Fantastic work from the team of Dave Baker and Ansel Collins – one a soulful singer from the Jamaican rocksteady scene, the other a hip keyboardist whose organ lines really make the album shimmer! The pair scored a huge international hit with this album – and the whole thing was a key ... (Reggae, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Individually numbered limited edition of 750 – on heavyweight orange vinyl!)
(Cover has a strip of tape on the spine and some wear.)
Commodores —
Heroes ... CD Motown/PTG (Netherlands), 1980. New Copy ...
$11.99
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 moreCD
Commodores —
Heroes ... LP Motown, 1980. Very Good+ Gatefold ...
Just Sold Out!
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 a cutout notch and light wear.)
Super-sharp work from Con Funk Shun – one of the best of the mainstream funk acts to emerge in the second half of the 70s – working with the sort of style that was trained in the funky 45 underground, then given a bigger, fuller push to album-length glory! The set is a superb selection ... read moreCD
Top-shelf soul from Arthur Conley – a singer who isn't always given the same sort of nod as other Atlantic artists of the time, but who's right up there with the best 60s talents on the label! Conley's really learned some lessons from his mentor Otis Redding here – and as with Redding ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Pink & tan label pressing, with CT stamp. Cover has light wear.)
A warmly romantic journey from the stellar Norman Connors – but a set that's also got a fair bit of spiritual jazz undercurrents too! Norman's at that perfect Starship point in his career – giving equal space to the vocals and instrumental passages on the record – at a level that ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A brilliant mix of soul and jazz from the legendary Norman Connors – a key album in breaking Norman out back in the 70s – and a record that's still pretty darn perfect all these many years later! You can hear Connors' deep roots throughout the set – but they're often used towards ... read moreCD
Killer work from the mighty Norman Connors – a set that's heavy on grooves, but which has all the jazzy depth of his early work too! The set features arrangements by some killer modern soul talents – Al Johnson, McKinley Jackson, and Paul Riser – who beautifully blend their own ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover has light wear.)
The legendary unreleased Motown recordings by The Contours – material that should have been issued as a full length LP in 1964 – but all but a couple tunes have languished in the vaults until now! The group simply kills on on these dancefloor ready stormers, with raucous, charismatic ... read moreCD
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
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 classic live album – one of the first in soul music, and a beautiful set of smooth soul tunes from Sam Cooke! Sam's singing at the high-end nitespot The Copacabana – and like many live sets performed there, this one's tailored a bit to the classy crowd at the show – but that ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A legendary bit of funky fusion from the French scene of the 70s – the standout set from Cortex, a combo who's very heavy on the keyboards! The tunes have a feel that's quite different than American electric work of the time – funky, but also a bit breezy too – with a strong ... (Jazz, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A funky masterpiece from Bill Cosby – hardly the sort of record you might expect from all of his years on mainstream TV! This set was cut back when Bill was a much hipper cat on the LA scene – and it was the start of a brief all-instrumental run with his Badfoot Brown ensemble – ... read moreCD
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
Maybe the funkiest album ever cut for the legendary Westbound label in Detroit – and that's saying a lot, given that the company was the initial home to Funkadelic! Yet on this stunning full length set, The Counts maybe do that famous group one better – pushing aside their vocals for ... read moreCD
Patrick Cowley —
Afternooners ... LP Dark Entries, Early 80s. New Copy 2LP Gatefold ...
$20.99
The continuing lost legacy of Patrick Cowley – the San Francisco 80s club maestro who made some famous records with Sylvester – but who also did a huge amount of underground sounds for porno films at the time! This set digs deep into that legacy – by featuring music that Cowley ... (Soundtracks, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Patrick Cowley —
School Daze ... LP Dark Entries, 1981. New Copy 2LP (reissue)...
