The approach here is as unique as the drummer himself – in that McCraven went back to the sessions for the core album, and pulled out material ... CD (Jazz CD)
Mike Reed, 2019.
Book...$28.99
35.00
A beautiful book on the Chicago jazz scene, and the things that make it really special – not the Windy City world of years back – when Ramsey Lewis and other big names were dominating things – but Chicago in more recent years, when the city has been a non-stop hotbed of continuous ... Book (Book)
Jason Crest
Place In The Sun – The Complete Jason CrestPhilips/Grapefruit (UK), Late 60s. 2CD
Jason Crest only ever issued six singles back in the 60s, but they've gone on to be the stuff of legend for collectors of UK psych from the time – a group who finally get their full-length due with this 2CD set! The Jason Crest charm is a bit hard to describe – not mindblowing psych of ... CD (Rock CD)
Christian McBride
For Jimmy, Wes, & OliverMack Avenue, 2020.
CD...$16.99
17.99
Bassist Christian McBride is at the helm of a big band here – paying tribute to the fantastic work done for Verve Records in the 60s by organist Jimmy Smith, guitarist Wes Montgomery, and arranger Oliver Nelson! The set really captures the dynamic energy of records like Bashin or The Dynamic ... CD (Jazz CD)
Jimmy Smith
Prayer Meetin (180 gram pressing)Blue Note, 1963. Gatefold (reissue)
LP...$28.99
34.99
A classic Blue Note meeting of two of the label's top talents in the early 60s – Hammond hero Jimmy Smith, and the up-and-rising Stanley Turrentine on tenor! Turrentine's simply great at this point – playing with a raspy edge on the bottom of his tone, sounding dark and mysterious ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Mad About Records (Portugal), Late 70s. (reissue)
The swells in the title are those of the Pacific Ocean – right alongside the sunny Cali shores of the 70s, where this gem of a record was created! The album's got all the best charms of classic AOR material by folks like Ned Doheny or Steely Dan – but it's maybe even more amazing given ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids
ShamanStrut (UK), 2020.
CD...$12.99
13.99
A tremendous return to form for reedman Idris Ackamoor and his Pyramids group – and a record that we love every bit as much as his classic material from the 70s! There's a power, righteousness, and urgency to this album that we haven't heard from Ackamoor in years – very much the kind ... CD (Jazz CD)
Billy Brooks
Windows Of The MindCrossover/We Want Sounds (UK), 1974.
Funky trumpet galore – and one of the few albums ever cut by trumpeter Billy Brooks as a leader! At the time of this 1974 LP, Billy Brooks was an overlooked LA trumpeter working in the Ray Charles band – and although this record didn't bring him instant fame when it was released, it's ... CD (Jazz CD)
John Zacherley
Zacherle's Monster Gallery (green & orange vinyl)Crestview/Real Gone, 1963. (reissue)
A classic album by one of the coolest cats to ever record a Halloween record – Philly TV figure John Zacherley, whose recorded career consists almost entirely of horror parody material! Zach's got a strong ability to emulate the kind of creepy figures in older horror films of the 30s and 40s ... LP, Vinyl record album (Halloween LP)
Kellee Patterson
Maiden VoyageBlack Jazz/Real Gone, 1973.
The most righteous album ever from Kellee Patterson – her first record, and a set that's way different from her more soul-based sides of later years! The album's got Patterson working in a wonderfully soulful approach to jazz – a style that's not unlike the earliest work by Dee Dee ... CD (Vocalists CD)
Gerardo Frisina
Moving Ahead (with bonus track)Schema (Italy), 2020.
The cover image is a bit different than the modernist images usually used for records by Italian maestro Gerardo Frisina, and the sound is a bit different too – maybe less Latin or Brazilian than some of his previous records, but still filled with lots of percussion at the core! There's ... CD (New Grooves CD)
Far Out (UK), Mid 70s. (pic cover)
Two rare early tracks from Azymuth – both mighty nice! "As Curvas Da Estrada De Santos" is an instrumental take on a tune by the brothers Robert and Erasmo Carlos – but done as a slow-stepping funky instrumental, with loads of great organ work from Jose Roberto Bertrami! The ... 7-inch, Vinyl record (Funky 45's 7-inch)
Average White Band
On The Strip (aka Shine) (180 gram clear vinyl pressing)Arista/Demon (UK), 1980. 2LP Gatefold
An unusual collection of work from Average White Band – the sessions that went into their Shine album, but presented here with the full list of tracks from the recordings – all done at Sunset Sound in LA! The whole thing is great later grooves from Average White Band – a real gem ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Ballads
Confessing The FeelingP-Vine (Japan), 1970s.
Sweet harmonies and soaring vocals – a sublime collection of 70s work by The Ballads! The group here are a bit more polished than on their earlier singles – but still sounding wonderful overall, and miles from some of the more commercial soul of the time! The rhythms have picked up a ... CD (Soul CD)
Paul Simpson Ubiquity
Don't Talk – Press PlaySimp House, 2020.
Great grooves from Paul Simpson – music that mixes a strong influence from classic soul with some of the best touches of contemporary club – all served up in a blend that's mighty nice throughout! Paul's got some great help on the record – which features work from Nando Griffiths ... CD (Neo Soul CD)
Bettye Lavette
BlackbirdsVerve, 2020.
