The title's not right – as there's plenty of soul and plenty of blues throughout – just the sort of thing we'd expect from Stan Mosley's long legacy of indie recordings from the contemporary underground! We first started hearing Stan's music on the Malaco label at the end of the 90s ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Includes recordings with Washboard Rhythm Kings, Bumble Bee Slim, Tampa Red, Leonard Scott, Victoria Spivey, and Lorraine Walton. LP, Vinyl record album
Some choice soundtrack work from Jack Nitzsche's prime 70s period, with a handful other tracks by Howlin' Wolf, Captain Beefhaeart and Ike & Tina Turner. For the most part the soundtrack is bluesy rootsy stuff, to go along with the slant of the film, but there is a great funky break on the ... (Soundtracks, Blues)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a cut corner, light ring impression, and a promo sticker.)
Johnny Otis —
Gee Baby ... LP Jukebox Lil (Sweden), Late 40s/Early 50s. Near Mint- Gatefold ...
$16.99
An excellent collection of postwar work from those years when Johnny Otis was a key force in R&B on the west coast – both instrumentals and tracks with vocals by Mel Walker, Ada Wilson, Joe Swift, and The Vocaleers! (Soul, Blues)LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has some ring and edge wear, small blemishes, spots of gloss separation at the spine, bent corner at the bottom left, and a small center split in the bottom seam.)
A set that features great early Junior Parker material, recorded during his years on the soulful powerhouse Duke Records! Titles include "Goodbye Little Girl", "My Love Is Real", "I'm Gonna Take A Chance", "It Ain't Like That No More", "If You Can't ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(70s blue rim label stereo ABC/Bluesway pressing. Cover has a small cutout hole, light wear, bumped corners, and a tiny split in the top seam.)
Raw soul from the second Piano Slim – Willard Burton of Houston, who's heard here on some killer tracks from the start of the 60s! Slim's definitely got some blues in the way he approaches the piano, but the productions here are more soul-based and R&B-styled overall – often in ... (Soul, Blues)read moreCD
Not a bad little side project from actor/musician John Lurie – who's working here under the guise of a mysterious blues musician! That gimmick is maybe the worst part of the record – as the music is clearly new, and hardly classic blues at all – but if you can get past it, the ... (Rock, Blues)read moreCD
(Out of print.)
Queen Ida & The Bon Temps Band —
On Tour ... CD GNP/Crescendo, 1986. Used ...
$3.99
A great setting for the legendary Jimmy Reed – working here with a tight groove, thanks to the band of Al Smith – who also produced the session! Wayne Bennett is on lead guitar, Lefty Bates on rhythm, and Jimmy Reed handles guitar and harmonica too. LP, Vinyl record album
(Light blue label pressing. Cover has light wear.)
A stone classic from Jimmy Reed – and one of the first few albums on the Vee Jay label! The sound is spare, rootsy, and bluesy – the kind of tunes that made Jimmy an instant favorite, and which were a key force in the Chicago blues sound of the 50s. The set features material recorded ... read moreCD
(1998 digipak pressing. Cover has light wear and a hype sticker on the front.)
A smoking live set from Jimmy Reed – filled with the kind of rocking, rollicking numbers that made his bluesy groove an undeniable influence on the UK scene of the 60s! Most numbers begin with a compelling vamp, then have Jimmy taking the lead on vocals – adding in plenty of charm in ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono rainbow label pressing. Cover has light wear, some aging, and small splits in the bottom seam.)
An incredible late 50s set for King by singer Lula Reed – and a pretty unique blend of R&B and bluer and moodier material – but a lot more upbeat than you'd expect from the title! Lula's voice is a genuine vessel for the bluesy material, but it's also light and lovely, and works ... (Soul, Blues)read moreCD
A funky bit of blues from Otis Rush – the guitarist's debut album, and a surprisingly great batch of tracks recorded at Fame Studios! Production is by Mike Bloomfield and Nick Gravenites, who are clearly going for more of a crossover sound than Rick Hall might have given the set – but ... read moreCD
Titles include "Right Place, Wrong Time", "Tore Up", "Three Times A Fool", "Your Turn To Cry", "I Wonder Why", and "Lonely Man". LP, Vinyl record album
(80s pressing on Hightone.)
Otis Rush —
Tops ... LP Blind Pig, 1986. Near Mint- ...
Just Sold Out!
The magnificent voice of Jimmy Rushing gets superb jazzy backing from the great Oliver Nelson! Includes Shirley Scott on organ and Grady Tate on drums, too! (Vocalists, Blues)LP, Vinyl record album
One of Jimmy Rushing's last truly great albums – a jazz-tinged session of bluesy material, one that gets at his best work of the 50s! The arrangements are by Al Cohn, and have a fluid swing that pushes Jimmy past cliche – working with players that include Zoot Sims, Budd Johnson, ... (Vocalists, Blues)read moreCD
Jimmy Rushing reprises a nice batch of blues classics from the 20s, all of which were sung by early recording artists like Bessie or Clara Smith. The group that backs him is a nice one, and features Buck Clayton on trumpet, Buster Bailey on clarinet, and Coleman Hawkins on tenor. As with many of ... (Vocalists, Blues)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono 6 eye pressing. Cover has light surface wear.)