$21.99
Rare work from Patrick Cowley – an artist who most folks know for music with Sylvester in the 80s, but heard here on a selection of tracks he did for porno films at the same time! The music has lots of the sweet electro touches of Cowley's singles for the clubs – post-disco funk, and ... (Soundtracks, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Note: Package interior does contain some x-rated images from the films – so be warned!)
Earthy work from Don Crawford – a very unique artist who works in a mix of soul and folk modes – a bit like Terry Callier at points, but with some more unusual touches as well! This album's got a pretty full set of arrangements, which makes for more of a Callier-like quality than some ... read moreCD
Randy Crawford's working here with arrangements and production from Reggie Lucas – all very much in that sweet 80s style he was bringing to work with other artists at the time! There's plenty of beats, guitars, and keyboards in the instrumentation – pushing an overall sound that's more ... read moreCD
A great mix of jazz and soul from Randy Crawford – and a 90s set that almost takes us back to the best sounds of her early career in the 70s! The work here is nicely relaxed – not trying for a hit, even when things are smooth or a bit uptempo – especially given the mis-steps that ... read moreCD
Randy Crawford, Flora Purim, Eddie Harris, et al —
Sharky's Machine ... LP Warner, 1981. Very Good+ Gatefold ...
$9.99
One of the coolest soundtracks ever for a Burt Reynolds film – an a hip mix of soul and jazz tracks that's gone onto become a classic over the years! The album's a compilation of sorts, but most of the material was recorded fresh for the film – and the different artists really work ... (Soundtracks, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A tremendous guitarist, with a really mindblowing sound – easily one of the most powerful players on the electric guitar of the time! Pee Wee Crayton's got this full, rich tone that reminds us a lot of T Bone Walker – especially when he hits lots of raspy edges – and like Walker, ... (Blues, Soul)read moreCD
Their first LP, and one that we like way better than anything else they ever did. The record's got a great bunch of hard funky cuts done at a fast tempo – without the throwaway disco sound of some of their other albums, and lots of sax and keyboards in the lead. A bit like early Bohannon at ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has edge wear, surface wear, and light staining on the bottom seam.)
Crystal Winds —
First Flight ... CD Cash Ear/BBE (UK), 1982. New Copy ...
$8.9914.99
A mellow soul classic from Chicago – and one of the last great records to come out of the city's hip 70s soul scene! We know very little about Crystal Winds – save for this excellent record, one of the few titles issued on the short-lived Cash Ear label, a south-side imprint in the ... read moreCD
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 moreCD
(In a very cool Japanese-styled, LP-like cardboard sleeve cover!)
Nice compilation of tracks by James "D Train" Williams – one of the most soulful artists to arise from the early 80s New York club scene of labels. The tracks are all produced by Hubert Eaves, and they feature a lot of nice keyboard work – presumably from Eaves as well. ... read moreCD
An excellent 80s groove classic! James D-Train Williams sings it nice and deep on this catchy club cut – but the real groove is put over by Hubert Eaves, who does some excellent work on keyboards! 12-inch, Vinyl record
Mel Dancy —
Little Lovin ... CD Mainstream/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1972. Used ...
$11.99
We've only ever seen this one record by singer Mel Dancy, and it's a groovy little set that makes us wonder why he never moved on to greater fame! The record's got this mix of soul and jazz at the core – with occasional hints at the territory that would be opened up later in the 70s by ... read moreCD
A record that was an instant classic from the moment it was first released – and a set that's still pretty darn pleasing all these many years later! At a time when mainstream soul was often too smooth or too poppy, D'Angelo came along and not only found a way to return the music to the years ... (Neo Soul, Soul)read moreCD
Classic work from Leroy Daniels – an off-color comedian who worked in Johnny Otis' ensemble of the late 60s and early 70s – not as raw as Rudy Ray Moore, but with a strong smattering of mis-hearings and mis-interpretations of situations, all designed to bring out the bawdiest side ... (Comedy, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Sealed original pressing! Cover has a cutout hole.)
Rev W Leo Daniels —
Memorial Album ... LP Jewel, 1977. Very Good+ ...
