A really great little set from Zoot Sims – earthy, and almost a bit more fragile than much of his other work! There's a real "down home" feel to the whole record – as Zoot blows comfortably and easily in a quartet with Dave McKenna on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Dannie ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has some ringwear, edge wear, and is bent a bit at the edges.)
Nice mid 60's session that stands as one of Raney's strongest from the decade, and a tight quintet performance by a group that includes Jim Hall on second guitar, Zoot Sims on tenor, Steve Swallow on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums. The tracks are fairly standard, but there's a lot of nice ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Tri-color stereo pressing. Cover has light wear.)
Hal Singer —
Soweto To Harlem ... LP As Shams/Afrodelic (Italy), 1976. New Copy (reissue)...
$28.9934.99
One of a handful of very righteous albums that American reedman Hal Singer made overseas – very different material than the more R&B-based tenor material that started out his career! Here, Hal's got this easygoing approach to soul jazz – stretching out on these really long tracks ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Singers Unlimited —
A Capella 1 ... LP MPS, Early 1970s. Very Good+ Gatefold ...
$9.99
Heavenly work by one of the greatest vocal jazz combos ever! The Singers Unlimited cut many mighty albums for MPS with arrangements by some of the label's best bandleaders – but this one features them all alone, with only their voices to hold them up, which they do wonderfully, thanks to ... (Vocalists, Jazz)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Japanese promo pressing in a gatefold cover. Includes the insert. Vinyl has some worn grooves on "Fool On The Hill". Cover is bent at the bottom left corner.)
A masterful moment as a leader from bassist Sirone – one of his only albums in the lead, and a very different set than some of his work with the Revolutionary Ensemble! There's an intimate vibe going on here, but one that's still very powerful, and definitely in the best spirit of the loft ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A session of spiritual avant genius from pianist Isac Skeidsvoll – only his first record as a leader, but a set that's bound to become the start of a really special run of music! Skeidsvoll has a quality that's very much his own – bold chains of sound from the piano that sometimes have ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
The big second album from Sky – a record that's twice as long as the first, and which gives the group even more room for instrumental explorations! As before, the guitar sounds here are both acoustic and electric – played by both John Williams, the virtuoso musician with classical ... (Rock, Jazz)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(NOTE – Mid 80s German pressing in a Japanese gatefold cover.)
(German pressing. Cover has some small marks from price sticker removal, lightly bumped corner, and some light surface abrasions.)
Skyjack —
Light Cycle ... LP As Shams (South Africa), 2024. New Copy 2LP Gatefold ...
$33.9938.99
A contemporary album on the legendary South African jazz label As Shams, and one that really continues the strong legacy of sounds it began in the 70s! The tracks have this long, building approach – strong rhythms at the core headed by pianist Kyle Shepherd, which are topped with work on ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A beautiful little record from singer Carol Sloane – a singer who's billed as a discovery from the Newport Jazz Festival – but who sings here with shimmeringly modern arrangements that recall some of June Christy's best 50s work with arranger Pete Rugolo! The force behind the backings ... (Vocalists, Jazz)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono 6 eye CBS pressing. Cover has heavy surface wear, heavier wear on the lower corner, aging, some pen on the back.)
Derek Smith —
Man I Love ... LP Progressive, 1979. Near Mint- ...
$7.99
Musicians include Derek Smith on keys, Scott Hamilton on sax, George Mraz on bass, and Billy Hart on ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has light surface wear, some yellowing from age, and a few small worn spots at the edges.)
Led by drummer Hal Smith, with Chris Tyle on cornet and comb, Richard Hadlock on soprano and alto, Butch Thompson on piano, Becky Kilgore on guitar, Mike Duffy on bass. LP, Vinyl record album
(Shrinkwrap has a small hole at the top right corner.)
Jimmy Smith —
Bucket ... LP Blue Note, 1963. Very Good ...
$14.99
Jimmy Smith serves up a bucket of soul here – on an album that's one of his last for Blue Note, and still very much in the strong trio mode that launched his work for the label! The group's that super-sharp early 60s combo of Jimmy's – with Quentin Warren on guitar and Donald Bailey on ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono New York pressing with Van Gelder stamp. Cover has light wear and aging.)
Jimmy Smith —
Crazy! Baby ... LP Blue Note, 1960. Very Good- ...
