Don't let the "broadway" or the "blues" or the "ballads" in the title put you off – because this album's way more than any of those! As usual, Nina takes tunes that have common roots and she makes them all her own – working here with arrangements by Horace ... (Vocalists, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Nina Simone —
Folksy Nina ... CD Colpix/Warner (Japan), 1963. Used ...
$8.99
Nina's folsky, but she's also jazzy too – and the album's from a key time in which she was finding a very special way to bring the two modes together! Simone could have been a straight jazz singer if she wanted – but as records like this always remind us, she was always striving for ... (Vocalists, Soul)read moreCD
Don't confuse this set with Young Gifted & Black – which got much wider circulation – as the session's a cool indie date from the early 70s, recorded in a moody studio mode with arrangements by Monk Higgins! There's a bit of strings in the background, which colors in the tunes with ... (Vocalists, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Classic RCA work from the great Nina Simone – and an album that definitely shows Nina hitting more of the soul spectrum than some of her folk and jazz work of the 60s! The set's got these wonderful arrangements from Harold Wheeler – a bit electric, and done in a way that takes familiar ... (Vocalists, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A strong back to basics session for Nina, one that featured her piano and vocals only, a very spare approach that was markedly different from her work a few years previously for other labels. Nina's tone on the piano is incredible – and she's working with some striking modern jazz changes ... (Vocalists, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Orange label pressing. Top cover seam has some light splitting.)
A hip set of live tracks from Nina Simone – very dark and moody, with backing by only a small combo that includes two guitars, bass, and drums by Montego Joe! Nina handles all the arrangements herself – with a quality that really shows her stepping forward from straight jazz, and ... (Vocalists, Soul)read moreCD
An important early live show for Nina – a move to the classy Town Hall crowd, filled with left-leaning listeners who were the perfect audience to get the unique bag she was working on at the time – heard in very appreciative tones throughout the set! The performance is a great one ... (Vocalists, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Gold label mono pressing. Cover has a split top seam, a mark from sticker removal, and a small name in pen.)
Killer work from Nina Simone's excellent Stroud Productions run – a set that wasn't issued by RCA in the early 70s, but which really matches the fire of her classics for the label! The setting's a live one, as you'd guess from the title – and most tunes are longish, with those key ... (Vocalists, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Nina sings Ellington – but as always, she makes whatever she sings all her own! The album's a bit straighter than later efforts – with large backings by Stu Phillips that also feature vocals by the Malcolm Dodds Singers – but Nina also conceived the whole thing herself, as an ... (Vocalists, Soul)read moreCD
Only Nina could make us love a "strings" setting so much – moving past the sleepiness that usually graces such vocal albums, and using the backings to give her work an added level of majesty and power that we really really love! The feel is a bit like some of Nina's later Philips ... (Vocalists, Soul)read moreCD
Wonderful stuff from Nina Simone – working here still with one foot in the jazzier style of early days, but with haunting elements of the later progressive style to come! The "pastel" in the title shouldn't imply any sort of softness on Nina's part, because if anything, she's ... (Vocalists, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Black label mono pressing. Cover has some wear, with moisture peeling and staining in the bottom left corner.)
Nina's not just singing the blues here – she's completely reinventing the sound of the format – by drawing on a long tradition of vocal expression, and infusing it with the hipper, more personally exploratory mode she forged in the 60s! The album's got a subtle brilliance that means ... (Vocalists, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Nina pays tribute to an assortment of modern poets – Bob Dylan and George Harrison, as well as herself! The album collects tunes from some of Nina's other RCA albums – and features arrangements by Nina, Harold Wheeler, and Weldon Irvine – of tracks that include "I Shall Be ... (Vocalists, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A landmark album from Nina – one that broke down countless barriers with the classic tune "Four Women" – a righteous portrait of 4 different women and their struggles, unique for its time, and a key part of the early Women's Liberation movement! The rest of the album has a ... (Vocalists, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A late effort from Sister Sledge – a sparkling batch of pop funk and smoothed out grooves – produced by George Duke! Bet Cha Say That To All The Girls didn't get over in the mainstream in the way that their late 70s work got over, but it's got excellent harmonies and powerhouse lead ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a promo stamp and tracklist sticker.)
Sister Sledge —
We Are Family ... LP Cotillion, 1979. Near Mint- ...
