The quintessential sound of late 60s Horace Silver – on one hand still very much in the Blue Note soul jazz groove that earned him plenty of jukebox single play, but on the other hand really stretching out with a style that's a bit more righteous than before! Horace shows that he can still ... read moreCD
The quintessential sound of late 60s Horace Silver – on one hand still very much in the Blue Note soul jazz groove that earned him plenty of jukebox single play, but on the other hand really stretching out with a style that's a bit more righteous than before! Horace shows that he can still ... read moreCD
(2004 RVG pressing with a thin cutout through the case spine.)
An incredible record – the kind of album that only Blue Note could put out, and an instant classic that will sound wonderful forever! The album's truly one of the great ones – one of those Blue Notes that still makes you stop and pause when you hear it, even though you've heard it a ... read moreCD
A seminal, yet unusual 50s Blue Note treasure! The album brings together a number of Horace Silver's great trio recordings from the early 50's, most of them with Art Blakey on drums, showing the fluid, rumbling genius that would later make him such a great leader. But the record also includes 2 ... read moreCD
A seminal, yet unusual 50s Blue Note treasure! The album brings together a number of Horace Silver's great trio recordings from the early 50's, most of them with Art Blakey on drums, showing the fluid, rumbling genius that would later make him such a great leader. But the record also includes 2 ... read moreCD
A great Horace Silver album – and one of the rarest! The record features some top-line material that virtually defines Silver's post-Jazz Messengers sound – tracks that come out with a hard and heavy groove, yet which also have a lightness in the mix too – a sense of play and ... read moreCD
A great Horace Silver album – and one of the rarest! The record features some top-line material that virtually defines Silver's post-Jazz Messengers sound – tracks that come out with a hard and heavy groove, yet which also have a lightness in the mix too – a sense of play and ... read moreCD
One of the few live recordings ever done by Horace Silver during his Blue Note years – a real surprise, considering what a crowd pleaser he was at the time! The set catches Horace working with that great quintet that graced most of his best early Blue Notes – with Blue Mitchell on ... read moreCD
One of the few live recordings ever done by Horace Silver during his Blue Note years – a real surprise, considering what a crowd pleaser he was at the time! The set catches Horace working with that great quintet that graced most of his best early Blue Notes – with Blue Mitchell on ... read moreCD
Two great albums from Chicago's Argo label brough together on one great CD! Norman Simmons is a wonderfully soulful piano player, of the rare kind who always seems to bring something "extra to the table"! The set's more than the usual piano trio side of the time, as Simmons contributes ... read moreCD
A rare treat from Zoot Sims – an album of soprano sax material, recorded in striking contrast to his more familiar tenor! The sound is oddly more traditional than usual – and unlike many other players in the 70s, Sims doesn't use the soprano in a Coltrane-inspired mode, but in a way ... read moreCD
Way more than just a Gershwin Songbook sort of record – thanks to some tremendous blowing here by Zoot Sims, who's mellowed nicely with age, and comes up with a wonderful sound for the record! It may just be us, but there seems to be a lot more soul in Zoot's horn than ever before – ... read moreCD
Zoot Sims & Kenny Drew —
Flower Walts ... CD Venus (Japan), 1978. Used ...
$14.9924.99
With Neils Pedersen on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums. CD
A real lost treasure for fans of Zoot Sims – a well-done live recording from the mid 50s, featuring longish tracks that have Zoot blowing with a trio led by Joe Castro! Castro's a under-acknowledge piano talent from the LA scene of the time – a player with a soulful edge on his best ... read moreCD
(Out of print.)
Hal Singer with Charlie Shavers —
Blue Stompin ... CD Prestige/OJC, 1959. Used ...
$14.99
A killer lost session on Prestige – one that takes the two players in the lead into some sweetly soul jazz territory! Hal Singer plays tenor, and really gets room to wail here in one of his strongest American jazz-based sessions of the 60s – and Charlie Shaver's also pretty great too, ... read moreCD
(OJC pressing.)