$14.9919.99
One of Jimmy's most classic albums for Blue Note – and a key example of why his solo skills on the organ surpassed most of his contemporaries! The record's got a stripped-down trio group of Jimmy, guitarist Quentin Warren, and drummer Donald Bailey – working through mostly familiar ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono pressing, with 63rd Street label on Side 1, New York label on Side 2, RVG stamp, and ear. The back cover has staining and heavy wear down the spine and lower right corner, & light surface wear. The front looks nice, however.)
Smashing early work from Jimmy Smith – a killer set from 1957 that has him going head to head with some of Blue Note's finest players! The album marks one of the first time Jimmy played with such greats – and one of the first time they played with an organist – and the lineup ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Very nice deep groove mono pressing, with ear – New York label on one side, 63rd on the other. Vinyl is great – and back cover has a small bit of marker, and cover has some very light wear on the opening – but overall this is a great copy.)
One of the key classics from the Jimmy Smith years at Blue Note Records – a really groundbreaking time for the Hammond organ in jazz, as Jimmy helped take it from backrooms in bars to center stage of jazz with a record like this! The album's about as iconic as you can get for Jimmy at the ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Jimmy pays tribute to an earlier generation of R&B – in a hard-wailing set of soul jazz, done with backings from the legendary Oliver Nelson! A few tracks feature vocals by Jimmy, in a rough bluesy style, and others have some harmonica by Buddy Lucas – in a raspy, hard-wailing mode ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Stereo MGM pressing with Van Gelder stamp. Cover has light wear, light pen on the back.)
One of the best hard-wailing all-star sessions that Jimmy did so well for Blue Note! The album features an amazing array of top-line players – like Tina Brooks, Lee Morgan, Curtis Fuller, Lou Donaldson, Art Blakey, and Kenny Burrell – and they all play with Smith in differing ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono 63rd Street pressing with deep groove and RVG stamp. Cover has some light wear & aging, splitting on the bottom seam.)
Forget the "pretty" in the title here – as this stuff's not glossy or fancy – just wonderfully stripped-down Hammond work from Jimmy, performed with a trio that includes Eddie McFadden on guitar and Donald Bailey on drums. The title should probably read "mellow" ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(63rd street deep groove pressing, with RVG stamp. Cover has light wear on the top seam, but looks nice overall.)
A perennial favorite in the Jimmy Smith catalog for Blue Note – and a smoking little set that has Jimmy's Hammond grooving nicely alongside tenor from Stanley Turrentine and guitar from Kenny Burrell! Only Donald Bailey's drums remain from Jimmy's regular trio, but that shift is fine, given ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono New York pressing with RVG stamp and ear. Cover has light edge wear, clear tape on the bottom seam.)
A perennial favorite in the Jimmy Smith catalog for Blue Note – and a smoking little set that has Jimmy's Hammond grooving nicely alongside tenor from Stanley Turrentine and guitar from Kenny Burrell! Only Donald Bailey's drums remain from Jimmy's regular trio, but that shift is fine, given ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A strange record, and pretty darn goofy – but proof that the Jimmy Smith/Oliver Nelson team could tackle just about anything and make it come up hard and swinging! The album has Nelson arranging a jazz version of Prokofiev's Peter & The Wolf, with Smith soloing out front on most tracks, ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Stereo MGM pressing. Cover has minimal wear & aging.)
A nice little set from Jimmy Smith – often overlooked amidst the flurry of early 60s Blue Notes, but a really strong session! The group on the set is Jimmy's trio with Quentin Warren on guitar and Don Bailey on drums – but they're augmented here by Lou Donaldson, whose crafty work on ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(New York mono pressing, with Van Gelder stamp and ear. Cover looks nice – with a spot of marker on the back.)
Jimmy Smith —
Sermon ... LP Blue Note, 1959. Good ...
$19.99
One of the most famous early albums from Hammond organ giant Jimmy Smith – and for good reason too, as he was using the instrument to pioneer a whole new field in jazz! Before Jimmy, others had used the organ on short tracks, usually for a bit of color – but here, Smith explodes as a ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono 63rd Street pressing with deep groove, RVG stamp, 9M etch, and ear. Cover has light surface wear & aging.)
