An incredible album from Mel Torme – easily his best set ever, and a record that helped raise the bar for all other singers back in the 50s! A key part of the success of the set is the presence of Marty Paich as an arranger – as Marty swings the whole thing with a fluid groove that's ... read moreCD
2 classic rare albums by Mel Torme – both of them very live! Mel's swinging jazz vocals are always a treat, but he really opens up in a warm live setting – as you'll hear on this 2-in-1 CD that brings together 2 older albums from his years at Atlantic. The Red Hill sessions are great ... read moreCD
Very groovy set of vocal tracks recorded by Mel during his years with Verve, and featuring some haunting arrangements by Russ Garcia. The title track – "Swingin' On The Moon" – is a goofy uptempo number of the sort that sometimes doesn't work, but which sounds very nice here, ... read moreCD
(1998 digipak pressing.)
Mel Torme —
Torme ... CD Verve, 1958. Used ...
$1.99
An overlooked gem from Mel – a great early album for Verve, one that's every bit as nice as his stellar work for the Bethlehem label! The set's got Mel singing with the Marty Paich orchestra – a good thing, too – as Marty's always been the best arranger for Mel's unique way of ... read moreCD
One of our favorite recordings ever of George Gershwin's Porgy & Bess – done by Bethlehem Records in the mid 50s, and featuring nearly every one of the label's great talents at the time! The choice of the lead characters is a bit odd – as Mel Torme plays Porgy and Francis Faye ... read moreCD
A seminal bit of west coast cool jazz from the mid 50s – a session led by Cy Touff, a lesser-remembered player from the LA scene, and an instrumentalist who used a bass trumpet! Cy's working here in the company of a host of more familiar names – including Richie Kamuca, Russ Freeman, ... read moreCD
A beautifully overstuffed collection of early work from New Orleans soul legend Allen Toussaint – a set that not only includes many of his key recordings from the scene in the 60s, but also some of his important productions for other artists too! The package begins with Toussaint in the lead ... read moreCD
One of the beautiful ECM efforts from guitarist Ralph Towner – who plays 12 string and classical guitars, plus piano, and French horn – with help from Kenny Wheeler on trumpet, Eddie Gomez on bass, David Darling on cello, and Michael Di Pasqua on drums and percussion! CD
A real comeback classic for the solo Pete Townshend – with titles that include "Slit Skirts", "North Country Girl", "The Sea Refuses No River", "Communication", "Uniforms", and "Somebody Saved Me". CD
Otis, Nelson, Lefty, and Lucky Wilbury play some nice tunes with their friend, Charlie T Jr. – Not to be confused with any of those Idle Race, Mudcrutch, Zimmermans, Kelton Orbison, or Beetle people. CD
(Limited edition 2007 pressing in a nice clothbound box – still sealed with hype sticker and original backing sheet!)
Pat Travers —
Hot Shot ... CD Polydor/Lemon (UK), 1984. Used ...
$19.9928.99
Amazing early work from The Treniers – a hip vocal combo that wound up to be one of the raunchiest in 50s R&B! The set goes farther than any other collection of the group's early work that we've seen – in that it features a whopping 26 tracks, pulled both from their recordings for ... read moreCD
Soul jazz vocalist Dwight Trible gathers the forces for this magnificent effort – an album pairing his emotionally rich vocals and singular spirit with a group of largely west coast allstars – and it's pure genius! The Life Force Trio, from what we can tell, is simply the moniker for ... read moreCD
Trio Beyond —
Saudades ... CD ECM, 2004. Used 2 CDs ...
$12.99
Jack DeJohnette on drums, Larry Goldings on Hammond organ and electric piano, and John Scofield on guitar – recorded live in London. CD
Trio Bravo + —
Live ... CD Ozella (Germany), 2005. Used ...
$4.99
Recorded live at Dietrich Keuning Haus Dortmund November 11th 2005. CD
Trio Mocoto first rose to fame as the funky band behind Jorge Ben on his early 70s classics – the combo that gave him such a soulful sound – and here on their own, they sound pretty darn great – with a style that follows the same evolution as Jorge's own sound at the time! The ... read moreCD
(1999 Brazilian pressing – still sealed!)
Trio 3 (Oliver Lake/Reggie Workman/Andrew Cyrille) —
Time Being ... CD Intakt (Switzerland), 2006. Used ...
$6.9911.99
Oliver Lake on alto and sopranino saxophone, Reggie Workman on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums! CD
A double-length set of work from one of the greatest pianists of the 50s – both of his Atlantic albums together on a single CD! First up is the self-titled Lennie Tristano, from 1955 – darkly imaginative work from the great Tristano – and one of the few full albums he ever cut as ... read moreCD
(Promotional stamp on booklet cover.)