CD...$13.99
14.99
Maybe some of the most righteous work we've heard from Bettye Lavette in recent years – and that's saying a lot, given the pride and power of all of her records during the past decade! This set is partly a tribute to female singers who inspired Bettye in the past – but it also seems to ... CD (Soul CD)
Columbia/Sunbeam (UK), 1969. (reissue)
A fantastic album from Don Shinn – a little-remembered British organist from the 60s, and one who cut this gem of a record for the legendary Lansdowne series of Columbia Records – home to rare gems by Joe Harriott, Stan Tracey, and other important UK jazz contemporaries! The album ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Orchestra Baobab
Specialist in All Styles (180 gram pressing)World Circuit/Nonesuch, 2002. 2LP Gatefold
LP...$28.99
29.99
A great return to form for Orchestra Baobab – a group who really shone on the Senegalese scene in the 70s, but disbanded right as they were hitting global fame – eventually reuniting around the time of this album, thanks to demand from listeners around the world! The style is nicely ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Michel Colombier
Capot Pointu (colored vinyl pressing – with bonus tracks)Play Time (France), 1969.
One of the grooviest albums ever by this baroque French arranger! Michel Colombier has cut some pretty great stuff in his time – but this album's probably the greatest, and it swings with a bouncy late 60s French pop sound that recalls some of the hippest work of Serge Gainsbourg, Michel ... LP, Vinyl record album (French LP)
Carlos Nino & Miguel Atwood-Ferguson
Chicago WavesInternational Anthem, 2020.
A record that's a bit of a dream come true for us at Dusty Groove – a set that features two of our favorite contemporary musicians, recording at a unique venue in our fair city – with a vibe that makes the record one of the best we've ever heard from the pair! Carlos Nino was one of ... CD (Jazz CD)
Enigma/Real Gone, 1983. Gatefold (reissue)
LP...$26.99
27.99
A real classic from 45 Grave – and a set that definitely lives up to the spooky image on the cover – a mix of punk and older monster movie modes that made the group a key part of the horror rock scene of the time! These guys blend an LA aesthetic with some twangier elements that evoke ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Screamin' Jay Hawkins
Because Is In Your Mind (colored vinyl pressing) (2020 Record Store Day Release)Philips/Third Man, Early 70s. (reissue)
A nice little set from Screamin Jay Hawkins – done during his surprising revival years at the end of the 60s – and with a nice new soulful twist, thanks to production from the excellent Huey P Meaux! The vibe is definitely different than the Screamin Jay work of the 78rpm years – ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Decca/Bear Family (Germany), Late 40s/Early 50s.
CD...$19.99
22.99
Rare hillbilly grooves from Decca Records – the kind of killer pre-country material that was not only a huge influence on rock and roll, but which will also show you that Elvis and Sun Records weren't the only people who'd figured out this kind of groove back in the 50s! The tracks are all ... CD (Folk/Country CD)
Jeff Parker
Suite For Max BrownInternational Anthem/Nonesuch, 2020.
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)
Soberscove, 2020.
Book...$31.99
38.99
One of the most unique books we've ever gotten from John Corbett – an author who's given us some fantastic music writing over the years! This book is completely different – not written, but "salvaged" – as the contents are a lost manuscript from the early 30s – ... Book (Book)
Factory/Parlophone, Early 80s. (pic cover, reissue)
One of the most street-worthy tracks ever issued by New Order – a record that's as much an important part of the Factory Records legacy as it is the early days of hip hop! There's a strongly breaking quality to the rhythms – given help from Arthur Baker – and the tune's got its ... 12-inch, Vinyl record (Rock 12-inch)
Ballads
Gift Of LoveVenture/P-Vine (Japan), Late 60s.
West coast harmony soul genius – a full early album of work by The Ballads – a sweet soul group who really live up to their name! The tracks here are all mellow soul with a near-perfect quality – vocals that step and slide together in a gentle, heartfelt sort of way – never ... CD (Soul CD)
Sun Ra & His Solar-Myth Arkestra
Solar-Myth Approach Vols 1 & 2Corbett vs. Dempsey/BYG, Late 60s. 2CDs
CD...$18.99
20.00
Really unique material from Sun Ra – a pair of recordings that were initially circulated much more strongly than some of his Saturn Records material, thanks to the power of the BYG/Actuel label in the early 70s – but tracks that actually come from a variety of different sessions that Ra ... CD (Jazz CD)
Space Age Recordings (UK), 1997. 2LP (reissue)
Sonic Boom breaks out lots of cool sounds here on a range of electronics and theremin – on titles that include "Forever Alien", "Matrix", "Delia Derbyshire", "Feels like I'm Slipping Away", "Close Your Eyes & You'll See", "Liquide ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Paisley Park/Warner, 1987. 3CD
A fantastic record from Prince – a double-length set that came out at a time when the purple one was brimming over with energy and new ideas – and a step slightly in the direction of more socially conscious material! Everything that was great about Prince before the record is ... CD (Soul CD)
Ayalew Mesfin
Che Belew (March Forward)Now Again, Mid 70s.