A really wonderful album in the Verve Records catalog of the 60s – a set that's not only a fantastic meeting between two superstar jazz musicians, with Jimmy Smith on Hammond and Wes Montgomery on guitar – but one that also takes things in a whole groovy new dimension, thanks to the ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Johnny Hammond Smith —
Soul Flowers ... LP Prestige, 1968. Very Good ...
Just Sold Out!
One of Johnny Hammond's most obscure records – and a great little album that's filled with short tracks played by a largeish group – all in a groove that's almost got a cop show feel! The album's got a gritty, dirty feel that's totally great – a nice change from Johnny's early ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Blue trident label stereo pressing with Van Gelder stamp. Cover has some ringwear, edge wear, cut corner, yellowing from age, center split in the spine, and some light stains and a small sticker in back.)
A beautiful document of some of the most laidback jazz ever recorded – the sublime 50s recordings of the Johnny Smith quintet, done at a time when the lineup included Stan Getz! The tunes on the set feature Johnny's mellow electric guitar setting the pace, alongside wonderfully-blown early ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(1985 Fresh Sound pressing, from Spain. Cover has light wear.)
The mighty Lonnie Liston Smith live – sounding every bit as great as he did on his famous studio sessions from the 70s – and maybe even more freewheeling too! The feel of the record is really tremendous – extremely soulful, with Lonnie jamming away on keyboards as the band ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
The mighty Lonnie Liston Smith live – sounding every bit as great as he did on his famous studio sessions from the 70s – and maybe even more freewheeling too! The feel of the record is really tremendous – extremely soulful, with Lonnie jamming away on keyboards as the band ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Lonnie Liston Smith grooves it hard here with his Cosmic Echoes group – mixing in a stronger dose of soul than ever before, yet still giving tracks a righteous feel overall! The approach here is a bit like that of Roy Ayers work from the 70s – still jazzy at its core and conception, ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A massively sweet groover from Lonnie Liston Smith and the Cosmic Echoes – smoother and warmer than some of his earlier albums, with a really soulful fusion vibe – and this perfect mix of jazz, funk, and soul that really takes Smith's music to a whole new level! Lonnie plays acoustic ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes —
Expansions (180 gram pressing) ... LP Flying Dutchman/BGP (UK), 1975. New Copy Gatefold (reissue)...
$23.9929.99
Quite possibly the most celebrated album ever from keyboardist Lonnie Liston Smith – a groove-heavy classic that's burned up many a dancefloor in its day, yet also a record that features some great mellow moments as well! The title track "Expansions" is virtually a blueprint for ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Beautiful pressing – nice gatefold cover, and high-quality vinyl!)
Lonnie Smith —
Afro-desia ... LP Groove Merchant/Mr Bongo (UK), 1975. New Copy (reissue)...
Just Sold Out!
Excellent work by Lonnie Smith – a free-flowing album of long jazzy grooves that's kind of an extension of his Blue Note albums, touched with more of the electricity of his 70s playing! There's some killer rhythms on the album – courtesy of drummers Jamey Hudad and Ben Riley, and ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
An incredible live set by Dr. Lonnie Smith – recorded during his 75th birthday celebration at NYC's Jazz Standard! It's mostly in a trio setting with Jonathan Kreisberg on guitar and Johnathan Blake on drums, working through raucous and intimate moments with equal skill. We saw Lonnie play ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Part of the Blue Note Tone Poet Series – a beautiful pressing, with heavy vinyl and cover!)
Lonnie Smith —
Move Your Hand ... LP Blue Note, 1969. Very Good Gatefold ...
Just Sold Out!
Funky funky funky! Lonnie plays live with a tight group that includes tenor, guitar, and some very heavy drumming – really wailing at a level that was surprising for funky organists of the time, and which really set the pace for a whole new generation! The players are more obscure than on ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Original Liberty pressing with Van Gelder stamp. Vinyl has a mark that clicks on "Layin' In The Cut". Cover has some ringwear, edge wear, and an Audition Copy stamp in back.)
Two amazing tracks from underground Chicago jazz legend Paris Smith – back to back on a limited 45! "Thought Seeds" is this amazing blend of vibes, alto sax, and haunting female vocals – a very righteous tune, and one with a spirit that's unlike anything else we can think of ... (Funky 45's, Jazz)read more7-inch, Vinyl record
Some sweet Liquid Sounds from pianist Paul Smith – one of the grooviest players to recorded for Capitol Records in the 50s! At some level, Smith has a sound that really prefaces lots that would go on in the west coast scene of the 60s – an approach to jazz that's still somewhat ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Original turquoise label pressing. Cover has surface wear.)