Just Sold Out!
Possibly the greatest moment ever from Sister Sledge – a set that has the Philly quartet teaming with the Chic team of Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards! Rodgers' guitar brings in a hell of a groove to the record – that choppy, skittish sound that made Chic such a favorite at the time ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Badass funk from this obscure 70s band – one who play here with a really wicked edge to their groove! At some level, the sound is right up there with some of the bigger ensemble funk acts of the time – particularly that Mercury Records generation who were tightening things up from the ... read moreCD
Patrick Adams really helps give Skipworth & Turner a groove on this one – a groove that's tight, midtempo, and stepping in a warm flourish of keyboards and beats! The cut's got a great hook that keeps on going long after the tune stops – and although it's somewhat of a pop number, ... read more12-inch, Vinyl record
(In a 4th & Broadway sleeve. Label has a peeled spot from sticker removal.)
One of the most legendary funk albums of the 70s – a real gem through and through, and filled with the best range of sounds the east coast scene had to offer at the time! The Skull Snaps only ever cut this one album during the early 70s – and it's a masterful blend of hard funk, sweet ... read moreCD
Two rare albums of southern soul from Percy Sledge – back to back on one CD – with bonus tracks too! In case you're not hip, the Percy Sledge Way is a deeply soulful one – rooted in the best 60s southern soul traditions, and carried off to perfection on this near-lost Atlantic ... read moreCD
Massive soul from 60s Atlantic – 2 legendary albums, back to back on one CD! When A Man Loves A Woman is a stone classic from Percy Sledge – and one of southern soul's all-time greatest hits! The title track, "When A Man Loves A Woman", is an undisputed masterpiece – ... read moreCD
Sly Stone's definitely back on the right track here – returning to the heights of his earlier powers in this late 70s comeback album for Warner Brothers! The record's got a lot of touches of the old Sly funky sound, but it's done in a slightly tighter style too – a bit more polish than ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover has a cutout notch and a name in marker on back.)
Sly & The Family Stone —
Stand! ... CD Epic, 1969. Used ...
$2.99
Hard to find a stronger early album by Sly Stone – as this one has him still funking hard, but also getting his soul bag together a bit more – hitting some really righteous vibes that mix together politics and partying in an incredibly seductive way! The album's filled with anthemic ... read moreCD
Sly & The Family Stone —
Stand! ... LP Epic, 1968. Very Good+ Gatefold ...
$19.99
Hard to find a stronger early album by Sly – as this one has him still funking hard, but also getting his soul bag together a bit more, hitting some really righteous vibes that mix together politics and partying in an incredibly seductive way. The album's filled with anthemic numbers like ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A wonderful album from Sly and crew – moving way past the straight funk approach of earlier records, into a complicated crossover soul style that's filled with warmth and righteousness. Despite the political tone implied by the "riot" in the title and the co-option of the American ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A landmark album in a landmark package – a set that takes this gem from Sly & The Family Stone, presses it up on a special hi-fidelity gold CD, then cradles the whole thing in special box with a heavy hardcover book with lots of new notes – and a fabric American flag sewn right onto ... read moreCD
(Limited edition boxed set with embroidered flag cover, 24k gold disc, hard cover book & photos.)
Millie Small is a singer who's unfortunately best remembered for one novelty hit – but the Jamaican vocalist is a much richer talent overall, with a huge amount of excellent 60s work to her credit! This huge 56 track set may be the first to ever give Millie her full due – as, in ... (Reggae, Soul)read moreCD
George Smallwood —
Loser ... LP Peoples Potential, Late 70s/1980s/1990s/2000s/Early 2010s. New Copy ...
$16.99
Unissued material from Maryland soul legend George Smallwood – an artist most folks know only from his few late 70s tracks that were issued, but clearly a singer who's kept on going strong over the years! These tracks were all recorded by George on a government-issued tape recorder he ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
The second Prestige album from Al Smith – a great little singer with a sublime blend of blues, jazz, and soul! Smith really came on strong at the start of his career, but then dropped out of sight pretty quickly after this one – and we're really not sure why, given what a great little ... (Vocalists, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Blue label Bluesville pressing, with deep groove and VG stamp. Cover has yellowed clear tape on the seams and spine, and a name in red marker on back.)
