Oscar Peterson with Singers Unlimited —
In Tune ... LP MPS, 1971. Sealed ...
$24.99
One of the first albums cut by the fab Singers Unlimited – and the set that has them backed by the Oscar Peterson Trio! The Singers always mixed well with guest jazz talents – and the style of this albums gives their sweet harmonies a nice jazz-based groove and not too much cheese on ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A key moment in the career of Esther Phillips – and a record that really has her shaking off the rougher bluesy styles of the earlier years, and pointing the way towards strong jazz success in the 70s! The album's definitely burnin, but with a sophisticated vibe too – as Esther works ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A 70s album, issued at a time when Esther Phillips was really riding high with her records on the Kudo label – but a set that brings together unissued sides recorded for Atlantic in the 60s! The style is a great mix of rootsy soul and hipper jazz – arranged by Onzy Matthews on side one ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a cutout hole and light wear.)
Esther Phillips —
Esther ... LP Atlantic, 1966. Very Good ...
$24.99
Given her start as a rough-hewn child junkie R&B singer, it's hard to believe that Esther's the one singing these beautiful ballads and soul tracks! The album's fantastic, though – and it shows Esther maturing into one of the more fantastic vocalists of her generation. Oliver Nelson, ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(White label mono promo. Cover has a promo sticker and some splitting in the bottom seam.)
Smooth and sophisticated grooving from Esther Phillips – a record that really has her shaking off the rag-tag and rootsy modes of earlier years, and gliding sweetly into the mainstream! Phillips' vocals are still as soulful and compelling as ever, but the backings are quite full – ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a sticker remnant. Back cover paste-on is partially unglued along the top.)
One of our favorite-ever albums from Esther Phillips – an album that really helped her transform her sound for the 70s! The approach here is a lot more jazzy than before – served up with a good dose of funk, thanks to arrangements from Pee Wee Ellis – fresh from his work with ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a promo sticker, cutout hole, and light wear.)
One of our favorite-ever albums from Esther Phillips – an album that really helped her transform her sound for the 70s! The approach here is a lot more jazzy than before – served up with a good dose of funk, thanks to arrangements from Pee Wee Ellis – fresh from his work with ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
(Out of print.)
Esther Phillips —
Set Me Free ... LP Atlantic, Early 60s. Near Mint- 2LP Gatefold ...
$11.99
A collection of tracks that Esther recorded for Atlantic between the years 1964 and 1970, many of which continue the feeling of the Country Side album. Titles include "Hello Walls", "Double Crossing Blues", "I'm In Love", "Catch Me I'm Fallin", "All God ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A great groove from singer Gregory Porter – the first tune that really brought him to our attention – making a debut appearance here on vinyl! The original of "1960 What" is plenty great – running for over 12 minutes, and building in this jazzy groove that's really ... (Soul, Vocalists)read more12-inch, Vinyl record
A great set of mellow soul from the start of the 80s – not the Positive Force of "We Got The Funk" fame, but a different groove that has a nicely smooth groove! The style here is halfway between soul and AOR, but handled with an indie charm that really keeps things compelling ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Arthur Prysock —
All My Life ... LP Old Town, 1976. Very Good+ ...
$1.99
A great 70s move for Arthur Prysock – and an overlooked disco treasure that sits somewhere between the work of Barry White with Love Unlimited Orchestra, and the best Lou Rawls grooves for Philly International! Prysock's voice has lost none of its depth over the years – and here, ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
One of Flora Purim's 70s classics – an album recorded with that soaring breezy vocal style that she virtually invented – heard here before it got too old, and too copied by other singers! The set's a live one, filled with lots of energy – and recorded before a very enthusiastic ... (Brazil, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Pure vocal magic – featuring the lovely Flora Purim at the height of her California powers – working in a sublime mix of jazz, fusion, and Brazilian rhythms – a sound that she virtually invented! The group on the set is one of her greatest of the time – with players that ... (Brazil, Vocalists)read moreCD
A classic batch of Bay Area Brazilian grooves – recorded in the sweet breezy electric style of the Fantasy studios, and featuring the vocals of the lovely Flora Purim in the lead! The session's got a great mix of Brazilian and American fusion players – including Airto (of course!), Ron ... (Brazil, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A really classic-styled set recorded in the heart of the 60s – done in a mode that certainly owes something to other crooners in the years before Frankie Randall, but which also comes off with some hipper modern touches – thanks to great arrangements from Marty Paich! As with other ... read moreCD
A stunning early chapter in the career of singer/songwriter Kenny Rankin – an artist who'd later break big with a unique mix of jazz and folk, but who already sounds pretty amazing on these early singles recorded for Columbia Records! We'll be honest, we didn't even know about this part of ... read moreCD
(Blu-spec CD 2 pressing!)
