Jeri Southern can be a hell of a jazz singer when she wants – and that was definitely the case on this gem of a record – a laidback small combo setting with excellent guitar accompaniment from Johnny Smith! Smith's trademark tones really color the record in a great way – ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Orange label pressing. Cover has light wear and minor seam splits.)
Something of a concept album from Jeri Southern – a record of familiar tunes, but all strung together as "the story of a love affair", and set to backings by Gus Levene! The approach here is a bit like some of the Sinatra Capitol sides of the mid 50s – with a really unified ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Original black & silver label pressing. Cover has light wear, aging, and an ink stamp.)
A timeless mix of heart tuggingly intimate strings and beautiful vocals by Esperanza Spalding – a set that feels deep down close to the heart, and in turns, quite soaring – all the while wonderful! The aspects we loved so dearly on Esperanza's previous albums are also done here – ... (Neo Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
Esperanza Spalding —
Esperanza ... CD Heads Up, 2008. Used ...
$4.99
Sublime work from a truly amazing artist – one who both sings and plays acoustic bass – all in a captivating blend of jazz, soul, and Brazilian styles! Esperanza Spalding has a fresh, unique feel that's all her own – the warmth of a jazz singer like Carmen Lundy, the sharper ... (Neo Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
Maybe the greatest record so far from the lovely Esperanza Spalding – a set that has her moving farther from jazz, into a wonderfully warm style of soul music overall! The mix of modes is exquisite – a blend of Spalding's jazz-trained vocals with some beautiful arrangements that ... (Neo Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
Maybe the greatest record so far from the lovely Esperanza Spalding – a set that has her moving farther from jazz, into a wonderfully warm style of soul music overall! The mix of modes is exquisite – a blend of Spalding's jazz-trained vocals with some beautiful arrangements that ... (Neo Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
(Deluxe Edition – cover image has a dark background.)
One of the hippest records we've ever heard from Esperanza Spalding – a set that almost feels as if she's stepping back into some of the more experimental, individual qualities that made her so different at the start! There's definitely some appealing, catchy songs here – but the ... (Neo Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
Dusty Springfield —
Where Am I Going ... LP Philips (UK), 1967. Very Good+ ...
Just Sold Out!
One of the greatest of all Dusty Springfield albums – a gem of a record that mixes British pop, soul, and some very groovy orchestrations! The whole session has that kind of soaring, soulful bounce that Dusty had on her best records – but which was possibly never done nearly as well as ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Jo Stafford —
Jo + Jazz ... CD Columbia (Japan), 1960. Used ...
$6.999.99
They certainly got the title right on this one – as Jo's singing a great batch of jazz-based tracks – and getting help from an array of small group players that include Ben Webster, Johnny Hodges, Conte Candoli, and Ray Nance! Arrangements are by Johnny Mandel, in a warmly chromatic ... read moreCD
With Monty Alexander on piano, Ben Wolfe on bass, and Clyde Lucas on drums – plus special guests Hendrik Meurkens on harmonica and vibes, and Dick Oatts on flute and soprano sax. CD
Beautiful work from Kay Starr – a set that's still got that remarkable vocal style in place, but which also comes across with a more mature sound too – a mode that's never too emotive, but which is full of feeling – and really makes great use of that classic Starr twang! The ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Rainbow label stereo pressing. Cover has some surface wear, yellowing from age, small blemishes in back, some splitting in the spine, and split seams with clear tape holding the top.)
The title certainly gets it right – as Dakota Staton is definitely dynamic on this one, but not in a way that's hokey or forced at all! Instead, the record nicely lifts Staton from some of the more laidback and bluesy modes of her other 50s records – into a fuller range of styles that ... read moreCD
A cool album of tracks that has Dakota singing with a bit tighter arrangement than usual, in sort of a pop soul jazz bag, like some of the other Capitol singers at the time who were working with HB Barnum and David Axelrod. The album includes Dakota's groovy track "Young Generation" ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has cutout hole.)
Dakota Staton —
Late Late Show ... CD Capitol/Collectables, Late 50s. Used ...
Just Sold Out!