Just Sold Out!
Incredible work from Chocolate Star – less a group than a record label or project name used for some excellent underground club recordings from the late 70s and early 80s! Gary Davis is the real brainchild here – keyboardist, songwriter, and main spiritual force behind the music – ... read moreCD
The lasting testament of the mighty Geater Davis – a really incredible southern singer with a deep soul sound that few others can match! Although Davis didn't record nearly as much as his contemporaries, he's got a sound that matches or beats them – a raw, raspy quality that's a bit ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Features 89 tracks – including work with Jake Porter, Gene Phillips, Helen Humes, Jo Jo Adams, Percy Mayfield, Lloyd Glenn, Joe Turner, Mabel Scott, Floyd Dixon, Ike Carpenter, Clarence Garlow, and Felix Gross. CD
Vanessa Davis Band —
Fast Forward ... LP Spectra, 1984. Very Good ...
Just Sold Out!
Strong work from this 80s female blues singer from Chicago – with titles that include "Sure Fooled Me", "Take Me", "One More Kiss", "Matter Of Time", "Running In Circles", and "Quasimodo's Midnight Movers". (Blues, Soul)LP, Vinyl record album
A killer start to the 80s for the Dazz Band – with great tunes in a funky mode as well as more measured group soul numbers – and it all adds up one of their best albums ever! Tunes like the opener "Shake It", plus "Shake It Up" and "Magnetized" bring the ... read moreCD
Dazz Band keep it plenty live on this early 80s gem – a killer set from the group's hit run for Motown! The set's got a bouncy groove that's very much in the best Motown funk style at the time – lots of bass at the bottom, and plenty tight on production – but never as smooth or ... read moreCD
The Dazz Band may be wild and free in the title, but the album's tighter than ever – a lean, focused approach to the Dazz Band sound – done here with loads of 80s production and instrumentation in the mix! The rhythms are heavy with drum machine lines – often mixed with keyboard ... read moreCD
A disco dazzler from the glory days of the De-Lite Records scene – served up here by a group who really hit all the best sort of groove's you'd expect from that legendary imprint! The album's a disco record, sure – but it's also got the deeper roots that come from the De-Lite ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A much-needed look at the mighty Sugar Pie DeSanto – a singer who really rocked Chess Records back in the 60s! DeSanto came to the label already boasting one hell of a groove – a rock-solid sense of rhythm that made all of her tunes groovers right from the get-go – and a raw ... read moreCD
Danny Dee (Lil Albert) —
Movin In ... LP Silver Cloud/P-Vine (Japan), 1976. New Copy (reissue)...
$36.99
A sweet mellow stepper from Danny Dee, aka Lil Albert – a singer who first got things going in the Hawaiian group Society Of Seven – but who hits some completely different, completely great territory here! The set was recorded in mid 70s LA, with arrangement and production by Ernie ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A stunning collection of work from Kiki Dee – a British singer that most folks only discovered in the US in the mid 70s, thanks to a duet with Elton John – but one who gave her homeland some fantastic music in the 60s! The set's the first to fully dip into this part of Kiki's career, ... read moreCD
A pretty cool collection produced by Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee – focusing on famous speeches by important female African-Americans – mostly focusing on the civil rights era, but also featuring an early speech by Ida B Wells. Ruby reads the speeches, and works include "I Am A Black ... (Spoken Word, Soul)read moreCD
(Special limited CD – pressed up for us by the Smithsonian Folkways label. Comes with original cover artwork, and the CD also features a PDF file with the original liner notes and other materials from the original record release.)
Defunkt —
Heroes ... CD DIW (Japan), 1990. Used ...
