Amazing work from singer Dee Alexander – a wonderfully soulful album of jazz vocals, and one that we'd rank right up there with our favorite records by Carmen Lundy or Dee Dee Bridgewater! Dee's a singer who's worked in Chicago for years, but we've honestly only begun to appreciate her ... read moreCD
A classic album from one of our favorite jazz singers ever – a set that really set a whole new standard for a generation! Even at this early stage, Lorez Alexandria was an amazingly accomplished vocalist – as you'll hear on this excellent selection of tunes from the Lester Young ... read moreCD
Perhaps one of the straightest albums that Lorez ever cut – but still pretty darn great! She's got a unique voice that's capable of being fairly smooth and mainstream, yet still manages to hit these wonderful soulful passages that transform any kind of material and makes it her own. That's ... read moreCD
Like many other 70s reissues in the Prestige/Milestone/fantasy family, this set compiles 2 early albums by Mose. Unlike a lot of his later material, this set's mostly instrumental, though he does get in some vocals on about a third of the tracks. The album features some great work by Allison's ... read moreCD
Beautiful later work from Mose Allison – still completely charming and totally on top of his game! The set includes the fantastic title track – plus "Gettin There", "Tai Chi Life", "What's Your Movie", "I'm Alive", and "Top Forty". ... read moreCD
A great cooker from the glory days of Ernestine Anderson on Concord Records – a time when the singer was rediscovered, and revamped in a bit of a bluesy mode – reaching a wide new audience at the time! Her vocals really shine at this point in her career, as she lets loose with a bit ... read moreCD
With Trummy Young on trombone, Dave McRae on clarinet, Billy Kyle on piano, George Barnes on guitar, Mort Herbert on bass, Barrett Deems on drums, and Nickie Tagg on organ; with choir directed by Sy Oliver. (Jazz, Vocalists)CD
(Out of print Verve Master Edition.)
Fred Astaire —
Jazz Time ... CD Proper (UK), Early 1950s. Used 2 CDs ...
$6.99
One of Chet Baker's most classic albums of the 50s – a record that features both vocals and strong trumpet solos – all from a time when Baker was one of the hottest things going in jazz! The album's different from records from previous years, in that it moves Baker from LA to New York ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreCD
Patricia Barber —
Cafe Blue ... CD Premonition, 1994. Used ...
$4.99
Patricia Barber on piano and vocals, John McLean on guitars, Michael Arnopol on bass, and Mark Walker on drums and percussion. Titles include "What A Shame", "Mourning Grace", "Ode To Billie Joe", "Mahna De Carnaval", "Inch Worm", "The Thrill ... read moreCD
Tony Bennett —
Cloud 7 ... CD Columbia, 1955. Used ...
$3.99
One of Tony Bennett's greatest jazz sessions – a sublime mid 50s outing that features small combo backing from guitarist Chuck Wayne! The setting is extremely spare for the time – a real contrast from the higher drama of some of Tony's 50s chart hits, and the kind of a record that ... read moreCD
(Out of print. Includes a one-sheet! Punch through barcode.)
A fantastic comeback moment for the great Andy Bey – a singer who did incredible work in the 60s and 70s – then disappeared from the recording scene for awhile! The set's a compelling batch of jazz vocal tracks that show Andy reinventing himself for a whole new generation of jazz ... read moreCD
(Barcode has a cutout hole.)
Elsie Bianchi Trio —
Atlantis Blues ... CD Sonorama (Germany), 1962. New Copy ...