A Capitol classic from Dakota Staton – and the record that made her a real leading lady at the label in the years before Nancy Wilson's rise! The set's got a wonderfully laidback feel that's in keeping with the title, yet it also swings nicely too – kind of a new level of soul in jazz ... read moreCD
(1991 CD pressing.)
Dakota Staton —
Late Late Show ... LP Capitol, Late 50s. Very Good ...
Just Sold Out!
A Capitol classic from Dakota Staton – and the record that made her a real leading lady at the label in the years before Nancy Wilson's rise! The set's got a wonderfully laidback feel that's in keeping with the title, yet it also swings nicely too – kind of a new level of soul in jazz ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono turquoise label pressing. Cover has a half split top seam, center split on spine, but looks nice overall.)
Dakota Staton —
Ms Soul ... LP Groove Merchant, Early 70s. Very Good+ ...
$3.99
A 70s set from the great Dakota Staton – but done with a lean, jazzy vibe that really gets back to the spirit of some of her earlier recordings! The group's a small combo, with the great Norman Simmons on piano – always a great accompanist for a jazz singer, and working here with ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
It's time to swing, but with a classy sound throughout – very much the best mix of modes Dakota Staton brought to her key early years at Capitol Records! Backings are by Sid Feller, and are pretty darn jazzy throughout – more so than some of Sid's other work of the time – a ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono rainbow label pressing. Cover has light ringwear, some wear and a small dent at the opening, staple holes at the top left, small sticker in back, and splitting in the seams.)
It's time to swing, but with a classy sound throughout – very much the best mix of modes Dakota Staton brought to her key early years at Capitol Records! Backings are by Sid Feller, and are pretty darn jazzy throughout – more so than some of Sid's other work of the time – a ... read moreCD
Curtis Stigers on tenor sax and vocals, Larry Goldings on piano and organ, David Tronzo on guitar, Ben Allison on bass, and Matt Wilson on drums. (Jazz, Vocalists)CD
A surprisingly jazzy score – thanks to orchestrations by Ralph Burns, and musical direction by Elliot Lawrence! And of course, the vocals by Sammy Davis Jr are pretty darn nice too! (Soundtracks, Vocalists)LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a cutout hole. Shrink has a vintage store sticker.)
Legendary vocal work from the postwar years – some of the earliest recordings from the enigmatic Yma Sumac – an artist whose records really laid the groundwork for an entire generation of exotica records to come! Sumac's authenticity has been debated over the years – but there's ... (Now Sound, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono purple label pressing with deep groove. Cover has light surface wear and aging, some edge wear, and some writing in pen and a small tear at the opening in back.)
A fantastic shift in the sound of the Supersax ensemble – one that has the group's jazzy instrumentation mixed with a vocal chorus – in a way that's a bit similar to some of the best Singers Unlimited albums for MPS in the 70s! The title, cover, and group's name might make you think ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Delightfully spare – with Surman on a variety of reeds, plus voice and a bit of electronics from Karin Krog, and drums from Pierre Favre. (Jazz, Vocalists)LP, Vinyl record album
(German pressing. Cover has a trace of a sticker and light wear.)
A real standout in the classic catalog of ECM – not only because the record's got a slightly different inspiration than most, but also because it seems to unlock some especially beautiful moments from players who could sound different in other settings on the label! As the title indicates, ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreCD
An obscure group from the Michigan scene of the 70s – but one who work with a breezy vibe that feels a lot more like some of the Bay Area material we know from the time! These guys bring together a bit of jazz, touches of folk, and even some Brazilian currents – all in a mode that's ... read moreCD
Beautiful early sounds from the legendary Sylvester – very different than the later hits, especially the disco ones – and a set that was recorded before all the big records of the 70s! The approach here is jazz, and intimate enough to warrant the "private" in the title – ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
New vocal work from Grady Tate – very much in the spirit of his classic albums for the Skye label! The record has grady singing with a small jazz combo – Kenny Barron on acoustic piano, John Di Martino on Fender Rhodes, Frank Wess on flute and sax, and Jimmy Cobb on drums. The set's ... read moreCD
With "Stars Fell On Alabama", "Our Monday Date", "Casanova's Lament", "Doctor Jazz", "After You've Gone", "If I Could Be With You", "The Shiek Of Araby", "Beale St Blues", and more. (Jazz, Vocalists)LP, Vinyl record album
(Mono rainbow label pressing. Cover has minimal wear.)