$12.99
Ambitious funky work from trombonist Joseph Bowie and his Defunkt ensemble – a mix of 80s groove, retro funk, and lots of the cross-cultural touches that were filtering through the New York downtown scene at the time. For most of the record, things are a bit too confused to straighten ... read moreCD
A sweet bouncy groover – one of the rare albums of modern soul cut by the group Delegation! The group in this incarnation are a trio – Ray Patterson, Ricky Bailey, and Bruce Dunbar on vocals – stripped-down harmonically, a perfect fit for the album's groove-heavy arrangements. ... read moreCD
Messed-up funky jazz from an obscure early 70s UK group – and an album that really lives up to its trippy cover! The tracks are all long and stretched out – with lots of organ, sax, and spaced out drums – and the overall style is a mix of dub-heavy funk, Afro jazz, and a bit of ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A unique mix of 80s era digital reggae and electro soul from Miami singer Dhaima – definitely one of the cooler, more uncategorizable Numero discoveries in their post-1970s oeuvre! Love Lasts Forever has 5 long-ish jams that kicks off with "Reggae On Sunset" – starting strong ... (Reggae, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
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
A really great shift in setting for legendary reedman Manu Dibango – an album recorded in Jamaica with production from Geoffrey Chung – who helps the saxophonist find a whole new groove for his soulful style! The album's from a moment where many were flocking to Kingston to record with ... (Global Grooves, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
An album of Manu Dibango's that was released after his big hit "Soul Makossa", but which was actually recorded before, in a very heavy Afro Funk mode! Manu plays organ and piano, as well as his usual soprano sax, and the tracks include "Weya", "Tom Tom", "Pepe ... (Global Grooves, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a small cutout notch. Vinyl has a cosmetic mark on Side 1 that does not affect play.)
Dibson & Essody —
Justice ... LP Wilfilms/Dig This Way (Italy), 1984. New Copy (reissue)...
$34.99
Sweet boogie groovers from the early 80s Nigerian scene – heavy on warm vocals from Victor Essody and riffing guitar from Claude Dibson – but also warmed up with plenty of basslines and keyboards too! The sound is pretty spare and tight – electro soul, maybe filtered through a ... (Global Grooves, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Bo Diddley —
Big Bad Bo ... CD Chess/Get On Down, 1974. New Copy ...
$6.9914.99
Heavy funk from the legendary Bo Diddley – one of his amazing comeback albums from the early 70s for Chess, all of which are plenty darn great! For this set, Bo's traded in the scratchy guitar mode of his classic work for a sweeter, tighter funk-based sound – a groove that's supported ... (Blues, Soul)read moreCD
Two classic Bo Diddley albums in a single set! The self-titled Bo Diddley record is fantastically twangy! We never tire of Bo Diddley's incredible guitar work – and you'll get plenty of it in this early album he cut for Chess, a tasty batch of 12 tracks, all original tunes with a stripped-do ... (Blues, Soul)read moreCD
The only full album we've ever seen from Moses Dillard – a name that we know from a few funky 45s back in the day – and equally great here in the space of a 33rpm record! On side one, the music is a wicked blend of southern soul and funk – served up from the South Carolina scene, ... read moreCD
Dinosaur L (Arthur Russell) —
24 24 Music ... LP Sleeping Bag, 1981. New Copy 2LP (reissue)...
$16.9924.99
An incredible full album from Dinosaur L – the legendary New York dancefloor project of Arthur Russell! The group's a punky, funky, chunky amalgam of bass thumping, guitar riffing, keyboard filling, and sax honking – all very much in the spirit of Russell's best quirky club work of the ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
An incredible album from Dinosaur L – the legendary New York dancefloor project of Arthur Russell! – fleshed out and expanded more than ever before by Sleeping Bag and Get On Down Records! The group's core sound is a punky, funky, chunky amalgam of bass thumping, guitar riffing, ... read moreCD
Bill Doggett —
Hold It! ... LP King, Early 60s. Very Good ...
$19.99
Next to Honky Tonk, this has to be one of the greatest Bill Doggett LPs for King! The set kicks off with Bill's great instrumental "Hold It" – a jaunty little groover that has the band fast vamping, then someone shouting "hold it", which they do, then start again. A ... (Jazz, Soul)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Black label pressing with deep groove. Cover has light wear.)