Sirone —
Artistry ... CD Of The Cosmos/Moved By Sound (UK), 1979. New Copy ...
$12.9919.99
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 moreCD
Harry Skoler —
Two Ones ... CD Soliloquy, 2008. Used ...
$5.99
Features Harry Skoler on clarinet, Ed Saindon on vibes and piano, Matt Marvuglio on flute, Barry Smith on bass, and Bob Tamagni on drums. CD
Steve Slagle on alto saxophone and flute, Joe Lovano on tenor and soprano saxophone, Joe Lovano, Gerald Cannon on bass, Roman Diaz on congas, and Bill Stewart on drums. CD
Ches Smith on drums, Miguel Zenon on alto sax, Matt Mitchell on piano, Nick Dunston on bass, and Daniel Brevil, Fanfan Jean-Guy Rene, and Markus Schwartz on percussion – plus Sirene Dantor Rene on vocals. CD
Jimmy Smith heard in the kind of setting that spawned him – playing live at Delaware's Club Baby Grand – just the sort of smoky little jazz room that initially fostered his talents! The liveness of the set brings a really nice edge to the album – a sound that's grittier than some ... read moreCD
A partner album of sorts to Jimmy Smith's classic Midnight Special album – recorded during the same sessions as that one, and also featuring Stanley Turrentine on tenor and Kenny Burrell on guitar! The sound here is almost even more open and stretched out – with only 4 long tracks on ... read moreCD
One of Jimmy Smith's biggest albums of the 60s – and a classic Verve pairing of his lean Hammond organ solos with the fuller, hard-swinging arrangements of Oliver Nelson! Nelson is working here at the height of his powers – backing Smith with a large group, but in a way that only seems ... read moreCD
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 moreCD
Proof that at his start, Jimmy Smith had a greatness that knew no bounds – as the album's one of a few that Blue Note recorded in the late 50s, but never issued until many years later – even though they had already released so many amazing records from this period! The set has Jimmy ... read moreCD
Proof that at his start, Jimmy Smith had a greatness that knew no bounds – as the album's one of a few that Blue Note recorded in the late 50s, but never issued until many years later – even though they had already released so many amazing records from this period! The set has Jimmy ... read moreCD
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 moreCD
Jimmy Smith on organ, Russell Malone on guitar, Reggie McBride on bass, and Harvey Mason on drums – plus guest vocals from Etta James and Dr. John, as well as guitar and vocals from BB King and Taj Mahal. CD
Jimmy Smith —
Fourmost ... CD Milestone, 1990. Used ...
$4.99
A sweet little quartet date – in case you couldn't tell from the title. Fourmost features Stanley Turrentine on tenor, Kenny Burrell on guitar, and Grady Tate on drums plus vocals on "My Funny Valentine". CD
Jimmy Smith live was a killer – especially in the early days, when this one was recorded! Back in the late 50s, when Jimmy was shocking the world with his fantastically creative approach to the organ, Blue Note cut some of the first strong-selling live albums by following Jimmy to the clubs ... read moreCD
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 moreCD
One of those 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 combinations ... read moreCD
A real stormer from Jimmy Smith – done in his first year at Blue Note, but with a sense of power and imagination that cannot be denied! It might be easy to pass up this album, because many of the tunes are standards, done in a simple trio format – but back at the time of this session, ... read moreCD
(Out of print, includes obi which has an old piece of clear tape.)