Kenny Rankin —
Like A Seed ... LP Little David, 1972. Very Good+ ...
$3.99
Indescribably beautiful work from Kenny Rankin – a jazzy blend of vocals and folk – delivered with a warm and soulful tone that's unlike anyone else! The whole thing's great – really very much its own spirit, and kind of a bright light after a host of doom and gloom late 60s folk- ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A way hipper record than you'd guess from a group with a name like "Rare Silk" – and some of the best group jazz vocalese recorded in the 80s! The group is a quartet of voices – 3 female, 1 male – and they come together in a style that's far less hokey than most of the ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Great work from The Ravens with Jimmy Ricks – listed here as Ricky! The album includes the tracks "I'm Gonna Paper My Walls With Your Love Letters", "Summertime", "Searching For Love", "Mazel Means Good Luck", and "Write Me A Letter". (Soul, Vocalists)LP, Vinyl record album
(Maroon label pressing with RVG stamp, still in the shrink!)
One of Lou Rawls' best for Capitol – produced by David Axelrod, and arranged by HB Barnum with a joyous, leaping, sock-soulful groove! The drums get nice and hard on the set – especially on the classic break version of "For What It's Worth", and the rolling righteous cut ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Stereo pressing. Cover has some splitting in the bottom seam.)
One of the greatest albums to ever sum up the genius of Lou Rawls in the 60s – a brilliant live set put together with the talents of David Axelrod! The record perfectly captures the easy-going soul of Rawls in the early years – a natural approach to his music that made him one of the ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono rainbow label pressing. Cover has light wear.)
Ray Charles Singers —
Love Me ... LP Hor Zu/Probe (Germany), Mid 60s. Sealed ...
$3.99
Includes "Wichita Lineman", "California Dreamin", "Hey Jude", "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and more. LP, Vinyl record album
Della Reese definitely takes the "melancholy" in the title seriously here – and turns the set into one of her most blue-tinged records from the early days! The backings are full, but never too lush – handled perfectly by Sid Bass, who shades in the corners with some sad ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Blue label pressing with deep groove. Label has some marker. Cover has a peeled strip and some marker on back.)
The lovely Dianne Reeves pays tribute to jazz legend Sarah Vaughn, in a set that's one of her straightest jazz outings to date! The album features arrangements by Billy Childs, who plays on the album, along with Mulgrew Miller, Clark Terry, Reginald Veal, and Steve Wilson. Tracks include the ... read moreCD
A nice little record from Jon Regen – a singer who works in a space that's somewhere in between jazz and more familiar singer/songwriter modes – in a legacy that might begin with Ben Sidran in the 70s, and come up to present work by an artist like Jamie Cullum! Regen's got a nicely ... read moreCD
Rita Reys meets Oliver Nelson – and a host of other great jazz talents, including Lee Konitz, Benny Bailey, Sahib Shihab, and Klaus Doldinger! The tracks on the set are all standards, but they're done in the tightly swinging style of Nelson's best backing work for vocalists at the time ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
In the immediate post-war years, the Dutch jazz scene was one of the first to emerge with a sophisticated understanding of the American jazz form. Rita Reys was one of the country's leading talents in this respect, and she had a wonderfully cool vocal style that was similar to American singers ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
One of the few rare vocal sessions recorded by Buddy Rich – and a surprisingly swinging album that makes us wonder why he didn't record more like this! Arrangements are by Buddy Bregman, who was always the great man at Verve for backing less-confident singers – and unlike other Buddy ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Red label pressing with deep groove.)
Jimmy Ricks —
Vibrations ... LP Mainstream, Mid 60s. Very Good- ...
$1.99
A fantastic solo showcase for the voice of Jimmy Ricks – a singer who's perhaps known best for the deep tones he brought to The Ravens vocal group – but who sounds pretty great here on his own! The album's more jazz than soul – with Don Sebesky conducting, and using some nice ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Sweetly grooving vocals from Judy Roberts – a Chicago homegirl, but one with the warm sunny touches of the California scene of the late 70s! The record's got Judy working with a tight small combo – keyboards, bass, guitar, and percussion – grooving away in a sweet mode that works ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A very cool, very unusual album from the hip singer Bobbi Rogers – a vocalist we might put in the company of Blossom Dearie! The set features Bobbi singing with great guitar accompaniment from Gene Bertoncini – on titles that include "Once You've Been In Love", "Two For ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Linda Ronstadt —
Lush Life ... LP Asylum, 1984. Near Mint- ...
$6.99
With Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra. (Rock, Vocalists)LP, Vinyl record album
(In the die-cut cover with heavy inner sleeve. Cover has light wear.)