Lovely music from pianist Paul Smith – working here on one of his most standout sessions of the 50s, thanks to the presence of horn players Bob Cooper on tenor and Julie Kinsler on flute! The style is still very much in the same fluid area as Paul's Liquid Sounds work for Capitol – but ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Turquoise label pressing. Cover has light wear and aging.)
Includes duets with Wallace Bishop on drums and solo recordings from late 1949. 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. LP, Vinyl record album
One of the few full albums issued under the name of alto saxophonist Willie Smith – easily one of our favorite players on the alto of his generation! Willie's got a warmly raspy tone that rarely gets presented this well – in an easygoing, laidback setting with plenty of space – ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Original drummer logo pressing – in nice shape! Cover has some very light aging – but no splits, and is great overall.)
Soft Power —
Raw Bites ... LP RR Gems (Estonia), 2023. New Copy ...
$32.9934.99
Soft Power follow up their previous set with a record that's maybe even more striking overall – a fantastic blend of spiritual jazz and electric elements – served up with some especially nice Fender Rhodes, and plenty more going on as well! The tunes build with a sense of majesty that's ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Martial Solal —
Martial Solal ... LP Columbia (France), 1960. Very Good+ ...
$29.99
Great work from this legendary modernist – and a set that features Martial Solal in two different modes! Side one features a trio with Guy Pederson and Daniel Humair – on some amazing compositions by Solal, like "Ouin-Ouin", "Theme A Tics", and "Very ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Stereo pressing. Laminted, flipback cover has light wear.)
Oddly titled "The Debut On Disc", this set isn't really Solal's first on vinyl – but it is some classic early modernist material. Side one features a trio with Guy Pederson and Daniel Humair – on some amazing compositions by Solal, like "Ouin-Ouin", "Theme A ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Rainbow label stereo pressing. Cover has light wear and aging.)
The first-ever American release from French pianist Martial Solal – and one of the few, too – which is a real surprise, considering the huge recorded legacy he had overseas! The legendary European modernist is caught live at Newport, with backing by an American rhythm section of Teddy ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Stereo Dynagroove pressing. Cover has a split top corner and light surface wear & aging.)
A jazz pianist from the Barcelona scene, but one who's open to a host of other modes too – especially when he moves from keyboards instead of acoustic piano – which really opens things up to all sorts of wonderful sonic possibilities! The group's just a trio – with Ferran Puertas ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Original deep groove pressing. Cover has surface wear & aging.)
Sons Of Kemet —
Burn ... LP Naim/Native Rebel (UK), 2013. New Copy 2LP (reissue)...
$29.9946.99
The very first album from Sons Of Kemet – and a set that already has the group burning hard, at the level that have made them one of the key forces on the brilliant British jazz scene over the past decade or so! The mighty Shabaka Hutchings is fantastic on both tenor and clarinet – and ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Francesco Sotgiu —
Passing ... LP Mono Jazz (Italy), 2023. New Copy 2LP Gatefold ...
$31.9936.99
Mighty nice work from drummer Francesco Sotgiu – a player we're not sure we've ever heard at the helm before, but who does a superb job with a very cool Italian combo that moves between modal numbers and more hardbop-styled jazz – all with plenty of strong sounds from reed players ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Jeri Southern can be a hell of a jazz singer when she wants – and that was definitely the case on this gem of a record – a laidback small combo setting with excellent guitar accompaniment from Johnny Smith! Smith's trademark tones really color the record in a great way – ... (Vocalists, Jazz)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Orange label pressing. Cover has light wear and minor seam splits.)