A great return to form for Hammond giant Jimmy Smith – heard here on an early 90s date for Blue Note, done in the same style as Jimmy's classic work for the label! The set's a live one, recorded in Japan – and the tracks have this open flow that's mighty nice – proof that Smith's ... read moreCD
A new star is right – because with the strength of this set, Jimmy Smith set a whole new tone for the way that the organ was used in jazz! The album's got a raw, earthy power that grabs us right away – and even though the tunes themselves are mostly familiar numbers, Jimmy's early ... read moreCD
Material that was recorded in the early 60s, but not issued by Blue Note until later in the decade – when they were pulling out any Jimmy Smith session they had, in order to compete with the bigger hits on Verve. The record features 8 extended tracks, with an all-star jam session lineup that ... read moreCD
A pair of near perfect soulful jazz organ sets from Jimmy Smith – 1967's Respect and 1968's Livin' It Up – plus the rare non album single "Mickey Mouse" as bonus track for the first time on CD! Respect is really nice jazz album from Jimmy, although one that got hidden in the ... read moreCD
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 moreCD
Fantastic studio material from Jimmy's best period on Blue Note! The CD features 6 unreleased tracks – all recorded in 1958, but never issued until now, for some insanely stupid reason! The tracks feature Jimmy's usual organ/guitar/drums trio approach, augmented with some great baritone ... read moreCD
(1999 Connoisseur pressing. Spine has a cutout notch.)
Material recorded early in the Blue Note career of Jimmy Smith – but not issued until the mid 60s, and often overlooked at the time! The record's still in the spare trio mode of the early Jimmy Smith years – but is a bit lighter and more lyrical than before – a nice change from ... read moreCD
(1998 Connoisseur pressing.)
Jimmy Smith —
Standards ... CD Blue Note, Late 50s. Used ...
$4.99
Material that was never released at the time that it was recorded – half came out on a late 70s album, and the other half is here for the first time! CD
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 moreCD
The Johnny Smith sound is a wonderful one – not just the sound that he makes with his groundbreaking work on the strings of the guitar, but also the way he records the instrument – which set a new standard in jazz guitar albums, and also helped pave the way for countless generations to ... read moreCD
One of Lonnie Liston Smith's most spiritual sessions, and the record that most clearly shows his roots with Pharoah Sanders! The vibe here is much more jazz-based than on some of Lonnie's other records for Flying Dutchman – with Smith playing as much acoustic piano as he does electric, using ... read moreCD
Righteous jazz, with plenty of soul – a killer collection of the mid 70s work of Lonnie Liston Smith – all based around his legendary recordings for the Flying Dutchman label! Lonnie got his start on the hippest side of the jazz spectrum – including work with Pharoah Sanders on ... read moreCD
A smooth groovers from the mid 80s by Lonnie Liston Smith – a lot better than you might think for the time! Though this side's a set that leans a bit more towards being a straight jazz effort than some of Smith's more cosmic recordings of earlier years, it's got a sweet mellow feel – ... read moreCD
(Out of print and sealed with a small cutout hole through the case spine.)
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 moreCD
Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes —
Cosmic Funk ... CD Flying Dutchman/BGP (UK), 1974. New Copy ...
$7.9914.99
A real gem from Lonnie Liston Smith's early years in the studio – and a record that's perhaps a bit more "cosmic" than it is "funk" – but that's why we like it so much! The session has Lonnie stretching out a bit more than usual – borrowing some of the ... read moreCD
Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes —
Expansions ... CD Flying Dutchman/RCA, 1975. Used ...
$8.99
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 moreCD
Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes —
Expansions (UK pressing) ... CD Flying Dutchman/BGP (UK), 1975. New Copy ...
$8.9918.99
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 moreCD
Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes —
Visions Of A New World ... CD Flying Dutchman/BGP (UK), 1975. New Copy ...
$8.99
Lonnie Liston Smith is really tightening up his groove on this one – bringing a bit more funk into the mix, and creating that amazingly sweet glide in his keyboard sound! The record's still steeped in the righteous influences of years past, but it brings the message out to a bigger audience ... read moreCD
Lonnie Smith —
Afrodesia ... CD Laser Light/Groove Merchant, Mid 70s. Used ...
$6.99
A tasty CD that brings together some cuts from Lonnie's legendary Afro-desia album for Groove Merchant from 1975, plus other tracks from later Groove Merchant sessions. The Afro-desia material is great – with Lonnie playing in a very stretched out, Larry Young-ish kind of way, and a young ... read moreCD
(Sealed copy!)
Lonnie Smith —
Gotcha ... CD LRC/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1978. New Copy ...