A full length Riverside album that brings together two different sessions from the 78rpm years! Side one features trombonist Jack Teagarden working with an octet that also includes Rex Stewart on cornet, Ben Webster on tenor, and Barney Bigard on clarinet – and side two features clarinet ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreCD
Groovy 60s pop from the sunny brother & sister duo of Nino Tempo & April Stevens – wonderful stuff that's crafted as sweetly as can be, encapsulating influences from a wide range of pop styles of the time – and it still sounds great! This anthology features a bunch of the their ... (Rock, Vocalists)read moreCD
Jacky Terrasson & Cassandra Wilson —
Rendezvous ... CD Blue Note, 1997. Used ...
$1.99
Jacky Terrasson on piano, Lonnie Plaxico and Kenny Davis on bass, Mino Cinelu on percussion, and Cassandra Wilson on vocals. (Jazz, Vocalists)CD
Very hip gospel work by Sister Rosetta Tharp – singing here with her own guitar accompaniment, plus backing by small combos that include players like Ernie Hayes, Panama Francis, Ernest Richardson, and Harry Doc Bagby, who plays organ on about half the record. The sound is a folksy mix of ... (Gospel, Vocalists)read moreCD
Leon Thomas —
Full Circle ... LP Flying Dutchman, 1973. New Copy (reissue)...
$14.9929.99
The last album in Leon Thomas' classic run of albums for the Flying Dutchman label – and one of the most unique as well! There's a tighter feel here than some of Thomas' more free-flowing spiritual jazz sessions – but the sound is hardly commercial at all, either – and still has ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Wonderful work from Leon Thomas – easily one of his greatest albums ever, and a set that was recorded at the same time he was working with Pharoah Sanders! Thomas really rose to fame on Sanders' classic "The Creator Has A Master Plan" – and this set really takes off from that ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Original blue target label pressing with Van Gelder stamp. Cover has light wear and a few small stains.)
Wonderful work from Leon Thomas – easily one of his greatest albums ever, and a set that was recorded at the same time he was working with Pharoah Sanders! Thomas really rose to fame on Sanders' classic "The Creator Has A Master Plan" – and this set really takes off from that ... read moreCD
Wonderful work from Leon Thomas – easily one of his greatest albums ever, and a set that was recorded at the same time he was working with Pharoah Sanders! Thomas really rose to fame on Sanders' classic "The Creator Has A Master Plan" – and this set really takes off from that ... read moreCD
Two totally fantastic versions of this spiritual jazz standard – a version recorded by Leon Thomas that's shorter and different than his famous vocal performance of the tune with Pharoah Sanders – and a stunning second take from Louis Armstrong, with backings from Oliver Nelson – ... (Funky 45's, Vocalists)read more7-inch, Vinyl record
One of the best albums from singer Teri Thornton – a jazz vocalist who was really starting to come into her own at the beginning of the 60s, and shines here in a way that's different from some of her bigger label sets! Backings are by Norman Simmons – a pianist we love on his own, and ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono blue label pressing with deep groove. Cover has some edge wear, minimal surface wear.)
A great batch of jazz and pop vocal tracks, and possibly the finest record that singer Teri Thornton ever cut in the 60s! The title track has Teri singing the theme to the show Route 66, and there's lots of other nice numbers like "This Is All I Ask", "The Day I Stop Loving You" ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono 2 eye pressing, including the Columbia inner sleeve. Cover has split seams held by clear tape and light surface wear.)
Julie Tippetts —
Sunset Glow ... CD RCA/Esoteric (UK), 1975. New Copy ...
$15.9922.99
Really mind-expanding work from British singer Julie Tippetts – an artist who's come a long way from the straighter soul sounds she was doing with Brian Auger in the late 60s! The album shows the same evolution expressed by many of Julie's British jazz rock contemporaries – a ... read moreCD
Julie Tippetts & Martin Archer —
Vestigium ... CD Discus (UK), 2013/2014. Used ...