A really incredible spiritual jazz treasure from the New Orleans scene – one that features a student group led by legendary Nola musician Alvin Batiste, but delivered in a style that's much more like some of the hipper jazz collectives in cities like Detroit, Chicago, or Philly at the time! ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A set that's gotta be one of the most righteous school band records ever – way more than just a bunch of students doing big band numbers, and instead a killer batch of spiritual jazz numbers, directed by the legendary Alvin Batiste! The record's one of a rare few 70s sets of this nature ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A record that moves guitarist Melvin Sparks a bit more into soul territory from the funky jazz of his early 70s years – but still a heck of a great little record overall! The tracks are shorter than before and the backings are bigger – but Melvin's work on the strings still gets plenty ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Featured guests include Chieli Minucci, George Jinda, Omar Hakim, Mark Egan, Dave Weckl, Michael Bearden, Robbie Kondor, Szakcshi, and Bemshi. LP, Vinyl record album
Badass organ funk from the mighty Leon Spencer – a set that's got a bit of a fuller feel than some of his previous albums for Prestige – but a groove that's also equally great! The style here is somewhere between blacksploitation funk and some of the grooves from the CTI/Kudu camp ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A hell of a record from the Italian scene of the 70s – a heavy set of electric jazz with a soaring, righteous sort of vibe – served up by a quintet who somehow manage to work as if they've got the spirit of a much larger ensemble! We don't know any of the players at all from other ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Mindblowing work from Swiss jazz and funk legend Bruno Spoerri – all of it never issued before, and a set that maybe comes across as some of the coolest music we've ever heard from Bruno! Spoerri has a long legacy of recordings – including straight jazz in the 60s, and sound library ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A record of free-thinking jazz – recorded by a trio from Chicago, featuring drummer Paul Wertico, reedman Rich Corpolongo, and bassist Doug Loftstrom. There's a frenetic, choppy sound here that at one level seems to take off from European fusion groups of the 70s – yet also point the ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has some wear on the top seam, but looks great overall.)
With Gerardo Velez on percussion, Julio Fernandez on guitar, Kim Stone on bass, Dave Samuels on vibraphone and marimba, Richie Morales on drums, Tom Schuman on Keyboards, and Jay Beckenstein on saxophone. LP, Vinyl record album
With Thad Jones on cornet and flugelhorn, George Adams on tenor and flute, George Lewis on trombone, Stanley Cowell on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Lenny White on drums; and special guests Warren Smith on tympani and Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet. LP, Vinyl record album
A cool album of tracks that has Dakota singing with a bit tighter arrangement than usual, in sort of a pop soul jazz bag, like some of the other Capitol singers at the time who were working with HB Barnum and David Axelrod. The album includes Dakota's groovy track "Young Generation" ... (Vocalists, Jazz)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has cutout hole.)
Jeremy Steig —
Energy ... LP Capitol, Early 70s. Very Good+ ...
$23.99
Excellent funky jazz from Jeremy Steig – the funkiest flute player we can think of! The record takes up where Jeremy's LPs on Solid State left off – adding Steig's hard-blowing flute to some groundbreaking beat-heavy backings by Gene Perla and Eddie Gomez on bass, Don Alias on drums, ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Lime green label pressing. Cover has a cutout notch, light wear, and a small split on the spine.)
Jeremy Steig —
Firefly ... LP CTI, 1977. Near Mint- Gatefold ...
$9.99
A rare CTI entry from funky flute master Jeremy Steig – a musician whose style is a great fit for the label! There's more of an electric vibe here than on Steig's earlier records – but that creates a nice current of soul that really helps things take off in a nicely different way. The ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Yellow label pressing with Masterdisk stamp. Includes the CTI inner sleeve. Cover is bumped at the top right corner.)
Charles Stepney —
Step On Step ... LP International Anthem, Early 70s. Near Mint- 2LP Gatefold ...
$24.99
Maybe the first-ever album to be issued under the name of the great Charles Stepney – even though the artist/musician/producer/songwriter had a huge role in the careers of Chicago contemporaries like Minnie Riperton, Ramsey Lewis, and Earth Wind & Fire! This set brings together ... (Soul, Jazz)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(140 gram gold vinyl pressing. Includes the obi and International Anthem inner sleeves.)
Features Sterling on alto and soprano sax – with Virgil Jones on trumpet, Junior Mance on acoustic and electric piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Ray Mantilla on percussion! LP, Vinyl record album
With Bob Berg on tenor, Mitch Forman on piano and synthesizers, Mark Egan on bass, Dave Wedd on drums, Dr Gibbs on percussion, and David Sanborn on alto; plus guests Jaco Pastorius on bass and Steve Jordan on drums. LP, Vinyl record album
(NOTE – the bottom half of the cover has light staining, waviness, and patchy peel spotting from moisture.)