A nice dose of jazz – as usual for Jimmy – thanks to some arrangements by Oliver Nelson, plus piano from Dave Frishberg and tenor from Buddy Tate! Titles include "You Can't Run Around", "Blues In The Dark", "Tell Me I'm Not To Late", "Berkely Campus ... (Vocalists, Blues)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Early 70s issue. Cover has light wear and a small sticker in back.)
With small combo backing from Zoot Sims and Al Cohn on tenor, plus Budd Johnson on tenor and soprano sax, Ray Nance on cornet, and Dave Frishberg on piano! Titles include "Fine And Mellow", "I Surrender Dear", "Linger Awhile", "My Last Affair", "More ... (Vocalists, Blues)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a cutout notch and light wear.)
Son Seals —
Bad Axe ... LP Alligator, 1984. Near Mint- ...
$8.99
An Alligator Records classic, and a great showcase for Chicago guitarist Son Seals – who also serves up some great vocals too! Titles include "Cold Blood", "Friday Again", "Don't Pick Me For Your Fool", "Out Of My Way", "Person To Person", ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
An album from the 80s, but one that echoes a much older tradition of folk and blues – with a vibe that hardly fits the dated spelling of the duo's name! Serious Bizness is the team of Jaribu and Ngoma Hill – who harmonize together on some very message-oriented music, in a way that was ... read moreCD
(Special limited CD – pressed up for us by the Smithsonian Folkways label. Comes with original cover artwork, and the CD also features a PDF file with the original liner notes and other materials from the original record release.)
Shapeshifter Ensemble —
Mercy Suite ... CD Shapeshifter Ensemble, 2009. Used ...
$9.99
Johnny Shines isn't standing at the crossroads at the same time as Robert Johnson, but he's still sounding pretty darn great here – recording this stripped-down set in Cali in 1970, with just his own guitar alongside his vocals! Shines is maybe best known for his Chicago recordings of the ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Original beige label Testament pressing. Cover has light ring & edge wear.)
George Harmonica Smith —
Of The Blues ... CD Bluesway/BGO (UK), 1969. New Copy ...
$7.9918.99
A hip little record – produced by Bob Thiele as pre-Flying Dutchman effort, and with some of the great vibe of the blues records on that label! The set's got an unusual lineup – with jazzman Richard Williams on trumpet, plus Ed Davis on tenor, Marshall Hooks on guitar, Curtis Tillman ... read moreCD
George Harmonica Smith —
Of The Blues ... LP Bluesway/ABC, 1969. Very Good+ ...
$14.9919.99
A hip little record – produced by Bob Thiele as pre-Flying Dutchman effort, and with some of the great vibe of the blues records on that label! The set's got an unusual lineup – with jazzman Richard Williams on trumpet, plus Ed Davis on tenor, Marshall Hooks on guitar, Curtis Tillman ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a cutout hole, light wear, and some light staining on the opening.)
Includes duets with Wallace Bishop on drums and solo recordings from late 1949. (Jazz, Blues)LP, Vinyl record album
Willie 'The Lion' Smith —
Memorial Vol 2 ... LP Vogue (UK), 1949/1950. Sealed ...
$14.99
Includes a session from 1949 with Buck Clayton on trumpet, Claude Luter on clarinet, and Wallace Bishop on drums; plus solo recordings from 1950. (Jazz, Blues)LP, Vinyl record album
Two cool UK albums from Otis Spann – back to back on a single set! First up is the album Blues Of Otis Spann – a rare UK session, and one that's sometimes got even more grit than some of his hometown recordings back in Chicago! The vibe is very lean and laidback – an early Mike ... read moreCD
A raw soul classic from Otis Spann – one of those great late 60s dates from the time when Bob Thiele was producing the Bluesway label for ABC, and really found a way to bring out the best in artists like Otis! Spann had always been great, but there's a bolder, edgier quality here – ... read moreCD
A really fantastic showcase for the Chicago-raised Otis Spann – a musician who'd already had plenty of recordings under his belt by the time of this session, but definitely gets a different sort of exposure here – thanks to the unique presentation of the Candid Records label! Candid ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(70s pressing on Barnaby. Back cover has light aging.)
Otis Spann/Professor Longhair/Little Brother Montgomery/Lyin' Joe Holley —
Piano Blues Legends ... LP JSP (UK), 1970s. Near Mint- ...
$24.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(Early 80s issue. Cover has light wear and is bent a bit at the edges.)
A French session from harmonica player Sugar Blue – with titles that include "Shed No Tears", "War Zone", "Pontiac", "My Baby Caught The Train", "Another Man Done Gone", and "Begging The Girl To Go". LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover has some edge wear.)
