(Later black label stereo ABC/Tangerine pressing. Cover has a small cutout hole, ringwear, heavy edge wear, and wide center splits in the seams and spine.)
Easily one of the best Ray Charles albums on ABC – if not one of the best Ray Charles albums of all-time. Ray's in his C&W mode here, but it's a bit more restrained than on other LPs, and is replaced here by a sophisticated style that works perfectly with his heartbreaking voice. Proof ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Black label stereo pressing with Bell Sound stamp. Cover has some wear and aging, small sticker at the top left corner, and a round sticker in back.)
Yes indeed – a mighty early classic from the great Ray Charles – one of his first full length albums, and a set that brings together the searing sort of work he was doing for Atlantic Records in the 50s! Ray's completely confident and at the top of his game here – and a lot more ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono red & purple label pressing. Cover has some waviness, wear, & light staining along the opening- but mostly on the back. Light wear & aging overall.)
A title that seems to take off from Chubby Checker's bit trademark hit, but the overall groove is a lot better than you might expect – set for twisting, sure, but in a nicely rough and ready style that's almost equal parts soul and R&B! Some tunes are familiar, but twist-ified – ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Orange label pressing with deep groove. Cover has surface wear & aging, light edge wear.)
Sweet duet soul produced and arranged by Jesse James, and featuring a number of songs written by him as well! The pair have a sweet sound that works well with the sing-song groove of the tunes – and titles include "Yaba Daba Do", "Indian Giver", "I Know I'm In ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has light wear, two cutout holes, and a smudged X in marker at the bottom right corner.)
Neneh Cherry —
Blank Project ... CD Smalltown Supersound (Sweden), 2014. Used ...
$7.99
Some of the most striking work we've heard from Neneh Cherry in years – and a great follow-up to her previous project with The Thing! This set has Neneh working with producer Kieran Hebden – who returns Cherry to the offbeat, arty sound of her early years on the British scene – ... read moreCD
Really sweet later work from The Chi Lites – proof that the group were still going strong long after their initial chart hits! The sound here is less Brunswick Chicago soul than before – and the group step along in warm and sophisticated backings that sparkle in the best Chi-Sound ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Much later than classic vintage for Chic, but still pretty darn great – and a record that was relatively overlooked at the time! The style here steps off strongly from the Chic sound of the early 80s – and the team of Edwards and Rodgers still definitely have their funky sense of ... read moreCD
(Out of print, small cutout hole through case spine.)
Risque is a massive classic from Chic – a record that's worth it alone for the classic cut "Good Times" – a buoyant groover that was instantly timeless upon release, and went on to transform the sound of disco, hip hop, and many other styles to come! The whole thing's great, ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover has minimal wear.)
Dee Clark cracked the charts big with a few crossover hits – but he's an excellent soul singer with a raspy tone that almost set the stage for some of the deeper soul acts to come in the 60s! The style here is very much in the mode of some of Jackie Wilson's best for Brunswick from the early ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Original rainbow label pressing, with deep groove – in great shape! Cover has a tiny bit of splitting on the top seam, but is great too.)
A nice funky electric groover from Stanley Clarke's mid 80s R&B years! Time Exposure has a lot of period electro funk in the mix, particularly Clarke's impeccable bass lines, which are heavy throughout! A brilliant mix of 80s fusiony future funk with jazz precision – definitely a funky ... (Jazz, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Grey label EU pressing. Cover has light ringwear, some edge wear, and is bent a bit at the edges. Label has a sticker spot.)
A rare live set from Otis Clay – much more obscure than his later Japanese album that circulated in the 80s – and captured at a time when Otis was coming off his famous stretch at Hi Records! The set features great small combo backing by an American group – and titles include ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Nice Japanese pressing, with insert! Cover has some light wear, and a bit of splitting on the top seam.)
Otis Clay —
Live Again ... LP Yupiteru (Japan), 1984. Near Mint- 2LP Gatefold ...
$28.99
Otis Clay recorded live in Japan – working before a very appreciative audience, and hitting grooves that are right up there with his best 70s work on Hi Records! The sound is a bit looser than Hi – which is a nice change – and Clay's really in command on the set, leading the ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Later work from Otis Clay, but also one of his greatest albums ever! The record features him with some fuller arrangements than usual – in less of a bluesy mode than during the Hi years, with a smooth sound that really brings out a whole new side of his style. The set was recorded in ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Japanese pressing, on Victor, with insert! Cover has a small bit of tape on top seam, but rest is nice.)