Rare singles and unreleased tracks from one of the funkiest artists on the 70s scene in Ethiopia – the amazing Ayalew Mesfin – a fantastic talent with a groove that's dying to be heard! Mesfin's music has maybe even more of James Brown groove than some of his funky contemporaries ... CD (Global Grooves CD)
Francis Lai
Made In France (transparent blue vinyl pressing)Play Time (France), Early 70s.
Really great work from Francis Lai – that famous film composer from the French scene of the 60s and 70s – stepping out here on a host of instrumentals done as a non-soundtrack project! Many of the tunes are themes that Lai did for movies – including some from fairly rare ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soundtracks LP)
Gregory Porter
All RiseBlue Note, 2020.
A heck of a step forward for Gregory Porter – and we're stunned to say that, because he's already had so many great steps forward in his career! Gregory's already been a hell of a singer for years – we've loved him since the very first note he ever recorded – but with a record ... CD (Vocalists CD)
Stag O Lee (Germany), Late 50s/Early 60s.
Raw soul, heavy R&B, and some rare early rockers – all brought together here with the kind of cool classic intensity we've come to love from the Stag O Lee label! The set's the 7th in their series devoted to the Buzzsaw Joint club in London – and like the rest, it has DJs on the ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Cosmic Vibrations featuring Dwight Trible
Pathways & PassagesSpiritmuse, 2020.
A great spiritual jazz group – one put together at the suggestion of Dwight Trible, and which features his amazing vocals as the cornerstone! The group have some sonic roots in the past, but also embrace some of the newer freedoms of the current spiritual jazz scene – modes that would ... CD (Jazz CD)
Soul Jazz (UK), Late 60s. 5 x 7"
A very cool take on the sound of Studio One – a package of late 60s themes from James Bond films and other soundtrack sources! The mix is maybe not that surprising, given the use of Jamaican music early on in the series – as part of the Dr No soundtrack – and maybe that global ... 7-inch, Vinyl record (Funky 45's 7-inch)
Mari Nakamoto & Shoji Yokouchi
Little Girl BlueThree Blind Mice/Craftman (Japan), 1974.
Warmly wonderful work from singer Mari Nakamoto – perfectly recorded in a warm Three Blind Mice manner that really suits her style! As with some of the other records on the label at the time, the vibe here is a bit laidback – but in a great way, which lets Mari slink forward in the ... CD (Vocalists CD)
Run The Jewels
RTJ4Mass Appeal, 2020.
CD...$13.99
14.99
RTJ come on with the force of a hurricane on the very first track – and don't let up throughout the course of this completely sharp 4th LP – a record that may owe plenty to the spirit of 2020, even if just as an antidote to what ails us! EL P and Killer Mike sound more urgent than ever ... CD (Hip Hop CD)
Sea Lions
Free The PeopleJet (Austria), 1978.
An unusual album from the West African scene of the 70s – a set that brings together that area's styles with touches of reggae and maybe a slight current of soul – all of which makes for a very distinct approach to rhythm, which is also echoed in the vocals and instrumentation! There's ... CD (Global Grooves CD)
Horace Silver
Further Explorations (180 gram pressing)Blue Note, 1958. Gatefold (reissue)
LP...$28.99
34.99
One of the most fantastic Horace Silver albums from the 50s – a set of complicated tunes that really lives up to its "further explorations" title! The session's a perfect example of the way that Silver was mixing hard bop sensibilities with more exotic styles of arranging in the ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Motown/Ace (UK), Early 60s.
CD...$14.99
19.99
A really classic collection – expanded here with lots of bonus tracks too – all to focus on the best sounds of the early years of Motown! The set's not R&B at all – but it is an important 1964 UK release of vintage Motown material – put on the overseas market after the ... CD (Soul CD)
Cherry Red (UK), Late 70s/1980s. 4CDs
A really great idea for a collection, and one that traces a really unique moment in time – that explosion of small indie labels on the UK scene during the early years of punk – a moment that opened the door for countless new waves of musical expression for years to come! Sure, the big ... CD (Rock CD)
Martial Solal
Locomotion (180 gram colored vinyl pressing)PSI/Underdog (France), 1974. (reissue)
A rare set from French keyboardist Martial Solal – and one of his few funky records! The set features Solal on electric and acoustic piano, playing in a trio that includes Bernard Lubat on drums and Henri Texier on bass – and the tunes on the set have a rolling funky feel that's great ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Dave Brubeck Quartet
Dave Digs DisneyColumbia/Analog Spark, 1957. (reissue)
LP...$28.99
34.99
Dave Digs Disney – and hence, so do we! The album's one of the first to ever pay tribute to the great compositions heard in Disney films – and it features the magical sound of the Brubeck Quartet, turned upon a host of familiar numbers, and transforming them into longer vehicles for ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
SFP/Mo' Record (France), 1965.