A mix of jazzy moments and more emotive passages from Leith Stevens – packaged here in a nice David Stone Martin cover! (Soundtracks, Jazz)LP, Vinyl record album
(Promo yellow label pressing. Cover has surface wear, promo stamp, radio station sticker, name in pen. Label has ink stamp.)
Sultan Stevenson —
Faithful One ... LP Whirlwind, 2023. New Copy 2LP Gatefold ...
$36.9938.99
A really beautiful record from London pianist Sultan Stevenson – a set that seems to hearken back to the wonderful 70s territory of McCoy Tyner, especially in the way that Sultan can balance a sense of subtle majesty with an undeniable flow! Half the record features a core trio – with ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Rex Stewart, Billy Taylor, Barney Bigard, Juan Tizol —
Ellingtonians ... LP Trip, Mid 40s. Near Mint- ...
$5.997.99
Very cool small group work from the Ellington camp – a handful of rare sides by each artist as a leader – including trumpeter Rex Stewart, pianist Billy Taylor, clarinetist Barney Bigard, and trombonist Juan Tizol. LP, Vinyl record album
(70s issue. Cover has light wear and aging.)
Sonny Stitt —
12 ... LP Muse, 1972. Very Good ...
$6.99
Features Stitt on alto and tenor – plus Barry Harris on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. LP, Vinyl record album
(White label promo. Cover has light wear & aging, name in pen.)
The title might sound a bit clinical, but the music within is anything but – and instead is that sort of special, magical work that always makes Sonny Stitt a real cut above most of his contemporaries! The notes try to link Stitt to Charlie Parker – but apart from a postwar sense of ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Blue label Royal Roost pressing – a nice clean copy. Cover is nice too.)
A return to basics after Sonny Stitt's late 60s Varitone and funk experiments – all-bop and all soul all the way through, and recorded with a tight quartet that features Barry Harris on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Roy Brooks on drums! The style's a bit like Sonny's work of the late 50s, ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a cutout hole, large initials in marker at the top, some wear and aging, and is lightly stained at the spine with some paper stuck to the front.)
A very nicely selected 2LP set of tracks from Stitt's oft-overlooked years at Argo/Chess! The tracks have him in great company that includes the pianists Barry Harris, John Young, and Ronnie Matthews – and if you know Stitt's style from the time, you know that his choice of piano player made ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mid 70s orange label pressing in the textured cover. Cover has a cutout notch, light surface wear, and some edge wear, with a cutout notch, some edge wear, half split bottom seam, and a 3 inch tear in the back panel.)
A rare one for Sonny Stitt – an album for Pacific Jazz recorded on the west coast, but done with some hard-burning organ work by Charles Kynard that easily matches any of Stitt's best soul jazz sides from the east! There's a tightly cooking feel to the entire set that's really great – ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono black label pressing. Cover has light surface wear, some aging, and splitting in the bottom seam.)
Sonny Stitt's work for Verve was some of his best on record – and this album is a perfect illustration of that bold claim! Sonny's blowing here in a wonderful style – a bit more restrained than on his early bop sides, more complicated than on his later soul jazz sessions, and all ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Early 80s mono Japanese pressing – UMV 2558 – with insert.)
A really great session from Sonny Stitt – and one with a slightly different vibe than usual! That vibe comes from the work of two Latin percussionists – Marcelino Valdez on congas and Osvaldo Martinez on bongos – both of whom really a a lot to the groove next to the drums of ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Yellow and black label New Jersey pressing, with Van Gelder stamp. NOTE – Cover has wear and staining on the bottom half with clear tape on the bottom seam, surface wear & aging. Front looks better than the back.)
A record with a simple, elegant title – and a similar cover image too – but if you know Sonny Stitt, you know there's often plenty beneath the surface, and this classic Chess Records has plenty to offer, once you start listening! The album's right up there with Sonny's work for Roost ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Stitt's Verve recordings were some of his best, and they show the genius of his playing in a relaxed easy setting that lets him get the most out of his solos. Although this album, like most of the ones in this Verve series, offers little info on the dates and players, the material seems to be from ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(70s issue. Cover has a cutout notch, ring and edge wear, yellowing from age, and spotty blemishes. Label on Side 1 has a small peeled spot at the spindle hole.)