$9.9913.99
Smooth later work from Lonnie Smith – but still pretty darn great, with a feel that's in the late 70s Kudu/CTI mode! Arrangements are bigger than ever before – with large backings arranged by Lonnie, and some vocals that have a really wonderful, warm, Stevie Wonder-esque quality to ... read moreCD
A lost jazz-funk gem – originally recorded at Club Mozambique in Detroit in 1970, but not issued by Blue Note until the mid 90s! The set's right up there with Lonnie's classic Move Your Hand live set – as the tracks are long, free, and very funky, performed by a hip group that includes ... read moreCD
(Out of print 1995 Rare Groove pressing with a cutout through the case spine.)
Lonnie Smith —
Think! ... CD Blue Note, 1968. Used ...
$9.9912.99
A seminal album from Hammond giant Lonnie Smith – a bold statement that really gives the organist his own identity after some killer work in the combos of Lou Donaldson and George Benson! Lonnie's one of the key flag-fliers of the new style of funky organ jazz – a mode different from ... read moreCD
With John Abercrombie on guitar and Marvin "Smitty" Smith on drums. Tracks include "Voodoo Chile", "Gypsy Eyes", "Up From The Skies", and "Purple Haze–Star Spangled Banner". CD
A late 50s Verve session by Stuff Smith – one in which the jazz violinist does a wonderful job shaking off his often quite hammy persona for a strong, straight up set of standards and well-known bop era cuts! He's got a great crew for these sessions, with the great Shirley Horn on piano on a ... read moreCD
Tab Smith on alto and tenor saxophone, Sonny Cohn on trumpet, Leon Washington on tenor saxophone, Lavern Dilon and Teddy Brannon on piano, Wilfred Middlebrooks on bass, Walter Johnson on drums, and Louis Blackwell on vocals. CD
An overlooked gem from trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith – an early 80s session, but one that we'd rank with some of his most-together work ever! The album's a mixture of spare modes and some surprising group elements – a set that often has Smith blowing beautifully on trumpet or flugelhorn, ... read moreCD
An unreleased set of solo performances from trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith – one that we'd rank right up there with his most adventurous work of the 70s! Smith comes across wonderfully on the record – full of soul and imagination, and easily as impressive on his solo instruments as ... read moreCD
A righteously powerful piece from trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith – a tribute to the political power of Rosa Parks, and her lasting legacy in American history – served up as an oratorio of seven songs, performed with a nicely shifting lineup! The album is one of the most ambitious we've ... read moreCD
Fantastic work from trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith – maybe one of the few musicians who could hold us completely rapt throughout a 3CD presentation of completely solo material! The work was all recorded over the space of a few short days, in a church in Finland – and Smith uses his many ... read moreCD
The Blue Note debut of tenorist Walter Smith III – a player who's been making great music for almost 20 years on record, yet who really seems to push himself even more here! The album seems to mark a new chapter in Smith's music, and one that also really has a distinct voice on the tenor as ... read moreCD
Gary Smulyan on baritone sax – with Christian McBride on bass and Billy Drummond on drums! CD
(Out of print.)
Gary Smulyan with Anais Reno —
Tadd's All Folks ... CD Stateside (Denmark), 2022. New Copy ...
$9.9919.99
A really unique take on the music of jazz legend Tadd Dameron – a set that focuses entirely on vocal versions of his compositions – a side of Dameron's legacy that's sometimes overlooked! Tadd wasn't that much of a lyricist himself – although he did do two of the songs here ... read moreCD
A beautifully stripped-down set from saxophonist Jim Snidero – one that has him working in a trio, with excellent rhythm from Peter Washington on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums! Both Washington and Farnsworth are nicely understated – perfect in the way they contribute, but also ... read moreCD
Incredible jazz rock from Soft Machine – recorded after Robert Wyatt left the group, and for some reason, a bit overlooked because of that fact – but still a pretty darn great album, awash in long tracks with plenty of jazzy touches – still finely crafted in the sublime crossover ... (Rock, Jazz)read moreCD
(Out of print 1991 Japanese pressing with some light notes in pen inside the booklet.)