One of the first true moments of genius from saxophonist Nathan Davis – a mid 60s European session cut for the tiny SFP label – and a record that's even rarer than his early classics for MPS! The sound here is similar to the MPS sides – a mixture of soul jazz and modal jazz ... CD (Jazz CD)
Righteous (UK), Late 50s/Early 60s. 2CD
Those crazy Cramps are at it again – serving up an insane array of rare 45s with a really mad mix of styles – the kind of sounds that you might hear if you fell asleep and woke up in a world of b-movies and 60s exploitation flicks! The styles are hard to peg – you might almost ... CD (Rock CD)
Marc Moulin
Sam SuffyEMI/P-Vine (Japan), 1974. (reissue)
A crucial bit of keyboard funk from the 70s – a wild album of many moods, recorded in 1974, and featuring the talents of keyboard whiz Marc Moulin! Moulin's since been resurrected and given the credit he deserves – but at the time of release, this rare gem was somewhat lost – ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Analog Africa (Germany), Late 70s/Early 80s.
You might know "Soul Makossa" – the worldwide hit by Manu Dibango that was covered by many folks, and sampled heavily in later years too – but this set takes a look at the deeper scene behind that famous groove, through a host of wickedly funky tracks from the late 70s scene ... CD (Global Grooves CD)
Peven Everett
Intimate AffairStudio Confession, 2012.
CD...$11.99
13.99
One of those Peven Everett records that makes us fall in love all over again with his fantastic talents – a record that's definitely intimate, but which bristles over with the kind of soulful energy that Peven can often do better than anyone else! Most of the tunes just have rhythms and ... CD (Neo Soul CD)
Head Machine
OrgasmPye/Explore Rights Management (UK), 1969.
An album of legendary status from the UK scene of the late 60s – although one that never got the banning by the BBC that it was hoping for! The whole thing was put together as a sex-based concept album – with an ultra-racy name and double-entendre song titles – almost a cash-in ... CD (Rock CD)
Sunbeam (UK), 1969.
The fantastic debut of Wizz Jones – one of those unique British acoustic guitar geniuses of the late 60s – an artist we'd put in the same standout bunch as Davy Graham, Bert Jansch, or John Martyn! Wizz is an amazing picker throughout – with some nice currents of blues ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Ennio Morricone
Musiques Des Films – 1964 to 2015 (18CD set)Universal (France), 1960s/1970s/1980s/1990s/2000s/Early 2010s. 18CD
CD...$99.99
109.99
An amazing collection of music from one of the greatest soundtrack composers of all time – presented in a hefty book-styled package, and done with a very unique presentation of his work! The package is huge – a hardcover volume with 18 CDs and a 48 page book, all presenting a total of ... CD (Soundtracks CD)
Tony Allen & Afrika 70
ProgressComet (France), 1977. (reissue)
An Afro Funk classic – killer solo work from Tony Allen – originally known as the drummer for Fela during his key years – stepping out here on his own with the Afrika 70 band! The album's a monster all the way through – every bit as great as any of Fela's 70s classics, but ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Steve Maxwell Von Braund (Cybotron)
Return To Monster Planet – Unreleased Cybotron Recordings (2020 Record Store Day Release)Roundtable (Australia), Late 70s.
Never-issued material from Australian experimentalist Steve Maxwell Von Braund – best known for his work in the space rock band Cybotron, and working here in relatively similar territory on tracks from a host of lost tapes from the late 70s! Steve plays Arp, Mini Korg, and other keyboards ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Jef Gilson with Nathan Davis & Woody Shaw
Jef Gilson A Gaveau (180 gram pressing)SFP/SAM (France), 1965. (reissue)
A brilliant record from French modernist Jef Gilson – and a set that's filled with amazing performances from a host of key French and American players too! At the core is Gilson – writing, directing, and playing piano in the ensemble – which also features trumpets from Woody Shaw ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
KMD
Black BastardsMetal Face, 1994. 2LP (reissue)
LP...$18.99
22.98
A legendary record from KMD – one that languished unreleased for far too long! Black Bastards has few tracks the maintain the jazzier sound of the first album, but they're mostly coming a little bit rawer, perfectly balancing their earlier style that gritty early 90s hip hop vibe. As solid as ... LP, Vinyl record album (Hip Hop LP)
Atco/Get On Down, 1973. (reissue)
LP...$24.99
30.98
One of the coolest, funkiest records we've ever heard from Dr John – thanks to lots of guest help from The Meters! The vibe here is a bit tighter than some of Mac's previous records – not as trippy as his first few for Atco – but the sound is still nice and sharp, and Allen ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Johnny Nash
Very Best Of Johnny Nash 1956 to 1962Jasmine (UK), Late 50s/Early 60s.
A big overview of the early work of Johnny Nash – a singer that most folks know for a huge crossover radio hit in the early 70s, but who got his start much earlier, through years of recording for ABC Records! The label really saw the young Nash as a singer to challenge Nat King Cole or ... CD (Soul CD)
Atlantic, 1959. 2CD
A true giant step for John Coltrane – and one of the first albums to really showcase his talent as a writer – and his amazing ability for penning some of the most soulful, spiritual themes in jazz! Apart from the well-known title cut, the record's filled with other Coltrane classics ... CD (Jazz CD)
Barbara Lynn
Complete Atlantic RecordingsAtlantic/Real Gone, Late 60s.