An obscure one from Annie Ross – recording here as a solo act back in England after leaving her famous group with Dave Lambert and John Hendricks! The style here is a bit like some of the solo work that Ross cut in the US at the end of the 50s – particularly her sides for Pacific Jazz ... read moreCD
An obscure one from Annie Ross – recording here as a solo act back in England after leaving her famous group with Dave Lambert and John Hendricks! The style here is a bit like some of the solo work that Ross cut in the US at the end of the 50s – particularly her sides for Pacific Jazz ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(White label promo. Cover has light wear.)
Annie Ross with Zoot Sims —
Gasser! ... LP World Pacific, 1959. Near Mint- ...
$28.99
Great stuff – one of Annie Ross' rare albums as a solo act away from her trio with Jon Hendricks and Dave Lambert – and a great little session cut with small combo jazz backing, which gives the song a nice swinging edge! Zoot Sims is the main soloist on the tunes, Russ Freeman lays ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Gold label stereo pressing with deep groove. Cover has some wear and aging and very small seam splits.)
Diana Ross —
Blue ... CD Motown, 1972. Used ...
$3.99
A real discovery in music – previously unreleased material recorded by Diana Ross in 1972 – all done in a jazz-based vein! The album was done after Diana's appearance in Lady Sings The Blues, and follows in a clear Billie Holiday-inspired approach to American standards – one that ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
Jamison Ross is a drummer at heart, but he's also turning into a hell of a singer who seems ready to help the music of New Orleans find a great new space of its own – as he works here in a sweet small combo set that mixes his voice with grooves that draw together strong currents of classic ... read moreCD
A rare early album from Lita Roza – a British singer who recorded some pop in her day, but also had the depth of a much more serious vocalist overall – as you'll hear on the material in this set! The core of the CD features the album Me On A Carousel – a record that has Lita ... read moreCD
One of the best albums in years from jazz singer Vanessa Rubin – a very hip set dedicated to the music of Tadd Dameron, which makes for a collection of tunes that go way past the usual! Plus, in addition to a great set of songs, the album also features direction from Cecil Bridgewater – ... read moreCD
Two very different slices of work from the Brit easy scene at the start of the 60s – TV music from arranger John Gregory, and a set of swinging vocal sides from the great Mike Sammes Singers! Gregory dominates the first record – which is split between an album of western themes, mostly ... (Now Sound, Vocalists)read moreCD
Jimmy Scott —
Moon Glow ... CD Milestone, 2000/2001. Used ...
$2.99
Gentle magic from singer Jimmy Scott – one of our favorite of his comeback recordings of recent years! The album features tracks that Jimmy Recorded over sessions done in 2000 and 2001 – working with a host of great jazz players like Eric Alexander, Joe Beck, Hank Crawford, David ... read moreCD
A great little live album – one that's quite different than Gil Scott-Heron's double-length set for Arista – and a set that serves as a key bridge between his early protest work and his emerging vocal sensibility! The set features a fair bit of longer spoken passages – but unlike ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the heavy inner sleeve and booklet. Cover has ring & edge wear with an unglued bottom seam.)
Our favorite-ever album from Gil Scott-Heron – and a set that we'd easily rank as one of our favorite soul records of the 70s! The mix of modes is mindblowing right from the start – as Gil's poetry comes into play with his growing talents as a singer, and his warm sensibility for jazz ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
Our favorite-ever album from Gil Scott-Heron – and a set that we'd easily rank as one of our favorite soul records of the 70s! The mix of modes is mindblowing right from the start – as Gil's poetry comes into play with his growing talents as a singer, and his warm sensibility for jazz ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A set that wasn't initially conceived as a full album by Gil Scott-Heron – but one that's come to be an essential part of his catalog, thanks to the always-relevant title theme! The album's actually a classic collection of work from the early years of Gil Scott-Heron at the Flying Dutchman ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A fantastic later album from Gil Scott-Heron – a set that came out in the mid 90s, at a time when Gil had been away from the studio for many years – but definitely hadn't lost any of the qualities that made him so great in the first place! Despite the space of a decade, the album picks ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Some of the best tracks ever from the pair of Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson – some of most righteous, authoritative and thematically heavy soul music ever created – compiled in one incredible set! Messianic, emotive vocals from Gil and stunningly restrained, magical soul jazz ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
Sara Serpa & Ran Blake —
Kitano Noir ... CD Sunnyside, 2015. Used ...