$11.99
Vocals by Julie Tippett, Martin Archer on keyboards, electronics and woodwinds and Peter Fairclough on drums with Micheal Somerset Ward on flutes, sax and sea flute. (Jazz, Vocalists)CD
An overlooked gem from Mel Torme's years at Verve – an album dedicated to the music of Duke Ellington and Count Basie, set to some very upbeat, jazzy backings from Johnny Mandel! The album's quite swinging at points – and given the choice of material, Mel really breaks from the ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Compiled from two live dates in 1956 and 1957 – accompanied by Howard McGhee on trumpet, Ralph Sharon on piano, Max Bennett on bass, and Stan Levey on drums in 1956; and with Don Fagerquist on trumpet, Marty Paich on piano, Larry Bunker on vibes and conga, Max Benett on bass, and Mel Lewis ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Early 80s pressing. Cover has light wear and a small corner bump.)
An incredible album from Mel Torme – easily his best set ever, and a record that helped raise the bar for all other singers back in the 50s! A key part of the success of the set is the presence of Marty Paich as an arranger – as Marty swings the whole thing with a fluid groove that's ... read moreCD
A great little live set from Mel Torme – and one that features the same jazzy style as his studio albums for the Bethlehem label from the 50s! The combo behind Mel is a smallish one – Marty Paich on piano and arrangements, Larry Bunker on vibes, Don Fagerquist on trumpet, Max Bennett ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Early 80s Cayre pressing. Cover has some ring and edge wear, yellowing from age, and small blemish spots in back.)
One of the grooviest Mel Torme albums ever – a smoking little live set that has the Velvet Fog hitting a whole new soulful sound for the 60s – with a leaner groove than ever before! Backing is from the trio of pianist Jimmy Wisner – although Mel himself also plays a bit of piano ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Stereo blue & green label pressing. Cover has wear on the lower corner, while the back has light staining, aging, and wear.)
2 classic rare albums by Mel Torme – both of them very live! Mel's swinging jazz vocals are always a treat, but he really opens up in a warm live setting – as you'll hear on this 2-in-1 CD that brings together 2 older albums from his years at Atlantic. The Red Hill sessions are great ... read moreCD
A wonderful little album by Mel Torme – easily one of his best albums of the 50s, despite the tighter focus implied in the title! Although the set's a tribute to Fred Astaire. the album's got a very similar feel to Mel's classic album with Marty Paich's Dek-Tette for Bethlehem – ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Great live work from Mel Torme – a 14 track set that's done with spare backings from the Al Pellegrini Trio – possibly the most stripped-down Torme recording from these early years, delivered with an intimacy that's quite different than some of Mel's work on Bethlehem! Pellegrini plays ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mid 70s mono Japanese Victor pressing – VIJ-4508(M). Cover has some ring and edge wear, light aging, and some splitting in the spine.)
One of our favorite-ever albums from Mel Torme – a set that sparkles with the same smooth swing as his best late 50s dates for Bethlehem records! Like those sets, this one features Torme's voice really taking off over some tight jazzy charts – arranged by Johnny Williams, Shorty Rogers ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Stereo blue & green label pressing. Cover has a good deal of aging, light ring wear, and a spill stain down the back cover.)
Very groovy set of vocal tracks recorded by Mel during his years with Verve, and featuring some haunting arrangements by Russ Garcia. The title track – "Swingin' On The Moon" – is a goofy uptempo number of the sort that sometimes doesn't work, but which sounds very nice here, ... read moreCD
(1998 digipak pressing.)
Mel Torme —
Torme ... CD Verve, 1958. Used ...
$1.99
An overlooked gem from Mel – a great early album for Verve, one that's every bit as nice as his stellar work for the Bethlehem label! The set's got Mel singing with the Marty Paich orchestra – a good thing, too – as Marty's always been the best arranger for Mel's unique way of ... read moreCD
(Out of print.)
Mel Torme & George Shearing —
Elegant Evening ... LP Concord, 1986. Near Mint- ...
