An incredibly evocative record – one of the strangest of its kind, and an audio treasure that we've loved for years! Eden Ahbez first came into public prominence as the man who wrote "Nature Boy" for Nat King Cole – a dark, moody tune that was as mysterious and earthy as the ... (Now Sound, Vocalists)read moreCD
Chet Baker —
Chet On Poetry ... CD Novus/Mono Jazz (Italy), 1988. New Copy ...
$16.9919.99
Completely evocative late life work from Chet Baker – one of the last albums he ever recorded, and a set that shows just how much Baker kept evolving in the later years of his career! Given some of the personal troubles that plagued Chet over the decades, there's sometimes a thought out ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreCD
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 really unusual slice of work from pianist Elsie Bianchi – not just because the tracks here have never been heard before, but also because they feature Elsie playing some Hammond, in addition to her usual piano – and the recording was also made in Atlanta, and not some of the European ... read moreCD
Two of the greatest French songwriters of the postwar years – each dealing with a variety of topics, served up here in a very unique setting! The package features five CDs that each bring together themes that are strong in the music of both – love, death, injustice, and so on – ... (French, Vocalists)read moreCD
Some of the most unique vocal work ever recorded – a stunning collection of Columbia sides by Oscar Brown Jr, a singer who mixed together equal parts jazz, soul, and folk – and came up with a sound that was all his own! Oscar bubbled out of the hip Chicago scene of the early 60s – ... read moreCD
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
Chris Connor —
Alone Together ... CD Lob/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1978. New Copy ...
$20.9924.99
Chris Connor is easily one of the best song stylists of her generation – and although most of her better-known work was cut for American labels in the 50s and 60s, she kept on making really great records and developing her sound overseas – as on this gem of a date for the Japanese ... read moreCD
A pair of albums from the great Jackie DeShannon – back to back on a single CD! First up is the UK-only release Don't Turn Your Back On Me – a great batch of material with a sweet west coast pop groove – and one that includes a fair number of original tunes written by Jackie ... (Rock, Vocalists)read moreCD
A classic set of jazz vocals from Blossom Dearie – recorded at Ronnie Scott's nightclub when she was living in London during the 60s! The set's got a nice intimate feel, and is one of Blossom's best-ever jazz recordings – a bit more live and hip than some of her Verve material, with ... read moreCD
A stunning look at one of our favorite singers of all time – captured here in the grooviest period of her career, and presented with a huge amount of rare and unreleased material too! In the late 60s, after her famous recordings for Verve, Blossom Dearie moved to the London scene, worked ... read moreCD
An incredible lost slice of work from one of our favorite singers of all time – a set of different live performances recorded in the Netherlands, most of which have some larger arrangements that give the whole thing the same sort of vibe as Blossom Dearie's famous London recordings of the 60s! ... read moreCD
There's few singers we like better than Blossom Dearie – and this great little record captures Blossom at her unfettered best, working live before an intimate crowd at London's Ronnie Scott's nightclub in the 60s! The performance is in the same small combo mode as some of Dearie's Verve ... read moreCD
An amazing record – one that we'd never part with! The session is one of Blossom Dearie's greatest records ever – a sublime set of tunes recorded in London, at the end of the 60s, with larger arrangements than usual, and a feel that's almost psychedelic. Backings were arranged and ... read moreCD
Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger, & The Trinity —
Streetnoise ... CD Atlantic/Universal (Japan), 1969. New Copy ...
$10.9913.99
Some great funky grooves by this legendary British ensemble – featuring excellent keyboard work by Brian Auger, recorded during the period when he was really beginning to stretch out a bit, and hit a much more open-ended kind of sound. Julie Driscoll is still on vocals, singing in her raw ... read moreCD
(Part of the "Golden Era Of Rock – 1965 to 1975" series!)