Leslie Smith —
Heartache ... LP Elektra, 1982. Near Mint- ...
$13.99
From the look of the cover, and Leslie's silly expression on the front, this album should be a bad one – but it ends up being a surprisingly great batch of well-produced modern soul tunes. The record's one of a few great ones that Elektra snuck onto the market during the early 80s – ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(White label promo. Cover has a promo stamp.)
Lonnie Liston Smith —
Watercolors ... CD Novus/BMG, Early 70s. Used ...
$9.99
Whispering Smith —
Over Easy ... LP Excello, Early 70s. Sealed ...
$19.99
Earthy blues from Whispering Smith, a singer with a really deep-voiced approach – a style of singing that comes from way down in the chest, and belts out with a ferocity that's a lot louder than a whisper! The set was recorded in Baton Rouge, with small combo instrumentation that's mostly ... (Blues, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A sublime bit of east coast soul – and the only full album ever cut by this heavenly-voiced trio! The group have a sound to rival the best of their contemporaries on the harmony soul scene – one that floats along on a light pillow of strings and soul, with just the right amount of ... read moreCD
An obscure set, but a great one – and with a sound that's way deeper than you might expect! We only know Smoked Sugar from this one album for 20th Century – but far from being a one-off quickie session, the record's got a solid feel all the way through – the sort you'd expect ... read moreCD
Classic mellow 70s soul by the unique Phoebe Snow – an artist who managed to skirt so many camps at once, and who had a wonderfully warm folksy soul style that never failed to please. The CD contains 10 cuts from her CBS years, including the hit "Poetry Man", plus "Every ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Nice euro disco from Gino Soccio, but with his more soulful approach that relied less heavily on synthesizers, with a great insistent groove! 12-inch, Vinyl record
Gino Soccio —
S Beat ... LP RFC/Warner, 1980. Very Good ...
$1.99
Titles include "S Beat", "The Runaway", "Love Is", "I Wanna Take You There", "Heartbreaker", and "Rhythm Of The World". LP, Vinyl record album
The album that finally made the world sit up and notice that Solange is a completely great artist on her own – and hardly needs to ever be spoken of in terms that involve her sister! The set's got a vibe that's as personal and put out there as Solange's image on the cover – music that's ... (Neo Soul, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Numbered, limited edition red colored vinyl pressing – Includes download!)
A further deepening of the sounds of The Sons – already great on the group's first 2 albums, but here taking a harmonically polished mode that refines their groove even more – and which makes the album's tunes come off totally great! There's a compressed, slightly jazzy feel to some of ... (Rock, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Green label pressing. Cover has wear.)
SOS Band —
SOS ... LP Tabu, 1980. Very Good ...
$3.99
The seminal first album from the SOS Band – a record that really showcases the new sound of soul for the 80s, yet still holds onto all the best elements of the previous decade too! These guys have a great ear for groovers – well-demonstrated by the play they got on the dancefloor ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Incredible work from a group who've definitely earned their name! Naming a group SOUL might be suicide for a band that can't carry off the groove – but these guys are funky monsters, with a real talent for a hard heavy sound that was rarely matched by other combos. The band have a great ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
SOUL —
What Is It ... LP BGP (UK), 1971. New Copy (reissue)...
$13.9919.99
Quite possibly the best album ever from this fantastic funky combo! The band grooves hard and funky – with incredible drum work from Paul Stubblefield, tasty guitar from Walter Winston, and some famous funky flute and sax work from Gus Hawkins. Tracks on the album are rough and raw – ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Incredible work from a group who've definitely earned their name! Naming a group SOUL might be suicide for a band that can't carry off the groove – but these guys are funky monsters, with a real talent for a hard heavy sound that was rarely matched by other combos. The band have a great ... read moreCD
Soul Children —
Friction ... LP Stax, 1974. Very Good ...
$6.99
One of the most fantastic albums ever about cheatin' and runnin' around behind the back of your loved one, and easily the best thing the Soul Children ever did. Totally solid all the way through, and clearly conceived as a concept album dealing with romantic "friction". Includes the hit ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Essential! When this one came out at the end of the 80's, it not only restored our faith in modern soul music, but it also drew the world's attention to the rich, rich talents that had been bubbling under in London's mid 80's rare groove scene. The record's a classic, and most of the tracks still ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A surprisingly nice record by the group who scored big in the late 60s with "Expressway to Your Heart" – and who continued to be one of the best blue eyed soul acts working on the east coast! This album's the group's second, done for Gamble & Huff at Philly International – ... read moreCD
(Part of the great AOR City series from Japan!)