$8.9919.99
A rare early session from the lovely Elsie Bianchi – best known for her classic 60s sides on Saba/MPS, heard here in a very similar format! The set features Elsie working with her combo from the Swiss Atlantis nightclub in the early 60s – and was originally issued as a limited-number ... read moreCD
A pair of later jazzy vocal LP gems by Teresa Brewer, both backed by jazz greats – Songs Of Bessie Smith with Count Basie and Thad Jones, and It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing with Duke Ellington – both released by Flying Dutchman in 1973! Teresa's popularity peaked a ... read moreCD
A beautiful love letter from Dee Dee Bridgewater to her adopted home of Paris – sung in French, and with a feel that's quite different than much of her recent work! The style here wonderfully mixes together bits of jazz and more traditional chanson – in a style that recalls some of the ... read moreCD
One of Dee Dee Bridgewater's greatest jazz albums, and a very important record in her career – as it marked a shift back to straight jazz vocals, after years of working in a more R&B inflected mode. The album's recorded in Paris, where Dee Dee's spent an awful lot of time over the years, ... read moreCD
A modern classic from Dee Dee Bridgewater – one of her hippest albums of the later years, thanks to a great choice of material, and some really wonderful execution! The album's a beautiful set of straight jazz vocal readings of some of Horace Silver's best compositions, and it also features ... read moreCD
A different James Brown album – but a nice one! James doesn't sing soul, so much as jazz – in front of large backings by Louis Bellson, with arrangements by Oliver Nelson that are in his best 60s soul mode – and which give the album a very very groovy feel overall! The record's ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
One of Oscar Brown's great ones, recorded live at the Cellar Door in Washington before an enthusiastic crowd of hipsters! The record's a beautiful mix of soul, jazz, and folk – in the same Chicago tradition that spawned Terry Callier (although Brown's style has a bit more of a "show" ... read moreCD
One of the coolest collaborations of Dave Brubeck's years at Columbia Records – and one of the greatest jazz sessions from vocalist Jimmy Rushing too! On paper, the modernist Brubeck and Kansas City roots singer Rushing would seem to be a very unlikely pair – but by this time in his ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreCD
Laverne Butler fronts a piano trio led by Bruce Barth! Tracks include "This Bitter Earth", "Hit The Road Jack", "Late Sunday Afternoon", "I'm A Fool To Want You" and "Willow Weep For Me". CD
(Digipak has some edge wear.)
Ann Hampton Callaway —
Slow ... CD Shanachie, 2004. Used ...
$2.99
A brilliant live set by Betty Carter – originally issued on her own Bet-Car label in 1980, and a perfect summation of the underground soul that was bubbling through her work in the 70s! The Betty you hear here is way different than the Betty of earlier years – freer, more soulful, ... read moreCD
Fantastic stuff, and proof that Rosemary Clooney was always one heck of a great singer – with strengths in jazz that you didn't always hear in her pop work! As you'd guess from the cover, Duke Ellington's leading the group on the album – and most of the tracks here are older Ellington ... read moreCD
Freddy Cole on vocals and piano, Eddie Edwards on bass, and Ed Zad on drums – performing titles that include "Where Did Everyone Go?", "The Best Man", "Funny (Not Much)", "Home Fried Potatoes", and "Nat Cole Medley" – a 10 minute tribute ... read moreCD
18 great tracks that show Nat's strong ability to handle material as a romantic and ballad singer – not in kind of a weepy mode, but in a sophisticated strong-willed style that was a perfect blend of measured emotion and simmering intensity. Titles include "Love Is The Thing", ... read moreCD
CD includes 28 tracks, with music by the early King Cole Trio, plus some nice solo material too! Titles that include "Nature Boy", "Too Young", "Send For Me", "Mona Lisa", "On The Street Where You Live", "Almost Like Being In Love", "S ... read moreCD
An unforgettable album from Natalie Cole – a record that came at a time when her R&B career was faltering slightly, and a set that not only helped Natalie reach a new level of sophistication in her music – but also find a huge new audience too! If the title sounds familiar, it's ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
Gwen Matthews on vocals, Denis Colin on bass clarinet, Didier Petit on cello, and Pablo Cueco on percussion. (Jazz, Vocalists)CD
Steve & Iqua Colson —
Hope For Love ... CD Silver Sphinx, 2003. Used ...
$0.995.99
Beautiful work from Adegoke Steve Colson – a warmly grooving set cut with vocalist Iqua Colson – possibly one of Steve's straightest records ever, but one of his most soulful, too! Iqua's got a fluid vocal approach that's mighty nice – and the Colson combo swings in a mix of ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreCD
(Out of print original Silver Sphinx pressing. Booklet has a bit of marker.)