A pretty compelling record issued on Motown's MoWest subsidiary. Tom Clay creates these groovy tracks that mix popular soul instrumentals (arranged by Gene Page and Artie Butler) with recitations that have a very righteous political feel. The single on the record, "What The World Needs ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has light wear, aging, and is bent a bit with staple holes at the top left corner.)
Early 80s spiritual disco from Charlie Clemons And The Mighty Power Band – which purportedly included members of Watts 103rd St Rhythm Band – recordings Clemons made in 1980 at Warner Brothers Studios – remixed by Tom Noble! Noble adds no new instrumentation, but ratchets up the ... read more12-inch, Vinyl record
Linda Clifford —
Linda ... LP Curtom, 1977. Near Mint- ...
$6.99
Linda's first effort for Curtom, and a record that's got a bit more soul than some of her later more disco-oriented albums. Unfortunately, it's also got a bit more schmaltz – but if you stay away from the sillier cuts, you'll get some tasty mellow soul that's a good bridge between Linda's ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
After issuing a strangely silly remix project of George Clinton's Capitol work from the early 80s, the folks at EMI have finally corrected their mistake by putting together this straight set of Clinton's jammers for the label – all offered in their original versions! The set's not prime P-Fun ... read moreCD
(Out of print and sealed with a thin cutout through the spine.)
Post Funkadelic and Parliament work from George Clinton – an assortment of tracks from a variety of Columbia and Sony-related albums by artists who include Sweat Band, Mutiny, Junie, Bootsy Collins, Mico Wave, Philippe Wynne, and the P-Funk All-Stars! Most of the material here has an early ... read moreCD
Sure, they were hitmakers – but we love these guys, and find them to be one of the most radical vocal groups of all time! Under the impeccable guidance of Lieber & Stoller, the group recorded some of the fiercest vocal numbers of the 50s – mixing incredibly soulful vocals with an ... read moreCD
A classic full length set from The Coasters – and as much of a full album that brings together their best for Atlantic, as it is a collection of earlier material from singles! There's a really unified approach here – thanks to the group's really dynamic, surprisingly soulful vocal ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono Gray & Yellow label pressing. Cover has mild corner bumps, but looks nice overall!)
An unforgettable album from Natalie Cole – a record that came at a time when her R&B career was faltering slightly, and a set that not only helped Natalie reach a new level of sophistication in her music – but also find a huge new audience too! If the title sounds familiar, it's ... read moreCD
Great early work from Albert Collins – the kind of mean, lean music that Collins specialized in before his later years of cliche – served up here in a style that's almost more funk than blues overall! The tracks are all instrumentals, with lots of raw guitar and soulful saxophone ... (Blues, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Stereo pressing. Cover has surface and edge wear, with a small split on the top seam.)
A funky trip through the classic Warner Brothers recordings of P-Funk maestro Bootsy Collins! The set's a pretty great introduction to Bootsy's work, and includes some of his best numbers, plus a great set of notes that will really help you navigate his rich career. There's a total of 14 tracks, ... read moreCD
Wicked early funk from The Commodores – a group that spent so much time on pop ballads in later years, it's hard to believe they could be this sharp and hard-edged! There's plenty of that bass-heavy style that would later dominate many Motown combos at the end of the 70s – but the ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has bumped corners and is lightly bent at the bottom left corner.)
Commodores —
Heroes ... LP Motown, 1980. Very Good Gatefold ...
$2.99
The Commodores tenth album – as you might guess from the big X on the cover – and a set that features some of the last great moments of Lionel Richie with the group! The album's a bit overlooked, but has a really great groove – kind of a middle ground between The Commodores' ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover has light wear, small name in marker.)
Lots of Midnight Magic from The Commdores – still nice and funky at the start of the evening, but also chilling out in the wee hours too – really finding a great way to follow the trajectory of the night with the tracks in this set! The album sparkles with strong arrangements and ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover is great!)
By this point in their career, The Commodores have lost Lionel Richie and any sort of funk credibility they had from their early years – but they also somehow manage to reemerge with a great new talent for a sweet mellow groove! The title tune "Nightshift" was one of those tracks ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Still sealed with a cutout notch. Shrinkwrap has a hole at the top left corner.)
A masterpiece of mellow soul and jazzy grooves from the groundbreaking Norman Connors – an album that sails to the stars on a sweet blend of mellow moments and more upbeat tracks too! The record features some crucial vocal talents from Michael Henderson and Phyllis Hyman – both ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Although The Contours will be forever known for their perpetual oldie "Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance)", they're also an excellent soul group with a hard raw sound, and a lot more to offer than you'd expect! This 25 track compilation of the group's sublime Motown work really ... read moreCD
(CDr release.)