Soulful Strings —
Groovin' ... LP Cadet, 1967. Very Good ...
$5.99
Seminal instrumental groovers from the Chicago Chi-soul scene! This great group was led by Chess/Cadet soul arranger Richard Evans, and it featured many of the instrumentalists who made Chess records so great – like Cleveland Eaton, Charles Stepney, Morris Jennings, and Phil Upchurch. The ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
14 tracks of hard to find funk by this obscure group from the early 70's. The CD includes their classic breakbeat track "Devil With the Bust", as sampled by more than a few groups in the 80's. Plus, it's got lots of other nice ones, including "Sha Na Na Na Boom Boom", "Boo ... read moreCD
A great little album of blue eyed funk! The Sound Foundation were an obscure little combo that were part of the rock meets soul generation – using heavy guitar, bass, and drums, but an overall approach that was more like soul acts of the late 60s. Most tracks on this album have vocals in ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has splitting on the seams & some light surface wear.)
Johnny Sparrow & His Bows & Arrows —
Sparrow's Flight ... LP Gotham (UK), Early 50s. Near Mint- ...
$6.99
Romping work from the Philly scene of the early 50s – tenorist Johnny Sparrow, working here with a very hip combo! Titles include "Jump Steady", "Sparrow In The Barrel", "Paradise Rock", "Boudouir Boogie", and "Sparrow's Flight No 2". (Jazz, Soul)LP, Vinyl record album
The group's past the true glory of their early Philly days, but they are still working here with Thom Bell – who's keeping up the strident groove approach that always worked well with the group's harmonies. Includes the tracks "One Man Wonderful Band", "Once You Fall In ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover has a cutout hole.)
An album in the kind of "between the hits" years for The Spinners featuring lead vocalist Phillipe Wynne. The sound here isn't as right-on or soaringly confident as in earlier years – but there are some nice moments. Titles include "You're All I Need In Life", "Toni ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the printed inner sleeve.)
Spinners —
Spinners Live ... LP Atlantic, 1975. Near Mint- 2LP Gatefold ...
$3.99
A fascinating little record by The Spinners – and a real contrast to some of their other Atlantic albums! The set has them stepping out of the tightly controlled studio sound of their Philly albums – still working with Thom Bell on production, but doing so in a freer sort of live ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover has a cutout notch.)
A sweet sweet set from The Spinners – and a record that's more "today" than "yesterday", given the tight 70s arrangements from Thom Bell! Bell's Philly approach is still perfect for the group – unlocking their harmonies in very different ways than back in their ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Totally great – and a record you probably know nothing about! The album's one of the greatest ever to come out of the Hotlanta scene of the 70s – a tight batch of funk tracks with a heck of a lot of guitar. The set was produced by Tommy Stewart, of "Bump and Hustle" fame ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
An overlooked treasure from Split Decision Band – a group whose one single issued back in the day has gone onto become a sought-after classic with funk and soul collectors! And yet besides that one famous single, these guys actually have a lot more to offer – an incredibly well-develope ... read moreCD
An overlooked treasure from Split Decision Band – a group whose one single issued back in the day has gone onto become a sought-after classic with funk and soul collectors! And yet besides that one famous single, these guys actually have a lot more to offer – an incredibly well-develope ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Hand-numbered limited edition of 1000 – includes download!)
A key record in the Def Jam shift from hip hop to bigger soul sounds – served up by mellow soul maestro Chuck Stanley! The record's got some great urban-styled production, which keeps the beats heavy – but the style's a lot more laidback and loving than most of Russell Simmons' hip hop ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Lisa Stansfield —
Affection ... LP Arista, 1990. Very Good- ...
$3.99
Big bouncing soul from Lisa Stansfield – a record that almost rivaled the first effort from Soul II Soul for UK impact on the American mainstream! Despite a pasty-white cover, the record's got a hell of a lot of color – some rich rhythms that reintroduced a syncopated funky sound to ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover has some wear.)
Staple Singers —
Amen/Why ... CD Epic/Real Gone, 1964/1965. New Copy ...
