One of Della Reese's greatest records – and a unique little session cut "live in the studio" before a very appreciative crowd! Bobby Bryant wrote out some very hip charts for the session, and they're made even better by organ work by Bill Doggett and piano lines by Gerald Wiggins ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Black label stereo pressing. Cover has some wear and aging.)
An obscure one from Della Reese – and a set with a nice touch of soul, too! The album was produced by Della herself, with arrangements by Peter Myers – and titles include "Fire & Rain", "Funny", "Bein Green", "If Loving You Is Wrong", and ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
An amazing moment for singer Dianne Reeves – the first in a long line of excellent records for the Blue Note label – and a wonderfully tight blend of jazz and soul, put together at a level that instantly pushed Reeves into the territory of previous giants like Phyllis Hyman and Marlena ... read moreCD
A stunning live recording from Elis Regina – one of the last few records she cut during her short time on this planet – and one of the best as well! The album's got a jazzy fire that's missing from some of Regina's other material of the time – and Elis sings with a group that ... (Brazil, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Early 80s pressing. Includes heavy inner sleeve. Die-cut cover has some light wear & aging, name in pen.)
A one of a kind record that still sparkles as brightly today as it did back in the late 60s – an amazing collaboration between Brazilian vocalist Elis Regina and Scandinavian jazzman Toots Thielemans – done in a style that easily makes it one of the best records ever from both artists! ... (Brazil, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Early 80s issue. Cover has light corner bumps/bends.)
Sublimely soulful work from Irene Reid – at one level a record that's in the field between jazz and soul, like albums from Gloria Lynne or Nancy Wilson at the time – but at another level, a key indication of Irene's strong strong vocal approach – one that's much deeper and more ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has just a touch of light wear & aging, but is great overall!)
They're not lying with the title of this one – as Rita's voice is as cool as it gets, very much in the mode of 50s work by June Christy or Chris Connor – but made even more icy because of her Dutch accent, which adds a strange twist to her interpretation of the English lyrics on the set! ... read moreCD
An excellent live set from Dutch vocalist Rita Reys – one of the coolest voices on the continent during the postwar years, and equally well-skilled at singing in English as her American contemporaries! The backing on the set is by the Pim Jacobs trio, with a guest appearance by Kenny Clarke ... 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 moreCD
Excellent cool jazz vocals from The Netherlands! 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 ... read moreCD
Mavis Rivers sings a set of tracks originally made famous by Mildred Bailey – with backing by a combo led by Red Norvo, and featuring Harry Edison, Bill Harris, and Eric Dixon. The sound's hipper than you might think from the Bailey reference, thanks to Red – and titles include "Ea ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono rainbow label pressing. Cover has some surface wear and aging, splitting at the top of the spine, a small sticker in back, and appears to have been signed by Norvo in front.)
One of the most righteous albums that Max Roach ever cut – and a monumental jazz release from the heart of the Civil Rights era! As you can guess from the cover and title, there's a very political bent to the record – served up in righteous lyrics penned by Oscar Brand Jr, and sung by ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Fantastic stuff, and a record that was virtually the blueprint for spiritual soul jazz in the 70s! Although Max Roach first rose to fame during the bop years, by the time of this set he'd really stretched out a lot – moving past initial righteous projects in the Civil Rights era, to even ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Excellent 180 gram pressing – remastered from the original tapes by Bernie Grundman, with new sleeve notes too!)
One of Max's many great records from the late 50's, most of which tend to get overlooked in favor of his more experimental sessions. The group here includes Ray Bryant, Stanley Turrentine, Julian Priester, and Turrentine's great brother Tommy – and they're joined by Abbey Lincoln on vocals ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
All girl singers should be this lucky! Gale Robbins is a pretty nice vocalist, although nothing fancy – but on this set, she's lucky enough to have some great backings from Eddie Cano – whose orchestra picks up the pace with plenty of musical flourishes, and the occasional light Latin ... read moreCD
The important first album by singer Judy Roberts – an excellent jazz talent with a sound that's up there with the best jazz fusion vocalists of the 70s! Judy comes at the end of a decade that scored big recordings for singers like Flora Purim and Urzula Dudziak – and she's easily as ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Inner City pressing. Cover has some ring and edge wear, a light score along the opening, and is bent a bit at the corners.)