A previously-unknown recording of two giant Verve Records stars of the 50s – captured here in a European performance, but not as part of the regular Jazz At The Philharmonic touring package! The set begins with two long tracks that are a superb showcase for the trumpet of Roy Eldridge – ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreCD
Kurt Elling has been one of the greatest jazz singers of the past few decades, yet he's always pushing his music too – moving past the overdone styles that tend to hold back other singers, with an ear that's very open to new settings, and new possibilities for his magnificent voice! Here, he ... read moreCD
Melissa Errico's maybe not the best-known jazz singer on the scene, but she's very well-remembered for this fantastic set of tunes penned by Michel Legrand – all set to very sublime orchestrations by Legrand himself! The feel here is lush – both in the fullness of Errico's vocals, and ... read moreCD
A nice little package, one that brings together three American releases of music by London's legendary Georgie Fame! First up is the classic Yeh Yeh – a brilliant mix of jazz, soul, and R&B – all filtered through a mod sort of London freshness, as early proof that the city could ... read moreCD
Sunny wonderfulness from one of the grooviest vocal groups of all time! This is Free Design's legendary album for children – referred to in the title as "very important people" – and it's a strangely hip set of tracks designed to get the kids to open up in a groovy late 60s ... read moreCD
One of the darkest albums ever recorded by Astrud Gilberto – her 60s last session for Verve Records, and a batch of beautifully moody tunes throughout! Arrangements are by Albert Gorgoni, who'd handled Gilberto's previous September 69 album – but the style here is a bit mellower, a bit ... (Brazil, Vocalists)read moreCD
One of the moodiest Verve albums from Astrud Gilberto – a set that has some surprising arrangements by Gil Evans – working here on one of his few 60s dates with a singer! Astrud's blue-tinged vocals work perfectly with Evans' backdrops – and Al Cohn also takes over the helm on ... (Brazil, Vocalists)read moreCD
One of the grooviest records ever from the lovely Astrud Gilberto – a session that beautifully mixes her usual bossa nova with bits of Sunshine Pop and other hip late 60s grooves – all in a mode that really takes off a lot more than other Gilberto albums on Verve! The style here is ... (Brazil, Vocalists)read moreCD
Babs Gonzales —
Voila ... CD Hope/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1958. New Copy ...
$16.9919.99
Maybe the coolest album ever recorded by the great Babs Gonzales – singer, poet, and a key force on the scene during the early years of bebop! Babs has a style that's unlike anyone else – he does a bit of the vocalese soloing based on jazz instrumentation that you'll hear from Eddie ... read moreCD
Gypsy (Shirley Bunnie Foy) —
Way-O ... CD Diagram/Mono Jazz (Italy), 1974. New Copy ...
$16.9919.99
A really cool set from the Italian scene of the 70s – one that features very hip vocals from the great Shirley Bunnie Foy, set to lean instrumentation that makes the whole thing nicely different than just a standard jazz vocal session! Shirley plays percussion next to her vocals, and the set ... read moreCD
Lonnie Holley —
Oh Me Oh My ... CD Jagjaguwar, 2023. New Copy ...
$12.9913.99
Really mindblowing music from Lonnie Holley – not the first album from this important visual artist, but maybe the one where he'll be firmly established as an equally important recording force too! There's a genre-less quality going on here – as Holley provides this mystic blend of ... read moreCD
A really lovely debut from Kurena Ishikawa – both a singer and a bassist, and one who works here with a universal appeal that could well have new ears digging her music around the globe! Kurena sings in English and Japanese, with a very personal, down to earth vibe that's really wonderful ... read moreCD
Jose James —
On & On ... CD Rainbow Blonde, 2022. New Copy ...