Martial Solal —
Bluesine ... CD Soul Note (Italy), 1983. Used ...
$9.99
Solo piano from one of the greatest French modernists – on cuts that include "Bluesine", "Lover", "Moins De 36", "14 Septembre", and "Yardbird Suite". CD
A gem of a record, and one that might be easy to overlook – given the unfamiliar group name and relatively murky cover – yet a set that bristles with all of the energy of some of the best records on the Posi-tone label of late! There's a number of the label's key players here – ... read moreCD
Tyshawn Sorey —
Continuing ... CD PI Recordings, 2023. New Copy ...
$14.9915.98
A really moody album from drummer Tyshawn Sorey – one that features a straightish jazz approach, but on really long songs that take a form that's all their own! The set's a trio date – recorded with Aaron Diehl on piano and Matt Brewer on bass – but the music is hardly standard ... read moreCD
Includes the songs "Eleggua", "Takes A Second", "Mother Africa", "Nino Divino", "Cha-Amarillo", "Sleeping Lion", "Blanco En Africa", "Twice As Sad", "Why So Complicated", "Fragile", "Desde ... read moreCD
Les Spann —
Gemini ... CD Jazzland/OJC, 1961. Used ...
$6.99
One of the few albums ever cut as a leader by Les Spann – an extremely talented jazz player who worked a lot with Dizzy Gillespie in the 50s, and Quincy Jones in the 60s! Les plays both guitar and flute on the set – grooving soulfully in a mode that recalls the stylings of Frank Wess ... read moreCD
A well crafted set of tunes – both modern and soulful, in keeping with the rich talents of James Spaulding! The album sports a stupid title, but it's actually a thoughtful batch of tracks dedicated to African American achievement and expression – featuring Spaulding on alto sax and ... read moreCD
Great work from James Spaulding – one of the few players of his generation who actually got better with age! As he was in his classic 60s Blue Note recording sessions with other leaders, Spaulding is a hell of a group player – extremely sensitive to the other members of his groups ... read moreCD
Spectral (Dave Rempis/Darren Johnston/Larry Ochs) —
Empty Castles ... CD Aerophonic, 2018. Used ...
$9.99
A beautiful triangulation of horns from the Spectral Trio – working here on their second album, with a mighty nice lineup that features Larry Ochs on tenor and sopranino, Dave Rempis on alto and baritone, and Darren Johnston on trumpet! The sound here feels more focused on textures than ... read moreCD
A great entry in this late 70s "Best Of The West" series produced for Japan by Lew Tabackin – a series in which Lew uncovered some of the best (then) current work on the west coast, in an unusual and creative mix of classic and under-discovered players! This session is led by alto ... read moreCD
(Out of print, includes obi.)
Joel Spencer & Mike Kocour —
Interior Window ... CD Chicago Lakeside Jazz, 1998. Used ...
$1.993.99
With Brad Wheeler on tenor and soprano saxophone. CD
Spielmann plays soprano sax in this smooth set of Brazilian jazz tracks – produced with a surprisingly great mix of styles that makes the backings sound polished and the solos sound raspy, creating an interplay that makes the set sparkle a lot more than you'd expect from the usual ... read moreCD
Spyro Gyra —
Breakout ... CD Amherst/MCA, 1986. Used ...
$2.99
Tracks include "Freefall", "Body Wave", "Swept Away", "Guiltless", and "Whirlwind". CD
(Early pressing – disc made in Japan.)
Ssslick —
This Is Ssslick ... CD Stage 3 Sound/Sonorama (Germany), 1981. New Copy ...
$7.9916.99
A cool little album from the Kansas City scene – a mix of jazz, soul, and vocals – played by a mixed group that includes organ, guitar, vibes, and percussion! The sound is swinging soul jazz, but with vocals out front at times – and the sound is nicely rough around the edges, ... (Soul, Jazz)read moreCD