CD...$17.99
18.98
The first-ever set to bring together all of Barbara Lynn's records for Atlantic – including her full album, a host of rare singles, and even one previously unissued track! Lynn's a real standout in 60s soul music – a singer with a style that's as deep and personal as any of the best ... CD (Soul CD)
Etuk Ubong
Night Dreamer Direct To Disc SessionsNight Dreamer (UK), 2020.
LP...$19.99
29.99
Trumpeter Etuk Ubong leads a mighty heavy combo here – a righteous group that mixes together Nigerian roots and spiritual jazz – a blend that's very different than anything we've ever heard before – and which maybe puts Ubong's music in the same territory as some of the South ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Jackie McLean
It's Time! (180 gram pressing)Blue Note, 1964. Gatefold (reissue)
LP...$28.99
34.99
It certainly was time – time for Jackie McLean to break out of his older bop mode, and hit a whole new level of playing with a tight group of "new thing" compatriots like Herbie Hancock on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Charles Tolliver on trumpet! The record isn't as totally ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Little Richard
Rill Thing (with bonus tracks)Reprise/Omnivore, 1970.
CD...$15.99
16.99
A mindblowing set from Little Richard – a stunning comeback session from the start of the 70s – recorded at Muscle Shoals with a heavy funk component in the mix! Richard arranged and produced the record himself – and it's a beautiful illustration of his genius – hardly ... CD (Soul CD)
Lightmen Plus One
Energy Control Center (2CD version – with bonus tracks)Lightin/Now Again, 1972. 2CD
Cosmic jazzy genius from Bubbha Thomas & The Lightmen – the kind of a record that sounds like it should have come out of Detroit or Chicago in the early 70s – and not the Texas scene from which the group hailed! The Lightmen have a vibe that reminds us a lot of The Pharoahs or some ... CD (Jazz CD)
Mammal Hands
Captured Spirits (clear vinyl pressing)Gondwana (UK), 2020. 2LP Gatefold
Maybe the strongest record so far from Mammal Hands – a set that really has the group growing in their sense of tone and color, and in the unique timing they bring to their tunes! The group is a trio, but not in a mode that you might be guessing – because next to the piano of Nick ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Page One/Esoteric (UK), Late 60s.
There's an apple on the cover, and an apple in the name – and this British group Apple maybe owes a bit to late 60s Beatles material on Apple Records – but only in the way that they both had greatness recorded during the same time period! Apple are maybe a bit more lean, with some of ... CD (Rock CD)
Fraternity/Pyramid Disco, 1979. (pic cover, reissue)
New mixes of two classic club tracks from DC LaRue – but mostly done in ways that completely change up the groove! "Face Of Love" is handled in versions by Johnny Juice, DJ Spinna, and Mell Starr – and Mell and Spinna keep the more classic vibe, but work out some very ... 12-inch, Vinyl record (Soul 12-inch)
PTR (Germany), 1960s.
A heady dip into the world of the Hammond B3 organ – that instrument made famous by jazz recordings by Jimmy Smith and Jimmy McGriff, heard here in a much wider variety of settings! Sure, there's plenty of jazz cuts on the set, but there's also some great soul combos too – both of the ... LP, Vinyl record album (Funky Compilations LP)
Various
Breaking The Beats – A Personal Selection of West London Sounds – Compiled By Joey Negro & Will FoxZ Records (UK), 2000s. 2CD
CD...$16.99
19.99
A stunning selection of the sorts of music that really set the London scene on fire at the start of the century – the new wave of broken beat artists who sprung up in the wake of jungle – a whole new generation of producers and performers that really reinvented the sound of the ... CD (New Grooves CD)
Richard Groove Holmes
Star Wars/Versatile/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1977.
Groove Holmes runs through a set of famous 70s film themes – or tunes associated with films – working here with larger backing arrangements from Mario Sprouse! The style is smooth, but still mighty nice – as the tunes are long, and there's lots of solo space for Groove (who plays ... CD (Jazz CD)
Suzanne Ciani
Music For DenaliFinders Keepers (UK), 1973.
One of the most beautiful records we've ever heard from electronic pioneer Suzanne Ciani – and one of the earliest too! The tracks here were composed for a documentary in 1973 – one dealing with skiing in Alaska – and Ciani uses a sublime mix of acoustic piano and Buchla ... LP, Vinyl record album (Sound Library LP)
Tony Allen
SourceBlue Note (France), 2017. 2LP
One of the coolest records in years from the legendary Tony Allen – and that's saying a lot, given that his legacy includes famous work as a drummer with Fela Kuti, and a much more recent run of very experimental recordings! This set has Tony soaring out on Blue Note – and working with ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Black Merda
Black Merda (clear vinyl pressing)Cadet/Lilith (Italy), 1971. (reissue)
Heavy duty fuzzy funk – and a landmark album from one of the most Hendrix-inspired groups of the early 70s! The style here is guitar funk with plenty of rock thrown in – all really fuzzed-up in production, and often a bit distorted – so that the group are kind of a lost link ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Francois Tusques
La Chasse Au Snark (The Hunting Of The Snark)Cacophonic (UK), Late 60s. 2LP
Fantastic work from Francois Tusques – a key member of the Paris jazz scene in the revolutionary year of 1968, and an artist who was very much about the possibilities of the "happening" in jazz! That earlier idea from the art world was a perfect match for the new modes of free jazz ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Brad Mehldau
Suite – April 2020Nonesuch, 2020.