Trix —
Index ... CD Electric Bird (Japan), 2004. Used ...
$4.99
Hiroshi Kubota on keyboards, Takeshi Hirai on guitar, Mitsuru Sutoh on bass, and Noriaki Kumagai on drums. CD
(Out of print, includes obi.)
Trombone Shorty —
For True ... CD Verve, 2011. Used ...
$5.99
Trombone Shorty continues to charismatically do away with genre definitions of all kinds as well as defying convential expectations New Orleans brass band jazz, soul or jazzy soul – he's been doing that for years and it's still his way on For True! Trombone Shorty is also B-3 Shorty, Drums ... read moreCD
A collection of work from the "first phase" of Troubleman – singles, remixes, and rare tracks recorded over the past few years – assembled here together in a nicely cohesive album! The work's very much in the spirit of that on the other full Troubleman set for Far Out – ... read moreCD
A sweetly slow-building soundtrack from maestro Armando Trovajoli – filled with water strings, light woodwinds, and some really dreamy sounds! The set's not as all-out groove oriented as some of Trovajoli's other late 60s work, but it more than makes up for that with a spacious sensibility ... read moreCD
An excellent spaghetti western soundtrack by Italian composer Armando Trovajoli – for a film that's a bit lesser-known, but with music that's totally wonderful! The main theme may be recognizable for its recent use in Kill Bill, but the whole set's sparkling with surprises – and this ... read moreCD
Tracks include "Keep Ya head Up", "2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted", "Temptations", "God Bless The Dead", "Hail Mary", "Me Agains The World", "How Do U Want It", "So Many Tears", "Unconditional Love", Trapped", ... 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
A quintet date with Mark Turner out front on tenor, Kurt Rosenwinkel on guitar, Kevin Hays on piano, Larry Grenadier on bass, and Brian Blade on drums. Tracks include "Nefertiti", "Some Other Time", "Alone & I", "Skylark", and "All Or Nothing At ... read moreCD
The Hawkwind sax man himself, at the head of a live band featuring Helios Creed, Del Dettmar, Genesis P. Orridge, Alan Powell and members of Pressurehed – blasting through 21 classic Hawkwind songs! CD
Steve Turre —
One 4 J ... CD Telarc, 2003. Used ...
$4.99
Features Steve Turre, Andre Hayward, Douglas Purviance, Joe Alessi, Robin Eubanks, and Steve Davis on trombones – plus Stephen Scott on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Victor Lewis on drums. CD
A solidly soulful session from Stanley Turrentine – one of his few Blue Note dates in the company of organist Shirley Scott, and possibly the hardest-hitting of the bunch! The album's got a great added element in the front line – the trumpet of Blue Mitchell, which really rounds out ... read moreCD
(Out of print 1994 Japanese pressing, includes obi.)
Stanley Turrentine —
Common Touch ... CD Blue Note (UK), 1968. Used ...
$14.9919.99
A really great later Blue Note session from Stanley Turrentine – a small combo set that's almost a return to the format of earlier years! The group's a strong one – and features Shirley Scott on organ, Jimmy Ponder on guitar, and Idris Muhammad on drums – playing in a style that's ... read moreCD
One of Stanley Turrentine's few organ-based sessions for Blue Note – recorded in the company of his wife Shirley Scott, a real cooker on the Hammond who holds it down masterfully here – and great band that's filled out by Kenny Burrell on guitar, Bob Cranshaw on bass and Otis Finch on ... read moreCD
One of the greatest Stanley Turrentine albums ever – a hard-blown session that's been one of our favorite Blue Notes for years! Turrentine's tone here is amazing – really raspy and earthy, with a quality that never shows up much in later recordings – a mode that's incredibly ... read moreCD
(Out of print 1999 Japanese pressing in a cool mini-LP style sleeve!)
Great large group genius from tenor giant Stanley Turrentine – one of a number of 60s Blue Note albums that have Stan exploring a format that he'd use even more strongly in the 70s! Here, the results are superb – thanks in strong part to the great Duke Pearson, whose growing talents as ... read moreCD
Stanley Turrentine's no spoiler here – as his tenor sax soars out over the top of some sweet larger group arrangements from Duke Pearson – all awash in a great sense of soul, joy, and life! The album's got a much brighter feel than you might guess from the cover – a vibe that's a ... read moreCD
One of the best Stanley Turrentine albums ever! This hard-wailing set is from the early days of Stan's time at Blue Note – and like his best early sides for that label, this one has him blowing with an edgey tone that rarely ever surfaced in his later, sweeter recordings. Stan's got a sound ... read moreCD
Where it's at with Stanley Turrentine – circa 1962 – a time when the tenorist was really hitting on all burners, and turning out some tremendous work for Blue Note! The album's got Stan working with a special guest – a rare Blue Note appearance from pianist Les McCann, who's also ... read moreCD
A fantastic early record from tenor giant Stanley Turrentine – a set that's completely hard-hitting, and which has a very different vibe than the sweeter sets he'd cut later in the 70s! Instead, this record is pure hardbop all the way through – with Turrentine matching labelmate Hank ... read moreCD
Sweet and soulful early work from Stanley Turrentine – one of the few albums he recorded in the early 60s with wife Shirley Scott – then one of the greatest female organ players in the business! The album's got a easy going soul jazz feel that's a lot like the work the pair cut for ... read moreCD
During the early 60s, Blue Note wisely cut a number of sessions that took advantage of their soulful in-house rhythm trio The Three Sounds. The group recorded more than a few successful albums under their own name – but they also did a few great records that feature them backing up a more ... read moreCD
(2000 Connoisseur pressing, promotional stamp on CDs and mark through barcode.)