$8.9918.98
Seminal sounds from The Staple Singers – two mid 60s albums, back to back on a single CD! First up is Amen – a righteous early classic from The Staple Singers – a record that rings out with a spiritual note in the title, but one that also covers a whole host of social issues with ... read moreCD
About as classic as you can get with the Staple Singers! The record was cut at that perfect moment when the group was forging an electric soul sound that would bring them high in the charts in the 70s – filled with all the righteousness of their gospel years, but also touched with elements ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Staple Singers —
Swing Low ... LP Vee Jay, 1961. Very Good- ...
$9.99
Excellent early work from The Staple Singers – one of their first recordings, and an all-gospel album that's drenched in the same sort of soul that you'd hear on their big hits of later years – a key influence on the sound of the secular 60s, heard here in its best original format! The ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Trip pressing. Cover has half split seams and splitting on the spine.)
Darn nice work from The Staple Singers – a record that seems to take the leaner, meaner sound learned by the group during their soundtrack years, and turn it back towards the fuller, more righteous sound of the Stax years! The album was recorded at Muscle Shoals, with very solid production ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Garrett Shider's lost none of his charm over the years – and although contemporary, the set's got the same sharp crackle he first delivered back in the day, when working as part of George Clinton's P-Funk empire! Shider sings and plays lots of tightly-riffing guitar – in a nicely spare ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Massive work from Starpoint – one of the few groups from the 80s groove generation who could tighten up their act, yet still keep all the best elements of their music firmly in place! The album's got a feel that's a bit more polished than their first few records – but not much more, ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
An excellent blacksploitation soundtrack – and every bit as funky as any of Willie Hutch's work for other Motown soundtracks at the time! Larry Mizell and Dennis Coffey help out on the instrumentation – giving the album an extra funky instrumental edge, one that takes it way past Edwin ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(NOTE: The label and the sleeve list the song "Don't It Feel Good To Be Free", but it's actually not on the reissue.)
Heavy grooves from the club years of Candi Staton – material that's quite different than the rootsier soul of her start, but work that's equally great in its own sort of way! The tunes here are mostly upbeat and clubby – with arrangements handled by Patrick Adams, Leon Pendarvis, Ron ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Cat Stevens' most soulful moment! Long before he changed his name – and started setting his sights on Salman Rushdie – Cat Stevens decided to atone for the wrongdoings of previous A&M albums with this album! The record still contains a number of Cat's soporific folksy numbers ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a cutout notch.)
Scott Stevens & The Cavaliers —
Lost & Found ... CD
Late 50s. Used ...
$6.99
... CD
(Out of print.)
Jermaine Stewart —
Word Is Out ... LP Arista, 1984. Near Mint- ...
$3.99
... LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the printed inner sleeve.)
Arbee Stidham —
Time For Blues ... LP Mainstream, 1972. Very Good+ Gatefold ...
$14.99
Funky blues with great Mainstream orchestrations from Ernie Wilkins. (Blues, Soul)LP, Vinyl record album
(White label promo. Cover has a name in marker on all sides. Label has some marker.)
Solo work from Stokely – a singer who hardly needs an introduction, given his well-known work with Mint Condition – but who also sounds quite nice here on his own! Stokley's got a tight, proud vibe to his sound – still the warmth that he brought to Mint Condition, but maybe also ... (Neo Soul, Soul)read moreCD
An incredible snapshot of the funky soul genius of Sly Stone in an early transitional period – featuring all the known recordings of his short-lived Stone Flower label and production house from 1969-1970! Sly was a rising star at this point, and while the Stone Flower Productions name had ... read moreCD
A great album of jazzy club tracks – put together by John Usry Jr, who'd done some work with other 70s club acts like Three Degrees, Love Committee, and First Choice. Most of the tracks on the record feature female backing vocals – in the style of work by those other groups – but ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Uptempo east coast club soul – not entirely disco, and more like the indie work of the immediate generation before – a time when groups were picking up their groove a bit more than before, creating some lean, soulful tempos for the dancefloor! Arrangements are by Bert DeCoteaux and ... read moreCD
Great music in many modes -- northern soul, deep soul, harmony soul, modern soul, and group soul -- plus disco, funk, club, electro, rare groove, and more!
Nina Simone —
Broadway Blues Ballads ... LP 