Beautiful Roost material from Sonny Stitt – solid, mature, and extremely well-placed lines on the alto sax – all caught at a level that's higher than most of his contemporaries were dising out at the time! The boppier side of Stitt's roots is nicely suppressed here – and in its ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(80s Spanish Fresh Sound pressing. NOTE – Cover is lightly stained at the top 3 inches, with some wrinkling at the top left corner and some stuck-on paper at the top edge.)
Sonny Stitt & Bennie Green —
My Main Man ... LP Argo, 1964. Very Good+ ...
$6.99
A lost little cooker from Stitt and Green – recorded at a time when they were working together briefly, with backing by a Chicago organ trio that includes Bobby Buster on Hammond, Jo Diorio on guitar, and Dorel Anderson on drums. Tracks are short and fierce, but it's clear that Stitt can ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(70s orange label pressing. Cover has a cut corner, with light wear on the back.)
A twin-alto session that matches the sax of Sonny Stitt with that of Bunky Green – both set up in a tight little combo that includes some smoking work on Hammond by organist Odell Brown! Brown's fierce approach to the keys creates a really gutbuckety sound on the set – making the album ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(70s orange label pressing. Cover has light wear and a cutout notch.)
A rare set of Billy Strayhorn tracks recorded in Paris by Alan Douglas. The tracks are incredibly haunting, and mostly feature Strayhorn's solo piano with spare backing by Parisian bassist Michel Goudret. There are a a few short moments on the record that add backing voices or strings – but ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mid 60s stereo pressing. Vinyl plays with some crackles. Cover has light ring & edge wear. Inner gatefold has light staining at the top and a peel spot.)
Frank Strazzeri —
After The Rain ... LP Catalyst/Trading Places, 1976. New Copy Gatefold (reissue)...
$25.9934.99
Funky keyboard work from Frank Strazzeri – a player who's really stretching out here in the 70s, with a massively cosmic vibe you'd never have guessed from his earlier work! Strazzeri had recorded and played heavily around the LA scene by the time of this mid 70s release – but most of ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A seminal early recording from one of our favorite reed players ever! In the late 1950s, the young Frank Strozier came up to Chicago from Memphis, along with his longtime friend, pianist Harold Mabern. The two of them both settled nicely in the city's MJT+3 combo, where they proceeded to record ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A cinematic blend of electronics and percussion – served up in a way that every bit as evocative as a vintage soundtrack, especially work from the 80s action years – yet handled with a sonic richness that often surpasses music from that generation too! The group's a duo – and ... (New Grooves, Jazz)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
60s issue of obscure 1953 recordings made by Joe Sullivan in San Francisco – mostly solo, but with some occasional drums and bass. LP, Vinyl record album
(Mono blue label Bil Grauer Productions Inc pressing with microphone logo. Cover has bumped corners and some ringwear, mostly in back.)
Superblue —
Superblue ... LP Blue Note, 1989. Very Good+ ...
Just Sold Out!
A wonderful project from late 80s Blue Note – a group that features trumpet and arrangements from Don Sickler, plus some great help from Bobby Watson as well – all to craft a sound that's as rich, soaring, and joyous as any solo projects from either player! The group's an octet, but ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
The Supersax ensemble takes on the classic concept of Charlie Parker with strings – really sticking true to the groundbreaking spirit of the original experiments, while also bringing things forward a bit with their wonderful multi-horn approach! The group features lead alto from Med Flory, ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A fantastic shift in the sound of the Supersax ensemble – one that has the group's jazzy instrumentation mixed with a vocal chorus – in a way that's a bit similar to some of the best Singers Unlimited albums for MPS in the 70s! The title, cover, and group's name might make you think ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Delightfully spare – with Surman on a variety of reeds, plus voice and a bit of electronics from Karin Krog, and drums from Pierre Favre. LP, Vinyl record album
(German pressing. Cover has a trace of a sticker and light wear.)
A beautiful lost slice of British jazz, recorded during the crucial period before some of the scene's players went too far off the deep end! John Surman partners here with composer/leader John Warren, for a large group recording that sounds similar to some of the best early Mike Westbrook ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(A wonderful pressing – heavy vinyl, and a flipback cover just like the original record! New mastering from the original tapes by Gearbox, and a bonus insert of notes.)