A great later date from this legendary pianist and singer – part of the great Delmark revival of his talents! Other players include King Kolax on trumpet, Oett Mallard on tenor, and Robert Lockwood Jr on guitar! CD
An obscure 70s album from the legendary Roosevelt Sykes – but a set that captures the singer and pianist at the height of his powers! The format here is very stripped-down – often just a focus on Sykes himself, with the occasional addition of a bit of guitar from Louisiana Red or ... read moreCD
Titles include "She's Gone", "Wild About You Baby", "Walking The Ceiling", "Phillips Theme", "55th Street Boogie", and "It's Alright". LP, Vinyl record album
(Original white label pressing with green text. Cover has light wear.)
A classic early session from Alligator Records – with Hound Dog Taylor on guitar and vocals, plus Brewer Phillips on second guitar and Ted Harvey on drums – all working in a style that's a lot leaner than other work on the label! CD
Probably THE album you truly need to own from Koko Taylor – and a completely great one, recorded way before she'd become a cliched fixture paying the bills on the frat boy tourist blues scene! The tracks here were recorded over a few years in mid-to-late 60s Chicago – mostly with ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee —
Home Town Blues ... LP Mainstream, Late 1940s/Early 1950s. Very Good ...
$8.99
A range of different recordings from the team of Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee – all recorded by a young Bob Shad at the end of the 40s and start of the 50s – and originally issued as 78s on the Sittin In With and Jax labels! The work is quite rootsy, even for the time – but ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono mid 60s pressing. Cover has aging and light surface wear, spot of pen on the back.)
A rootsy blues 2-fer – with two rare Prestige Blues sessions on a single CD! First up is Blues & Folk – a set with a very appropriate title, given the earthy feel of the music – mostly just guitar from Brownie McGhee and harmonica from Sonny Terry – plus vocals by both! ... read moreCD
An essential collection of early work from Ike Turner – done before Tina was in the mix, and with a host of great singers – in lineups that include material recorded under the names of Icky Renrut, Bobby Foster, Timothy Cooper, Sammy Grimes, Chuck Wheeler, and Johnny Wright! Lots of ... (Soul, Blues)read moreCD
Ike Turner's Kings Of Rhythm —
I'm Tore Up ... CD Red Lightnin/Good Time Records (UK), Mid 50s. New Copy ...
$13.9914.99
Fantastic early work from the great Ike Turner – most of it with his sharp 50s group, during the years they were recording for King/Federal Records! These are the years before Tina joined Ike – and the group have a raw, romping vibe that's at the top of the R&B spectrum from the ... (Soul, Blues)read moreCD
Great 40s work from this Kansas City legend – recorded in New York, Chicago, and LA – with work from players who include Don Byas and Wild Bill Moore on tenor, Camille Howard and Pete Johnson on piano, Red Saunders on drums, and Riley Hampton on alto sax. 26 tracks total!! CD
(Out of print, booklet has some light age spots.)
Joe Turner —
I Don't Dig It ... LP Jukebox Lil (Sweden), 1940s. Very Good+ Gatefold ...
$4.99
Excellent work from this lost time in the career of the great Joe Turner – material after his early work with Count Basie in the 30s, but before his rock and roll revival on Atlantic in the 50s! LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has light wear and a rip on the back with a strip of clear tape.)
A landmark 80s record in the return of blues to the mainstream, right back in front of a rock audience with work like this – as the young Stevie Ray Vaughn cooks things up here on cuts that include "Couldn't Stand The Weather", "Stang's Swang", "Cold Shot", " ... read moreCD
A landmark 80s record in the return of blues to the mainstream, right back in front of a rock audience with work like this – as the young Stevie Ray Vaughn cooks things up here on cuts that include "Couldn't Stand The Weather", "Stang's Swang", "Cold Shot", " ... read moreCD
Classic King R&B material from Vinson, featuring some great backing by a surprising amount of jazz players! The album includes playing by Frank Foster, Joe Newman, Charlie Rouse, Ed Thigpen, Freddie Green, Paul Quinichette, and Nat Pierce – and the sound owes a lot to Joe Turner's work ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Vinson plays alto and sings – in a group that features Art Hillery on piano and organ, Rashid Jamal Ali on tenor, Martin Banks on trumpet, and Cal Green on guitar. CD
(Out of print.)
Joe Louis Walker —
Blue Soul ... CD Hightone, 1989. Used ...
$3.99
... CD
Joe Louis Walker —
Gift ... LP Hightone, 1988. Near Mint- ...
$7.99
A sweet funky set from the mighty T-Bone Walker – a record that still includes loads of his wickedly sharp guitar lines, but which also gives him a tight groove with electric bass and great drums from the legendary Paul Humphrey! The bottom end here kicks as much as Walker's work on the top ... read moreCD
A really unusual setting for the legendary T Bone Walker – one of those fantastic records he made while hanging out on the French scene in the late 60s and early 70s – a time when he was able to work in a crossroads of styles that really opened up his sound! That's definitely the case ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album