The important first album by singer Judy Roberts – an excellent jazz talent with a sound that's up there with the best jazz fusion vocalists of the 70s! Judy comes at the end of a decade that scored big recordings for singers like Flora Purim and Urzula Dudziak – and she's easily as ... read moreCD
A sweet set of vocal tracks from Judy Roberts – a mix of original tunes and a few covers, all done with a warm fusiony style, and plenty of Brazilian touches! Judy's at the height of her powers here – partly jazzy, partly in a songstress mode that's inspired by the advances that female ... read moreCD
A lovely little tribute to one of our favorite songwriters of all time – the lyrical genius Tommy Wolf, whose compositions were first championed back in the 50s and 60s by Bob Dorough, Jackie & Roy, and Blossom Dearie! Wolf's got a wonderful way with a twist of a phrase – playful, ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Original pressing. Cover has some ring and edge wear, light aging, and is bent a bit at the top right corner.)
Very unusual work from trumpeter Shorty Rogers – recorded in 1962 for the Navy Swings radio show, and done in a way that captures a different side than usual of Rogers' playing! As the title implies, a number of tunes feature vocalist Jeri Southern joining in the group – singing in a ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreCD
A swirling batch of easy groovers – the light and lively orchestrations of Aldemaro Romero, augmented by lead guitar from Charlie Byrd! The sound is Latin-inflected with a soaring finish – part 60s easy, part bossa-inspired orchestration, with touches of Italian soundtrack styles as ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Sealed 70s pressing! Cover has a small cutout mark.)
Breezy electric vocals from 70s Sweden – a great little record that's heavy on electric piano and organ, and which features some sublime vocals from singer Meta Roos! The record does a great job of blending influences from bossa nova and sophisticated American soul – in a style that ... read moreCD
Annie Ross —
Gasser ... CD Pacific Jazz, 1959. Used ...
$5.99
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 moreCD
Vocalist Jimmy Rushing first came to fame working with Count Basie in the 30s, but it wasn't until the 50s that he really got the chance to step out on his own and cut a number of great sessions in the studio! This set features one of Jimmy's finest moments of the 50s – material recorded for ... read moreCD
One of Jimmy Rushing's last truly great albums – a jazz-tinged session of bluesy material, one that gets at his best work of the 50s! The arrangements are by Al Cohn, and have a fluid swing that pushes Jimmy past cliche – working with players that include Zoot Sims, Budd Johnson, ... read moreCD
Jimmy Rushing reprises a nice batch of blues classics from the 20s, all of which were sung by early recording artists like Bessie or Clara Smith. The group that backs him is a nice one, and features Buck Clayton on trumpet, Buster Bailey on clarinet, and Coleman Hawkins on tenor. As with many of ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono 6 eye pressing. Cover has light surface wear.)
A great session that features Jimmy Rushing singing in the rootsy style of his early Kansas City recordings, with backing by a group that includes the legendary Pete Johson on piano, plus Rudy Powell on alto, Emmett Berry on trumpet, Buddy Tate on tenor, and Freddie Greene on guitar. Titles ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Early 80s Japanese pressing – K20P 6184 – with insert. Cover is lightly bumped at the bottom right corner.)
A nice dose of jazz – as usual for Jimmy – thanks to some arrangements by Oliver Nelson, plus piano from Dave Frishberg and tenor from Buddy Tate! Titles include "You Can't Run Around", "Blues In The Dark", "Tell Me I'm Not To Late", "Berkely Campus ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Early 70s issue. Cover has light wear and a small sticker in back.)
With small combo backing from Zoot Sims and Al Cohn on tenor, plus Budd Johnson on tenor and soprano sax, Ray Nance on cornet, and Dave Frishberg on piano! Titles include "Fine And Mellow", "I Surrender Dear", "Linger Awhile", "My Last Affair", "More ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a cutout notch and light wear.)
Jimmy Rushing & Friends —
Every Day ... CD Vanguard, 1956/1958. Used ...
$3.99
Notable sidemen include Pete Johnson, Freddie Green, and Buddy Tate. CD
A classic from Jimmy Rushing – recorded at a time when he was really finding a new audience for his vocals! In a style that Columbia was using on a number of sides in the late 50s and early 60s, Jimmy and Buck do a bit of educatin' – and trace a progression of jazz styles from New ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(80s Spanish Fresh Sound reissue.)
Jimmy Rushing/Ada Moore/Buck Clayton —
Cat Meets Chick ... LP Columbia, 1956. Near Mint- ...