Four late 60s gems from Perry Como – all records that really have him pushing beyond his pop style of the 50s! First up is Lightly Latin – one of the most sublime albums we've ever heard from Perry Como – a set that definitely takes its Latin lightly, and instead really goes for ... read moreCD
The first album in a legendary run of vocal jazz classics on Atlantic Records – and a set that really helped Chris Connor move to a new level of expression in her music! The sound here is much richer than Connor's previous recordings for Bethlehem – and the small combo jazz backings ... read moreCD
Although most of Chris Connor's best recordings for Atlantic have always been darn tough to find, and rarely reissued, this excellent 2-fer makes these classic albums of icy vocals available once again! Chris sings in her best cool voice, with backing by a number of different groups made up of ... read moreCD
(1999 Collectables pressing, barcode has a cutout hole.)
Chris Connor —
Chris Craft ... CD Atlantic (Japan), 1958. Used ...
$8.99
Chris' Craft is a great one here – beautifully simple and straightforward jazz vocals, served up at a level that few other singers can match! The album's one of our favorites from Connor's classic years with Atlantic – as it's got a mellow, moody approach that's filled with the darker ... read moreCD
A very cool album from Noel Coward – a talent you're probably more familiar with as a playwright, but who also happens to be quite the entertainer! This album is one of two great sets that Coward recorded live in the US in the mid 50s, and they really show him opening up a lot from earlier ... read moreCD
Pre 4 Seasons work from Bob Crewe – with 27 tracks including "All The Things You Are", "Kicks", "Silhouettes", "Bye Bye Blackbird", "Let's Get Serious", "Crazy In The Head", and "Water Boy". (Rock, Vocalists)CD
Meredith D'Ambrosio —
Cove ... CD Sunnyside, 1988. Used ...
$6.99
Features Lee Konitz on alto and Fred Hersch on piano! CD
A really wonderful set of Brazilian vocal tunes – sung by Pamela Driggs in a warm and jazzy mode that recalls some of the greats of the 70s! Production is spare and smooth, but never too smooth – and Pamela sings in a mix of English and Portuguese, scatting and tripping easily between ... (Brazil, Vocalists)read moreCD
The title says it all – as Billy sings themes from 12 big movies of the late 50s and early 60s – familiar tunes done here in a nice soulful setting, with arrangements by Billy Byers, and Bobby Tucker at the head of the orchestra. Titles include "More", "The High & ... read moreCD
Later work by Billy Eckstine – a nice little album from the early 60s, recorded in a dark and somber tone that shows a whole new side to his voice! The album features amazingly restrained arrangements by Billy May – a mix of jazz and strings that has a sadder, deeper style than before ... read moreCD
The name, and the title, give the whole game away – as Eliane performs a set of older Brazilian tunes, all in that wonderful light-hearted style of hers! About half the tracks feature Eliane on vocals, the rest just piano – working with players that include Eddie Gomez, Jack DeJohnette ... read moreCD
We want to hate this guy! Why? Well, because years ago, when he was still just a divinity grad student at the University of Chicago, we used to catch him sitting in on sessions all over the south side. At the time, his vocal stylings used to make us wince – but those years in the trenches ... read moreCD
(Promotional sticker on booklet cover and stamp on CD.)
A beautiful tribute to the historic pairing of John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman – delivered here by one of our favorite jazz singers working today! The album's way more than just a simple rehash of a classic – as Kurt Elling expands upon the Coltrane/Hartman vibe tremendously, taking ... read moreCD
Think what you may about this groove-patched hipster – we still think he's one of the best jazz vocalists of our time! Kurt Elling's carrying a torch that few other singers could handle – a direct line back to the genius male jazz vocal work of singers like Mark Murphy and Jon ... read moreCD
One of the best studio albums in years from Kurt Elling – the much-overlooked Blue Note vocalist who's truly one of the greatest singers of his generation! The album returns Elling to a format that we really love – a setting in which he's able to craft his own lyrics to tunes – ... read moreCD
Titles include "My Foolish Heart", "She's Funny That Way", "Where I Belong", "The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing", and "Freddie's Yen For Jen". CD
Ella Fitzgerald in Budapest – but swinging just as hard as on any of her other records from the time! The set's a later issue of an unreleased live date recorded in 1970 – a set that captures Fitzgerald right at the height of her international fame, at a time when she could captivate ... read moreCD
Quite a popular live album from Ella – recorded in Berlin at the height of the cold war years – featuring a famous recording of "Mack The Knife" that almost blew away Bobby Darin's hit with the cut! The album's nicely free of some of the stodginess of some of Ella's Songbook ... read moreCD