$2.99
Marlena Shaw's first-ever album – and while not as all-out righteous as some of her later work, still a really unique record that quickly put Marlena head and shoulders above the rest of the pack! The record's a mix of jazzy vocal numbers and heavier soul tunes – arranged by Richard ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A nice little album from Marlena Shaw – continuing her 70s experiments in updating her jazzy vocal style to a sweet modern soul groove – and a winning effort! As always, Marlena shows that she can handle a wide range of styles – from uptempo dancefloor material to more tender ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
George Shearing Quintet/Dakota Staton —
In The Night ... LP Capitol, 1957. Near Mint- ...
$2.99
Wonderful late 50s jazz from the LA scene – not just because singer Dakota Staton is at the best of her youthful prime, but also because the Shearing group on the set is great too! George is working here with one of his best lineups – a group that includes Latin-inflected Al McKibbon ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Abridges yellow label 70s pressing. Cover is lightly stained on back.)
Jack Sheldon with Ross Tompkins —
On My Own ... CD Concord, 1991. Used ...
$9.99
One of Ben Sidran's biggest records from the 70s – a smooth combination of jazz, fusion, soul, and a bit of New Orleans groove! There's still a very unique feel to Sidran's music here – a sense of personality that really makes the whole thing sparkle – and which keeps the record ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A bit smoother than Ben's earlier albums – but a great little set all the way through – and about as classic as you can get for Sidran in the 70s! The album's got a bit more soul in the mix, but still has some jazzy elements in the backings – and where things were sometimes ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Four albums from the great Ben Sidran – a mighty hip jazz singer, and a great pianist too! First up is Free In America – a great little set all the way through – and about as classic as you can get for Sidran in the 70s! The album's got a bit more soul in the mix, but still has ... read moreCD
Ben Sidran —
I Lead A Life ... LP Blue Thumb, 1972. Very Good Gatefold ...
$4.99
Wonderful early work from Ben Sidran! The album's got a hip jazzy vocal style – similar to some of the best late 60s work by Bob Dorough or Dave Frishberg, but also with New Orleans touches – as in the work of Mose Allison or Dr John! Sidran brings in a smoother, groovier feel than ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Sgt Bilko takes off on a wild musical set of his own – with surprisingly strong musical backings from Warren Barker and Frank Comstock! LP, Vinyl record album
(Heavy 6 eye pressing – in beautiful shape!)
Harry Simeone Chorale/Elizabeth Firestone Willis —
It's Alaska ... LP RCA, 1970. Very Good ...
$9.99
Amazing is right – as Nina Simone is really taking off here – showing the world that she's way more than just another jazz singer – able to hit some righteous currents that would only explode even more in years to come! Nina's emotion is subtle, but extremely powerful – ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Gold label pressing. Cover has some wear and aging.)
An important early live show for Nina Simone – a move from the world of small nightclubs (as mentioned in the title of her first record), to the classy Town Hall venue – working in front of an audience filled with left-leaning listeners who were the perfect crowd to get the unique bag ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
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 ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono black label pressing with deep groove. Cover has light wear.)
A full set's worth of remixes of older Nina Simone tunes – served up hot on the heels of the big success of Simone songs from the Verve Remixed series! Ulike the Verve series, the work here is all pulled from Nina's RCA recordings of the late 60s and early 70s – some of her hippest ... read moreCD
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 ... read moreCD
Frank Sinatra's first run of Christmas work – material recorded for Columbia Records in the late 40s, but quite similar to his better-known Holiday sides for Capitol in the 50s! As with that work, the style here is quite respectful of the spirit of the season – more reverent than ... (Holiday Music, Vocalists)read moreCD
An oft-forgotten gem in Sinatra's catalog – a sad, somber late 50s session conducted by Nelson Riddle, with additional backing by the Hollywood String Quartet, who give the record all the weepiness it needs to make the songs hit home. Sinatra's in that post-revival mode vocally, hitting a ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Black label pressing. Cover has some wear, splitting with clear tape along the top seam.)
One of the greatest Christmas albums of the 20th century – a rich tapestry of sadness and longing from Ol' Blue Eyes himself! Sure, most folks think that Christmas albums are supposed to be cheery and celebratory – but Frank, coming off of his best Wee Small Hours years at Capitol, ... (Holiday Music, Vocalists)read moreCD
One of the greatest Christmas albums of the 20th century – a rich tapestry of sadness and longing from Ol' Blue Eyes himself! Sure, most folks think that Christmas albums are supposed to be cheery and celebratory – but Frank, coming off of his best Wee Small Hours years at Capitol, ... (Holiday Music, Vocalists)read moreCD
One of Frank Sinatra's last great ballad albums for Capitol – a sad and dreamy batch of tunes that kicks off with the incredible "Only The Lonely" – one of those Sinatra torch songs that's so great, so sad, nobody else has ever been able to record a better version, nor have ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono rainbow label pressing. Cover has wear and splitting.)