Conway Brothers —
Lady In Red ... LP Ichiban, 1987. Near Mint- ...
$4.999.99
One of the few albums ever cut by the brothers Conway – working here in Atlanta with a mix of 80s styles and older modes! Titles include "Por-Sha", "I Can't Fight It", "Why You Wanna Do Me Like You Do", "BOC", "If You Love Me", and "Ohio ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Wonderful mellow work from Sam Cooke – and a set that's recorded with a sound that's very much in keeping with the "night beat" that you might expect from the title! In fact, there's not so much a "beat" as a simple easy groove – a gentle sort of "night" ... read moreCD
A massive collection of work by the great Sam Cooke – featuring 30 tunes in all, and spanning the range of his full career – from his early roots in gospel music, to the incredibly powerful soul tunes he cut shortly before his untimely death. The set's got most everything you'd ever ... read moreCD
A massive collection of work by the great Sam Cooke – featuring 30 tunes in all, and spanning the range of his full career – from his early roots in gospel music, to the incredibly powerful soul tunes he cut shortly before his untimely death. The set's got most everything you'd ever ... read moreCD
Stomping organ instrumentals from Dave Baby Cortez – a great little batch of work for the Clock label at the end of the 50s and start of the 60s, all of which helped to really find a place for the organ in American pop and soul! Cortez brought a style to the instrument that was as wild as ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Light blue label stereo pressing. Cover has a bit of glosss separation at the top left corner.)
Smoking Hammond work from the young Dave Cortez – sounding grittier here than on some of his other albums of the time – less pop, and almost with a soul jazz vibe overall – especially given some of his snakey solos! The record may be the closest that Cortez ever came to sounding ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Stereo orange label pressing. Cover has minimal wear.)
Long before Hunchback achieved broadway musical status, disco orchestrator Alec R Costandinos recorded this trashed-up soundtrack for Casablanca, part of their weak and short-lived attempt to break in on film work. Titles include "You Are Accused Before Us", "The Pope Of Fools" ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Without a doubt, Alec R. Costandinos was one of the strangest disco arranger/producers of the 70s! He had a very baroque vision that took full advantage of the disco industry's heavy cash to turn out these mini disco symphonies filled with full orchestral strings, funky beats, and very high ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Danny Cox —
Birth Announcement ... LP Together Records, 1969. Near Mint- 2LP Gatefold ...
$6.9911.99
Very weird bit of stoner rock with a slight soul edge, and kind of a rock version of the Isaac Hayes baroque approach to pop covers. Danny Cox performs a number of Dylan and Beatles tunes – like "Dear Prudence", "My Guitar Gently Weeps", "Baby Blue", "Hey ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A great little album cut by Randy during the height of her career! She'd just broken big with her vocals on "Street Life" by the Crusaders – and although that track's not on here, the Crusaders team of Wilton Felder, Stix Hooper, and Joe Sample produced the album, and have given it ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover has light wear and some splash stains on the back.)
A double-length disco symphony – and a surprisingly good one at that! The set was put together by DJ Frankie Crocker – but we're guessing the real talent lies elsewhere, most likely in the talents of the session players – an all-star group that includes Billy Mitchell on piano, ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
An obscure bit of late 60s Stax! Steve Cropper's working away from the MG's here, in a mode that's slightly similar, but which has his guitar upfront in the mix on a batch of Memphis-style instrumentals – kind of his own take on the groove he was laying down with Booker T, but with a lot ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Yellow label Volt pressing. Cover has some ring and edge wear, light aging, and stained spots with some wear at the top seam.)
A surprisingly charming album from Scatman Crothers – recorded during his big comeback stretch in the 70s! Although Scatman's role during this time was often reduced to being the colorful old guy in an assortment of comedies and action films, he'd actually had quite a bit of experience as a ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover is lightly bent at the top edge.)
Crown Heights Affair —
Do It Your Way ... LP De-Lite, 1976. Near Mint- Gatefold ...
$19.99
A record that ended up in more than a few 70s record collections because of its sexy cover image – but a set that's even better when you get down into the grooves – thanks to massively funky work from Crown Heights Affair! The group are wonderful here – upbeat and quick-stepping, ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A dream of a record from Crown Heights Affair – the group's classic first set, and maybe as fine a batch of early club work you could ever hope to find! Like so many of the east coast acts at the start of the disco generation, these guys are a well-trained funk ensemble, playing at a faster ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has some edge wear, small tears at the opening, and is lightly bent at the top right corner.)