One of the most beautiful, personal albums we've ever heard from pianist Brad Mehldau – a set that gives away its concept right in the title – put together and performed during the month of April 2020 – surely one of the strangest on the planet in recent years! Mehldau mixes his ... CD (Jazz CD)
Conrad Herwig
Latin Side Of Horace SilverSavant, 2020.
CD...$15.99
16.99
A sublime mix of Latin rhythms and soulful hardbop from trombonist Conrad Herwig – working here in a formula he's used before, but which seems especially well-suited to the music of Horace Silver! Silver's work for Blue Note always had these wonderful currents of Latin and exotic modes in ... CD (Jazz CD)
Ambiance
Into A New JourneyDa Mon/BBE (UK), 1982. Gatefold
A really beautiful record from the Ambiance ensemble – a group led by reedman Daoud Abubakar Balewa – a musician with the same underground prominence as Plunky Nakabinde and Idris Ackamoor during the same generation! Like both of those artists, Daoud has a way of moving effortlessly ... CD (Jazz CD)
John Coltrane
John Coltrane Live In Paris – 17 Novembre 1962Fremeaux & Associates (France), 1962.
CD...$15.99
19.99
Wonderful live work from the John Coltrane Quartet – tracks recorded in Paris during a famous 1962 European tour – and material that we're not sure we've seen anywhere else! The group here is, of course, that masterful lineup of Coltrane on tenor and soprano saxophone, McCoy Tyner on ... CD (Jazz CD)
Anna Margarida
AnnaVault/Essential, Mid 60s.
CD...$11.99
14.98
A very dreamy set of bossa work – recorded in the US by singer Anna Margarida, with a gentle feel that's even warmer than most of the work coming out of Brazil at the time! The approach is maybe a bit more understated than a bossa album on Verve, but has a lot of the same elements – ... CD (Brazil CD)
Ace (UK), Late 60s.
LP...$22.99
24.99
A searing set of all-girl rockers from the late 60s – underground work from the hinterland of the American garage scene – all rare material originally issued on a handful of small indie labels! This vinyl set is a great addition to the CD series of the same name – and like those ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Fleetwood Mac
Then Play On (with bonus tracks)Reprise/BMG, Late 60s.
CD...$13.99
15.98
Really incredible work from the early version of Fleetwood Mac – a set that has them moving past the straighter blues of their roots, but not yet in the smooth territory of later 70s fame – music that's awash in the mindblowing guitar work of Peter Green! The pacing and song structure ... CD (Rock CD)
Little Richard
King Of Rock & Roll (with bonus tracks)Reprise/Omnivore, 1971.
CD...$15.99
16.99
A much rootsier set than some of Little Richard's other work for Reprise Records – a record that almost goes back to the old days, but via the hipper styles of the early 70s! HB Barnum arranged and produced the set, but the groove is less funkier than some of Barnum's other work of the time ... CD (Soul CD)
Fremeaux & Associates (France), 1950s/Early 60s. 10CD
A gem of a package from one of our favorite film composers ever – a huge 10CD assortment of music from the earliest years of Michel Legrand – a set that shows just what an amazing career he was already having in Paris before his mid 60s rise on the international scene! The scope of ... CD (Soundtracks CD)
Bobby Watson
At The Gouvy Festival – In The GrooveChallenge/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 2000.
Alto genius Bobby Watson is sporting a haircut that's a bit dated on the cover, but sounding completely classic on this excellent live set from the European scene of the 90s – material that stands as a really nice contrast to some of his work in the studio! Bobby's always got such a tight, ... CD (Jazz CD)
Matt Berry
Phantom BirdsAcid Jazz (UK), 2020.
Completely wonderful work from Matt Berry – an actor that most folks know for his hilarious performances in a number of TV shows – but also a surprisingly strong singer/songwriter, with a down to earth and honest vibe that's completely different than his role on screen! In fact, forget ... CD (Rock CD)
Don Bryant
You Make Me FeelFat Possum, 2020.
The mighty Don Bryant never got the chance to record much back in the day – save for one fantastic album and a set of singles on Hi Records – but he's really returned to form lately, and gets the chance to show the world his Memphis soul pedigree in all of its glory! Scott Bomar ... CD (Soul CD)
Archie Shepp
Something To Live ForTimeless/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1996.
A set of standards from Archie Shepp – but one that's done in a much less traditional way than you might expect – that new standard of returning to roots, but doing them differently that Shepp first began in the 70 – and which really colored the rest of his recording career in a ... CD (Jazz CD)
Bureau B (Germany), Early 80s.
A really fantastic look at the German underground of the post-punk years – served up by a label who knows the territory more than anyone else! For over a decade, Bureau B have done a great job of taking us back to the hippest German work of the 70s and 80s – particularly the more ... CD (Rock CD)
Okko
Sitar & ElectronicsOkko/Survival Research (Italy), 1971.
They sure got the title right on this one – as the album's a mad mix of sitar music and electronics! The set was recorded in Germany in the 70s, and it features Okko Bekker on both the moog and sitar – playing in a small group with Herb Geller on flute, and some extra guitar work on a ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Oddjob
Jazzoo Vols 1 & 2Out Note (Sweden), 2018.