A relatively recent set from pianist McCoy Tyner, but one that shows the same great ear for choosing a horn that we love in his 70s classics! As with those records, a key force on the recording here is altoist Gary Bartz – a player who's always great on his own, but seems to take on a ... read moreCD
Although "Newport" can often mean "hokey" or "pandering" in the context of live jazz performances – this set is a cooker, one of Tyner's best for Impulse, and a really far-reaching set that has him showing sides he never expressed with Coltrane! The group on the ... read moreCD
Understated genius from McCoy Tyner – and exactly the sort of record that shows why his catalog is always worth searching out! The album's got a lot more subtlety than his immediate post-Coltrane sides of the 70s – righteousness maybe a bit more on the backburner, but not so much so ... read moreCD
As pure a distillation of McCoy Tyner's lyrical vision as one could ever hope for – a brilliant early standout session for the pianist as a leader! McCoy is backed up here by the energetic drumming of Elvin Jones – with whom he shares a natural empathy from their many years together ... read moreCD
Tyner in two great trios – with Ron Carter on bass and Tony Williams on drums on one record – and with Eddie Gomez on bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums on the other! CD
An incredibly strong set by McCoy Tyner – one of his best late 60s sides for Blue Note – and a record that really hints at the majesty he'd attain on record in the 70s! The album features Tyner's piano at the head of a large group that includes Lee Morgan on trumpet, Julian Priester on ... read moreCD
Brilliant work from groundbreaking pianist McCoy Tyner – an album that has him firmly stepping out of the shadow of his old boss John Coltrane – and really taking off with a new level of spiritual jazz expression that Tyner's scene helped to foster in the 70s! The group on the set is a ... read moreCD
An uptown sound, recorded downtown at the Blue Note – a bold large ensemble outing from McCoy Tyner, and one that reminds us of that great group he was getting in the 70s! The players here are all super-hip – showing that key Tyner ear for picking sidemen – and the lineup ... read moreCD
A beautiful little record from Matt Ulery – double-length in size, and even more than double in terms of feeling and depth! Matt's a figure on the Chicago scene – and in a way, his music represents the return to arrangements in the city's recent avant jazz world – yet his music ... read moreCD
Birgit Ulher —
Scatter ... CD Creative Sources (Portugal), 2005. Used ...
$4.998.99
James Blood Ulmer on vocals and guitar, Vernon Reid on guitar, Leon Gruenbaum on Fender Rhodes, piano, organ, keyboards, mellotron, and clarinet, Charlie Burnham on electric fiddle and mandolin, David Barnes on harmonica, Mark Peterson on bass, and Aubrey Dayle on drums. CD
Early punk rock work from Ultravox – a record that's a lot sharper-edged than some of the group's later, more electronic pop! The guitars are very much upfront in the mix here – and although some tracks show a nascent love of synth, it's often mixed in with noisier, more driving sounds ... read moreCD
(2015 LP sleeve edition with 6 bonus tracks – includes obi!)
A fantastic trans-Pacific meeting of avant jazz talents – a set recorded on the mid 70s New York scene, right at the height of the loft jazz years – with a lineup that includes Ahmed Abdullah on trumpet, Yorikuki Harada on piano, Kazuotoki Kappo Umezu on alto, William Parker on bass, ... read moreCD
Totally wonderful spy soundtrack work from Piero Umiliani – done in his best groovy style of the 60s, with a brilliant mix of jazz and mod elements throughout! Umiliani's extrapolating from the more famous spy sounds of Bond and Barry, and takes things very strongly into his own territory ... read moreCD
A really cool spy soundtrack from the Italian 60s scene – put together by Piero Umiliani with lots of jazzy touches! The music here is a nice change from the more obvious, more familiar American spy modes of the time – and often uses some cool vibes mixed with horns, to create this ... read moreCD