The beautiful early-to-mid 60s girl group sound of the 60s – immaculately arranged by Jack Nitzche and others, and grandly produced by Phil Spector and his Wall Of Sound – possibly the sweetest vocal group that Spector ever produced! Best known for "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "T ... read moreCD
One of the lesser known singles from this seminal Detroit techno group, with a groove that leans a bit more on the industrial dance side than their earlier electro numbers – with a hard heavy deep bass beat sound. 12-inch, Vinyl record
(In a Fantasy sleeve.)
Cymande —
Arrival ... LP Paul Winley, 1981. Very Good+ ...
$29.99
The last album ever cut by the group Cymande – done years after their classic first 3 records, and with a groove that's quite different – but also extremely nice! The sound here is much more in an ensemble funk mode than the group's earlier dubby work – with an approach that ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Prime symphonic disco from the mighty John Davis and his well-named Monster Orchestra! The set's got a dramatic flourish that still mixes in plenty of live instrumentation – including keyboards and flute from John, plus some nice congas from Larry Washington! John sings lead vocals on most ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Cory Daye —
Cory & Me ... LP New York International, 1979. Very Good+ ...
$6.99
A dark little groover from the later days of disco – key crossover work from Cory Daye, and a great bridge between a number of different club camps at the time! There's clearly a mainstream diva influence going on here, but the overall quality of the music is a lot more complicated and ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover has a small peeled spot from price sticker removal and is bent a bit at the edges.)
Soaring grooves from DD Sound – short for Disco Delivery Sound – a group with European origins, but remixed in America here for the US market! Side one of the album features the side-long title track "Cafe" – a very long number that builds beautifully from percussion, ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a cut corner, light wear, and a few small corner bumps.)
Delfonics —
Delfonics ... CD Buddah/Philly Groove, 1970. Used ...
$4.99
The third album in an amazing early run from The Delfonics – the kind of work that set a whole new standard for group soul in the 70s! A number of the tracks here had already risen to fame before the album's release as singles – and these are mixed with some additional tracks that are ... read moreCD
Titles include "Girl, Girl", "You Send Me", "Over The Rainbow", "I'm Spinning", "Don't Be A Fool", "Cold Feet", "Watching The Moon", "Cry Baby", and more – 36 tracks total. CD
A whopping collection of the Dells' classic work – featuring tunes pulled from their years at Vee Jay, Chess, Chi-Sound, and Mercury! The package starts way back in the 50s, and traces the group through their groundbreaking 60s soul sides, their sublime baroque 70s numbers, and their later ... read moreCD
More than a usual greatest hits comp – this LP brings together a very tasty batch of Dells tracks from the late 60s, a number of which were either not on LP, or are very tough to find on wax. Titles include "Hallways Of My Mind", "O-O, I Love You", "There Is", ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Blue fade label stereo pressing. Back cover has a name & date in pen.)
Forget Dionne Warwick, and think Burt Bacharach – because on this sublime little set, The Dells are singing some of Burt's greatest tunes ever – all set to impeccable arrangements by the legendary Charles Stepney! The album's more wonderful than you might even expect – a true ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Orange label pressing. Cover has a cut corner, spot of wear on the bottom.)
Dells —
There Is ... CD Chess/MCA, 1968. Used ...
Just Sold Out!
One of the coolest collaborations between the mighty Dells and the great arranger Charles Stepney – a studio talent who really brings some magic to their fantastic harmonies! Stepney adds in all these amazing touches to the record – including John Cage-styled prepared piano on two ... read moreCD
Smooth jazzy work from Deodato – a record that takes off from his electric keyboard work of the early 70s, and shows his growing interest in modern soul and R&B a the time! Deodato's still a few years way from some of his famous soul production work, but he's already got a great ear for ... (Jazz, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Way more pop than jazz from Deodato – a record that has the keyboardist working with a trio of younger vocalists who alternate lyrics on each track in the set! The approach here takes off from Deodato's strong soul production and arranging work of earlier years, but has a bit more of a ... (Jazz, Soul)read moreCD
Gregg Diamond takes his Bionic Boogie sound to a different level – soaring to the skies with a leaner disco groove than before – almost hinting at the coming 80s groove in the process! The rhythms are nice and tight, and often augmented by keyboards that sweeten things up – never ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Japanese promo pressing, with obi and insert. Vinyl has some worn grooves on "Holding Back", NM- otherwise. Cover is bumped at the top right corner. Obi is lightly crinkled at the side.)
If it were up to us, every song Bo recorded would have been a hit – because they're all so great! This album does a pretty good job of sorting out the best numbers, though – picking 16 tracks from his all-great albums for Chess – with a focus on the tightest and most groove-heavy ... (Blues, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(60s checker piece label pressing. Cover has some surface wear and aging.)