CD...$17.99
18.99
Maybe the coolest project we've ever heard from Oddjob – that groovy Swedish jazz ensemble that features lots of offbeat work on trumpet from Goran Kajfes! The approach here is maybe hinted at by the title – as the group serve up instrumental tracks that each take the sound and shape ... CD (Jazz CD)
Ayalew Mesfin
Good AderegechegnNow Again, Early 70s. (reissue)
LP...$20.99
25.98
The first-ever full length global collection of material by one of the funkiest cats working the Ethiopian scene in the early 70s – an artist who works here in a mode that's even more hard-hitting and funk based than contemporaries like Mulatu or Mahmoud Ahmed! The band on most tracks is the ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Oliver Nelson
Skull SessionFlying Dutchman/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1975.
A fantastic transformation of the Oliver Nelson sound of the 60s – a large ensemble record that takes all the soul of his earlier groove, and reworks it with a more electric vibe for the 70s! Nelson's at the height of his powers here – working brilliantly as a leader and arranger, to ... CD (Jazz CD)
Danny Thompson Trio with John McLaughlin
Live In Session 1967 (10 inch LP)Hi Hat (UK), 1967.
A really cool combo with roots in the British mod, jazz, and rock scenes – a lineup that features Danny Thompson on bass, a young John McLaughlin on guitar, and Tony Roberts on tenor, flute, and bass clarinet! The format is great – and an especially strong showcase for Thompson and ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Luaka Bop, 1995. Gatefold (reissue)
LP...$20.99
25.98
A great collection of tracks – and one of the first chances for most of us to hear the funkier side of sounds from Peru! The work isn't as full-on funky as Brazilian grooves from the time, but does share a very strong influence from American styles – and really goes way past any ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
Mourning A BLKstar
CycleDon Giovanni, 2020. 2LP
LP...$28.99
29.99
A fantastic album from Mourning A BLKstar – even more powerful than their set dedicated to Eric Garner, and a batch of material that really gets at the righteous energy of this Cleveland combo! The group see themselves as part of the James Baldwin tradition of the artist bearing witness ... LP, Vinyl record album (Neo Soul LP)
Roscoe Weathers
I'll RememberJazzman (UK), Mid 60s.
Really wonderful work from a very overlooked talent – reedman Roscoe Weathers, a player who worked the west coast in the 60s before settling in LA – then led a group with a very strong flute sound in the lead! Roscoe's music here has plenty of echoes of the spiritualism of Yusef Lateef ... CD (Jazz CD)
Kutiman
WachagaSiyal (Israel), 2020.
Much deeper work than we're used to hearing from Kutiman – and a set that's really widened the global scope of their sounds and influences! At the start, these guys were a funk group with a mix of psychedelic and 70s Afro-oriented influences – but they've really expanded here, and ... CD (New Grooves CD)
Machito
Live At North Sea '82Timeless/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1982.
Late work from Machito, but great work too – a live set that shows that he's not only still a hell of a Latin bandleader, but also open to some of the more advance modes the music took on in the 60s and 70s! Tracks are long and very jamming – performed live by a band that includes work ... CD (Latin CD)
Linear Labs, 2020.
The first we've ever heard of Loren Oden – a singer with a falsetto style that's perfect for the sweetly soulful backings of Adrian Younge – a mix of modes that's almost in the same territory as Adrian's record with The Delfonics a few years back! Yet the style here is also more ... CD (Neo Soul CD)
Sparkle
SparkleJam Sessions/Cultures Of Soul, 1979. Gatefold (reissue)
LP...$19.99
22.98
A fantastic disco album from the late 70s – obscure, but with a very funky pedigree, and one that includes musical ties to earlier groups The Skullsnaps and Wood Brass & Steel! The instrumentation here is a bit like the latter – well-crafted ensemble funk with a deeper, more jazzy ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)
Resonance, 1965.
Rare material from pianist Bob James – and tracks that are a lot different than his funky Fender Rhodes albums of the 70s! The set is the first-ever issued of work recorded at Columbia University in 1965 – and the vibe is a bit like James' album for Mercury Records around the same time ... CD (Jazz CD)
Sam Prekop
CommaThrill Jockey, 2020.
CD...$13.99
15.99
A compelling step forward for Sam Prekop – a key member of Sea & Cake for many years, but maybe an even more engaging artist on his own! This set's different than some of Sam's previous records – in that it's all electric, really electronic – with modes that hearken back to ... CD (Rock CD)
Nat Birchall
Upright Living – Nat Birchall Meets Al BreadwinnerAncient Archive Of Sound (UK), 2020.
A mighty feather in the cap of UK saxophonist Nat Birchall – and a set that really shows just how much he's opening up his sound in recent years! The set is a second meeting between Birchall and Al Breadwinner – and like the previous, both artists handle a wide range of instrumentation ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Bronze/Trading Places (UK), 1977. 2LP (reissue)
A surprisingly strong set from Osibisa – one that's got a full, rich, soulful feel – much better than we might have expected for an album recorded at the Royal Festival Hall! The venue's no surprise, though, given that Osibisa were clearly on top of their game at the time – and ... LP, Vinyl record album (Global Grooves LP)
White Whale/Craft, Late 60s.