$11.9914.99
An interesting set – kind of a parody of the Girl Meets Boy album that had been issued a year or two before on Columbia – done with vocals by Jimmy and Ada Moore, and recorded as a "story in jazz" about love, love found, and love lost. Jimmy and Ada sing both separately and ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Freddie sings it nice and easy with his deep round baritone, amidst polished arrangements by Garry Sherman, and nice production by Clyde Otis. The record's indicative of some of the excellent uptown soul that Columbia was releasing during the late 60s, with kind of a classy jazzy touch that makes ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Original 2 eye mono pressing – in nice shape! Label has a small sticker – cover is great.)
Jimmy Scott —
Dream ... CD Sire/Blue Horizon, 1994. Used ...
$0.99
Perhaps the rarest of all Jimmy Scott albums – and perhaps the best, too! Jimmy cut this one for Ray Charles' Tangerine label (it was the label's first) – a fact that's driven home on the front cover, where a lounging sexy couple is reclining in front of a fire with a bottle of wine ... read moreCD
Some of the best material ever recorded by singer Jimmy Scott – presented as a lovely 3 disc package with copious notes, and a lot of bonus material too! The bulk of the sides were cut during the earliest years of Jimmy's career – from 1952 to 1960, all with great small group, jazz-base ... read moreCD
(Outer box has a smushed corner and a few creases.)
A fantastic early album by the amazing Jimmy Scott – billed here as "Little Jimmy Scott" – because of his youth, height, and his style of singing! Jimmy's fragile voice is in perfect form here – a really unique blend between torch jazz modes and some of the bluesier ... read moreCD
Great later work from Jimmy Scott – sides recorded for Milestone Records near the end of his life – at a time when Jimmy's music was finally getting its due, and reaching wide exposure to a whole new audience! The sound is pretty laidback and mellow on most numbers – and Scott ... read moreCD
Features George Mraz, David Fathead Newman, Joe Beck, Larry Willis, and others. CD
(Sealed copy. Barcode has a cutout hole.)
Lizabeth Scott —
Lizabeth ... CD Vik/BMG (Japan), 1958. Used ...
$24.99
Pretty darn amazing – and one of the campier vocal jazz albums on RCA from the late 50s! Lizabeth sings in a "guy crazy" mode that these days would really only be the province of drag acts – and it's compelling to hear a record like this, in which songs like "Men", ... read moreCD
Featuring Bob Mintzer on bass clarinet and Ambrose Akinmusire on trumpet. CD
(Out of print.)
Gil Scott-Heron —
Free Will ... LP Flying Dutchman, 1972. Near Mint- Gatefold ...
$24.99
A really tremendous album from the legendary Gil Scott-Heron – and a set that stands as one of his greatest statements from the 70s! The record is a wonderful example of Gil's work in two different styles – sweet mellow jazzy soul, and harder heavier protest poetry – the latter ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A really tremendous album from the legendary Gil Scott-Heron – and a set that stands as one of his greatest statements from the 70s! The record is a wonderful example of Gil's work in two different styles – sweet mellow jazzy soul, and harder heavier protest poetry – the latter ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Very top-shelf pressing – nicer than the original!)
The first-ever album from Gil Scott-Heron – and a perfect bridge between the world of his writing and the years to come of musical transformations that would forever change the American scene! The set's not the warm, jazzy soul of some of Gil's later records – and instead, there's a ... (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
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 moreLP, Vinyl record album
A classic! This is one of the best-ever albums by the legendary Marlena Shaw – and it's a tremendous live set that really lives up to the righteous promise of her earlier work on Cadet Records! The album was cut with a small combo, and the overall feel is incredibly hip – a mixture of ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
An amazing batch of sophisticated soul tracks – and a favorite with the righteous groove scene! On the surface, the record's a combination of jazz and soul tracks in the same mode that you'd find on some of Nancy Wilson's albums for Capitol during the same time – but digging deeper, ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
Wonderful work from Dorothy Shay – a very unusual singer for her time, and in a backwards way, almost a force in mainstreaming country music in later years! As the title implies, Dorothy's a bit of a "Park Avenue Hillbilly" – in that she sings country themes, but in a style ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Purple label pressing with deep groove. Cover has light wear and aging, mostly in back.)
George Shearing Quintet/Dakota Staton —
In The Night ... CD Capitol, 1957. Used ...
$9.99
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 moreCD
(2003 pressing.)
Amy Sheffer/Billy Bang/William Parker/Lou Grassi —
Drone Bone ... CD Amy Sheffer, 2023. New Copy ...