Funky funky Hammond – a rare late 60s album from organist Bill Doggett, done with some help from James Brown – and a set that's unlike anything Doggett ever recorded before – or since! There's a blasting groove to the record right from the start – thanks to help from The ... (Jazz, Soul)read moreCD
22 classics from his work with Allen Toussaint – loads of funky New Orleans gems – including "Working In a Coal Mine", "My Old Car", "Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky", "Mexico", "Get Out Of My Life Woman", "Ride Your Pony", and ... read moreCD
The first three albums from Down To The Bone – packaged here in a nicely-priced set, with bonus tracks too! First up is From Manhattan To Staten – a record that moves across the boroughs of New York – and which also managed to have a huge impact on the Windy City as well – ... (Neo Soul, Soul)read moreCD
A hefty collection of work from Down To The Bone – one that focuses on all the great tracks they issued on 12" singles, which really helped their sound set fire to dancefloors over the years! DTTB were a big force here on the Chicago's steppers scene of the 90s – and some of the ... (Neo Soul, Soul)read moreCD
One of the coolest, funkiest records we've ever heard from Dr John – thanks to lots of guest help from The Meters! The vibe here is a bit tighter than some of Mac's previous records – not as trippy as his first few for Atco – but the sound is still nice and sharp, and Allen ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
("Mardi Gras" inspired splatter vinyl pressing – in the original fold-out cover style!)
A great little collection that definitely gets at the mojo of Dr John – the legendary New Orleans soul singer who really sprang forth in the mainstream at the end of the 60s! Much of this set captures the doctor before that time – early tracks from both New Orleans and LA, all of which ... read moreCD
The title here is the name under which Dr John was later known during his Atlantic Records years – but the tracks here were recorded immediately before – nicely gritty work done for the Crazy Cajun label – way up in the Louisiana swampland, which must have provided plenty of ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(On "voodoo" splatter vinyl!)
Dramatics —
10 1/2 ... CD MCA/PTG (Netherlands), 1980. New Copy ...
$13.9919.99
The Dramatics hit an 80s groove mood here – and as on their clubbier sides from the end of the 70s, the vocals are still wonderful – and more than anything, the set's a strong soul-based set that still has the group at the top of their game! Ballads actually sparkle the best here ... read moreCD
One of the excellent recordings made by The Dramatics at ABC – great group soul gems that are sometimes overlooked because they didn't yield as many hits as earlier sets – but which are stellar records nonetheless! This one's got all the right elements firmly in place – killer ... read moreCD
One of the Dramatics' best albums, and a real masterpiece of 70's group soul! The style here is a bit different than the group's previous records for Stax – maybe a bit tighter, with sweet arrangements – but these fantastic vocals that cut through everything and grab you to your core ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Sealed original pressing! Cover has a cutout notch.)
An incredible record from the Chicago scene – issued on a tiny little label from deep on the south side – and done with a much richer vibe than you might expect! "Attitude Belief & Determination" is a track that's almost got a righteous, spiritual sort of flavor – ... read more12-inch, Vinyl record
(Beautiful pressing – heavy blue vinyl!)
Cornell Dupree —
Shadow Dancing ... CD Versatile/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1978. New Copy ...
$22.99
Smooth and soulful guitar work from Cornell Dupree – a player who recorded on countless sessions as a studio sideman, but hardly ever got to work as a leader on his own! The album's got a full sound that's kind of a step beyond the Kudu/CTI sound of the time – an approach that takes ... (Jazz, Soul)read moreCD
(Part of the "Versatile: Find Out Fusion" series!)
Two rare albums from The Duprees – one of the sweetest-sounding vocal groups of the early 60s! First up is You Belong To Me – a great full-length set from The Duprees – a record that begins with their huge hit title single, but which quickly moves into a range of material that ... (Rock, Soul)read moreCD