CD...$16.99
17.99
A very groovy look at a very groovy record label – LA powerhouse White Whale Records, home to some mighty fine sounds in the second half of the 60s! As you'd guess from the title, there's a slight current of trippiness running through this material, but it's often blended with a really ... CD (Rock CD)
Terumasa Hino
Peace & Love (2020 Record Store Day Release)TDK/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1970. Gatefold
Groundbreaking work from Japanese trumpeter Terumasa Hino – recorded on an early trip to New York, back in 1970, working with a sextet that includes some of his own Japanese players, like drummer Motohiko Hino and pianist Hideo Ichikawa, plus the great American bassist Reggie Workman! The ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Terumasa Hino
Love Nature (2020 Record Store Day Release)Love/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1970. Gatefold (reissue)
An amazing moment from Japanese trumpeter Terumasa Hino – an early 70s session recorded in America – with fantastic work from Gary Bartz on alto and Reggie Workman on bass! The album's not like Hino's later American dates – which were often more fusion based – as the style ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Who Trio (Michel Wintsch/
Strell – The Music Of Billy Strayhorn & Duke Ellington
Clean Feed (Portugal), 2020.
The WHO here is a trio with Michel Wintsch on piano, Gerry Hemingway on drums, and Banz Oester on bass – a trio who make very different music with the songs of Duke Ellington! The vibe is very open and creative – very much in the spirit of Michel's best recordings of the past decade or ... CD (Jazz CD)
Charles Tolliver
ConnectGearbox (UK), 2020.
A stunner of a set from legendary trumpeter Charles Tolliver – and a record that shows that he's lost none of his brilliance since the years of his 70s recordings for the Strata East label! The format here is a bit like those – long tracks by a small group, with an outward appearance ... CD (Jazz CD)
Norman Williams & The One Mind Experience
Bishop (180 gram pressing)Theresa/Pure Pleasure (UK), 1976. (reissue)
LP...$34.99
44.99
A great little record from alto saxophonist Norman Williams – also known as The Bishop – and the first record on the mighty Theresa label too! The sound here is maybe a bit funkier than some of the other Theresa sessions of the late 70s – in part because there's some monstrous ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Mariah
Utakata No HibiBetter Days/Everland (Austria), 1983. 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
A wonderfully groovy set from the early 80s Japanese scene – a record that's maybe got a lot more cultural strands criss-crossing than some of its contemporaries! The cover looks a bit psychedelic, and the sound is maybe a bit too – but with the sorts of early 80s keyboards and ... LP, Vinyl record album (Rock LP)
Bebel Gilberto
AgoraPias, 2020.
It's been awhile since we've last heard from Bebel Gilberto – and honestly, that time has made all the difference – as this album's a corker, and may well be her greatest record to date! We've always liked Bebel, but maybe have never loved her – maybe always had a softer spot for ... CD (Brazil CD)
Kwintet Barowy (Jerzy Milian/
Do Widzenia
GAD (Poland), 1959.
Early work from the Polish jazz scene of the postwar years – by a cool combo that features two key players who'd really explode in decades to come! The group features excellent work on tenor and flute from Jan Ptaszyn Wroblewski, and vibes from Jerzy Milian – both two of our favorite ... CD (Jazz CD)
Babatunde & Phenomena
Levels Of Consciousness (180 gram pressing)Theresa/Pure Pleasure (UK), 1979. (reissue)
LP...$34.99
44.99
A wonderfully soulful session from percussionist Babatunde Lea – and a shining example of the warm spirits and cross-cultural experimentation going on in the Bay Area scene of the 70s! The record mixes 70s soul jazz with bits of funk, Latin jazz, and breezy west coast touches – making ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)
Governor's State University Jazz Band
Governor's State University Jazz Band Live (Japanese paper sleeve edition)Governor's State University/P-Vine (Japan), 1974.
A really wonderful album of obscure jazz recordings from the Chicago scene of the 70s – way more than just the usual school band record, as the tracks here are mostly originals, and performed by a very inventive group of musicians! Governor's State University was a very hip place at the time ... CD (Jazz CD)
Third Man, 1970.
The original Stooges, captured here live at the Goose Lake Festival in 1970 – an event that was the midwest answer to Woodstock – and which sported some performances that were equally the stuff of legend! This set definitely falls into that category – as it not only features the ... CD (Rock CD)
Various
Words – A Bee Gees SongbookPlayback, Late 60s/Early 70s.
CD...$16.99
19.99
Most folks think of the Bee Gees as having their strongest influence during the disco generation – but right from the start, the Brothers Gibb were turning out the sort of tunes that other folks liked to sing – as you'll hear here in a wonderful collection of recordings from around the ... CD (Rock CD)
Windy City
Let Me RideChi Sound/P-Vine (Japan), 1977.
A wonderful album by one of the last great vocal groups to come out of Chicago – a harmony quintet to rival the greatness of any the east coast had to offer! Although recorded for the smoother-sounding Chi-Soul label, the album's got an approach that's quite similar to some of the best east ... CD (Soul CD)
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