$11.9913.99
Vocalist Amy Sheffer works with an all-star cast here – a very cool quartet that includes Billy Bang on violin, William Parker on bass, and Lou Grassi on drums! Bang is especially great, and his work on violin often recalls the spirit of the 80s work that really made us fall in love with his ... read moreCD
Obscure swinging male/femal vocal group that both plays and sings, in the style of the Pat Moran group or other jazz vocal groups from the time. As far as we know, this is their only LP, and it's a hip batch of tracks like "Julie Is Her Name", "Bernies Tune", "Free ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has some surface wear & aging, splitting on the spine.)
One of the weirdest records ever from Shel Silverstein – and that's saying a heck of a lot, given what a weirdo he is! The set was recorded hot on the heels of the big Johnny Cash recording of "Boy Named Sue" – and it features Shel singing that famous tune, plus a host of ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Orange label stereo pressing with deep groove. Cover has a cut corner, light wear and aging, and some marks from sticker removal at the top right corner.)
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 with deep groove. Cover has light wear.)
An album recorded relatively early in the career of singer Nina Simone – but a set that already shows the very unique approach that would make her a legend by the time the 60s moved on! Even the very first tune is a stunner – a haunting reworking of the favorite "Just In Time" ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(70s pressing on Ghent. Vinyl plays with a light click on the first track. Cover is nice!)
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 – one of those key 60s records that have Nina Simone taking familiar material and investing it with a new sort of righteous ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Black label stereo pressing with deep groove. Cover has light wear.)
A great little album cut by Nina Simone during the time she was working with Weldon Irvine – a live album that really has the lady stretching out, and showing off all the cool, complicated grooves she brought to a concert setting! Weldon did the arrangements, and they've got a very righteous ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Orange label pressing. Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover has yellowed sticker spots.)
A classic set of early jazz recordings by Nina Simone – one of her first albums ever, but already with an approach that's quite different from other singers of the time! Nina's singing a fair bit of standards here, but she brings a deeply personal approach to the material – inflecting ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
An overlooked album from the legendary Nina Simone – recorded in Paris in the early 80s, and not circulated as much as some of her records from the 60s and 70s – but every bit as compelling in its own sort of way! Nina's working here with a greater array of global elements than on ... read moreCD
An overlooked album from the legendary Nina Simone – recorded in Paris in the early 80s, and not circulated as much as some of her records from the 60s and 70s – but every bit as compelling in its own sort of way! Nina's working here with a greater array of global elements than on ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A massive document of some of the most important years in the career of Nina Simone – her mid 60s recordings for Philips Records, done at a time when she was really breaking out into a new style! The Philips sides perfectly capture all of the turbulent energy of the times – as Nina, ... read moreCD
Classic work from Nina Simone – and an album that definitely lives up to its title! Nina Simone certainly emerged as the high priestess of soul during her monumental stretch for Philips Records in the 60s – as she moved way past jazz, way past some of the folk she'd begun tapping into, ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Classic work from Nina Simone – and an album that definitely lives up to its title! Nina Simone certainly emerged as the high priestess of soul during her monumental stretch for Philips Records in the 60s – as she moved way past jazz, way past some of the folk she'd begun tapping into, ... read moreCD
Nina Simone —
Let It All Out ... LP Philips, 1965. New Copy (reissue)...
$18.9925.99
A set that's a great bridge between the fuller sound of Nina Simone's late 60s material and some of smaller jazz combo work – as the album mostly features Nina working with a smaller group, but already at a level that hints at the righteous rising power in her music! The core combo features ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A key early moment for Nina Simone – recorded live at Newport in 1960, at a time when the festival was one of the most important showcases for groundbreaking jazz – and a perfect setting for Nina to really let loose in that righteous style that would fuel her career during the 60s! ... read moreCD
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
(Gold label stereo pressing with red serif text logo and deep groove. Cover has some ringwear and yellowing from age.)
A live set from Nina Simone – and one of those records that has her taking familiar material, but completely transforming it in the process – using tunes that might not seem that political at the start, then mixing them with other righteous numbers, to create this amazingly rich ... read moreCD
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 ... read moreCD
A mid-80s comeback album from Nina Simone – and a set that shows her continuing to experiment with new modes as the years move forward! Back in the 60s, Nina effortlessly folded together her jazz vocal roots with new ideas in folk, soul, and other styles – and here she expands that ... read moreCD
A mid-80s comeback album from Nina Simone – and a set that shows her continuing to experiment with new modes as the years move forward! Back in the 60s, Nina effortlessly folded together her jazz vocal roots with new ideas in folk, soul, and other styles – and here she expands that ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album