$1.993.99
One of the great Mel Torme comeback albums of the 80s – with piano from George Shearing! Titles include "I'll Be Seeing You", "You Changed My Life", "You're Driving Me Crazy", "My Foolish Heart", "Last Night When We Were Young", and the cool ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(US pressing. Cover has a small sticker and a bit of pen inside the opening.)
Mel Torme & George Shearing —
Vintage Year ... LP Concord, 1987. Near Mint- ...
$2.994.99
A key pairing of vocalist Mel Torme and pianist George Shearing – two aging jazz artists who really helped re-ignite each others' careers in the 80s! The format here takes Torme back to the best years of his jazz roots – and features spare backing from Shearing's trio, at a level that's ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
One of our favorite recordings ever of George Gershwin's Porgy & Bess – done by Bethlehem Records in the mid 50s, and featuring nearly every one of the label's great talents at the time! The choice of the lead characters is a bit odd – as Mel Torme plays Porgy and Francis Faye ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono red label pressing. Includes booklet, but no handkerchief. Cover has some surface and edge wear, and a few split corners on the box top.)
One of our favorite recordings ever of George Gershwin's Porgy & Bess – done by Bethlehem Records in the mid 50s, and featuring nearly every one of the label's great talents at the time! The choice of the lead characters is a bit odd – as Mel Torme plays Porgy and Francis Faye ... read moreCD
Ed Townsend's best known as a famous songwriter and producer – whose work through the 60s and 70s made him more than a bit of green – but this early album has Ed trying his pipes as a male vocal lead, singing in a style that's smooth and mellow, a bit in the vein of Jesse Belvin, and ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono promo rainbow label pressing. Cover has light surface wear, tracklist sticker on the back.)
The "future" in the title is very well-put – as the album seems to open up a rich new chapter in the music of the legendary vocalist Dwight Trible – a singer who's carried on the spiritual legacy of the 70s well into the 21st Century, and who's always given us some fantastic ... read moreCD
One of the most amazing jazz vocalists of our generation returns here with an incredible group – a majestic combo to match all the spiritual inclinations in his music – with work from Kamasi Washington on tenor, Mark De Clive-Lowe on piano, Miguel Atwood Ferguson on viola, and both ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Soul jazz vocalist Dwight Trible gathers the forces for this magnificent effort – an album pairing his emotionally rich vocals and singular spirit with a group of largely west coast allstars – and it's pure genius! The Life Force Trio, from what we can tell, is simply the moniker for ... read moreCD
Features work by Conte Candoli on trumpet, Bob Cooper on tenor, Paul Horn on flute, Bud Shank on alto, and Frank Rosolino on trombone. LP, Vinyl record album
(Living Stereo pressing with deep groove. Vinyl is nice. Cover has a bent corner, surface wear, and aging.)
One of the straighter sessions ever recorded by vocalist Bobby Troup – an intimate quartet side, with backing by Howard Roberts on guitar, Bob Enevoldsen on bass, and Don Heath on drums. Bobby sings and plays piano – in that warm, laidback LA style that's made him one of our favorite ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Turn On The Sunlight —
Ocean Garden ... CD Rings (Japan), 2024. New Copy ...
$23.9928.99
Beautifully spiritual sounds from the contemporary LA scene – served up in a record that mixes generations old and new, and with a really wonderful sound throughout! There's a timeless quality to the record right from the start – maybe because the great Phil Ranelin begins the set with ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreCD
Turn On The Sunlight —
Ocean Garden ... LP Rings (Japan), 2024. New Copy ...
$38.9948.99
Beautifully spiritual sounds from the contemporary LA scene – served up in a record that mixes generations old and new, and with a really wonderful sound throughout! There's a timeless quality to the record right from the start – maybe because the great Phil Ranelin begins the set with ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Obscure later work from the great Kansas City legend – including a number of tracks that just feature Joe on piano and vocals! (Blues, Vocalists)LP, Vinyl record album
Great 40s work from this Kansas City legend – recorded in New York, Chicago, and LA – with work from players who include Don Byas and Wild Bill Moore on tenor, Camille Howard and Pete Johnson on piano, Red Saunders on drums, and Riley Hampton on alto sax. 26 tracks total!! (Blues, Vocalists)CD