$11.9912.99
There's a very righteous image on the cover of this album from Jose James – one that evokes a record from Alice Coltrane, which might hide the fact that the album's a tremendous tribute to the music of Erykah Badu! Clearly, Badu's been a huge force in soul music for years, and opened the ... (Neo Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
Samara Joy is a rare jazz singer – the sort who manages to have ties to the past, but also really bring so much of her own spirit to the music – not subtle inflections on the tunes, but instead this really personal style that has her absorbing older tracks and turning them into ... read moreCD
Drummer Leonard King was on a number of classic 70s recordings by Detroit organ legend Lyman Woodard – but here, he comes across in a much older style of jazz – mixing vocals with small combo work on a set of older standards and some originals too! King's got a wonderfully charming ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreCD
Magnificent work from European jazz vocalist Karin Krog – a landmark album that shows why she sings like no other singer! On this 1974 session, Karin moves far beyond the standard jazz of her roots – into territory that's spacey, cosmic, and filled with the best influences bubbling ... read moreCD
Jeanne Lee —
Conspiracy ... CD Earthforms/Moved By Sound (UK), 1975. New Copy ...
$12.9919.99
One of the most obscure albums ever from the amazing singer Jeanne Lee – and that's saying a lot, given how obscure most of her albums are in general! The record has a beautifully poetic feel – a mixture of songs, improvisations, and some spoken passages too – set to fantastic ... read moreCD
Peggy Lee's best known as a jazz singer, but this very cool collection emphasizes her work in more pop-based fields of the postwar years – great grooving tracks when Lee was touching on R&B, early rock, and other more upbeat styles! The match of Bear Family presentation and these well-cho ... read moreCD
Great later work from Abbey Lincoln! The album Talking To The Sun is something of a comeback set for Abbey Lincoln – an extremely powerful set from the early 80s, and one that helped set the tone for some great albums to come! Abbey's working here in a bold style that includes a fair bit of ... read moreCD
Lisa Marne & Her Combo —
Like Young ... CD Modern Harmonic, 1965. New Copy ...
$15.9916.99
A very groovy set of jazz vocals – recorded in the mid 60s by Lisa Marne, who was once a TV variety show personality – but never issued at the time! The "combo" on the title really gives a great indication of the feel of the record – small group backing with a very ... read moreCD
Four early 80s classics from Johnny Mathis – presented here in a single 2CD package! Different Kinda Different is a tremendous start to the 80s for Johnny Mathis – and a set that really continues that strong shift into soul-based territory he begun in the 70s! Gene Page handles a lot ... read moreCD
Four fantastic records from a time when Johnny Mathis was really evolving his sound! On Me & Mrs Jones, Johnny Mathis takes on the sophisticated soul modes of the 70s, and also adds in a few other styles too – on an album that shows just how much the singer had changed in nearly 20 years ... read moreCD
Three full albums from Johnny Mathis in one single set – the last of which was actually issued originally as a 2LP set! First up is Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head – great magic from Johnny Mathis at the start of the 70s – a set that has Johnny working through some groovier ... read moreCD
Three great 60s albums from jazz singer Carmen McRae – all in a single set! Second To None is one of Carmen McRae's best records of the 60s – an album done with beautiful arrangements from Peter Matz, who's probably best known for his work with Barbara Streisand at the time – and ... read moreCD
Japanese jazz vocalist Junko Mine made a great trip to LA for this album – working here under the leadership of pianist Lou Levy, with a group that includes some of the best west coast jazz players of the 50s! At the time, American labels were often ignoring the talent that was still ... read moreCD
Junko Mine with Sleepy Matsumoto —
I Wish You Love ... CD All Art/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1978. New Copy ...
$20.9924.99
A really classic-styled vocal set from singer Junko Mine – one that also features superb tenor solos from the great Hidehiko Sleepy Matsumoto – who punctuates the music in all the right ways! The set's a 70s album, but done with the care and class of a Verve Records vocal session from ... read moreCD
Nao —
Left Alone ... CD Treno (Japan), 2022. New Copy ...
$9.9926.99
Nao's a singer with an unusual sense of phrasing and a great ear for a song – one that has her putting together a really well-chosen batch of material that gets past the usual while still also staying in familiar jazz territory too! The approach is a bit like some of the best indie jazz ... read moreCD
Meshell Ndegeocello just seems to grow more and more with each new record – quite a feat, given how unique she was at the start! Yet this record clearly marks a new chapter in her wonderful legacy – effortlessly weaving together soul, funk, and plenty of jazzy inspiration – all ... (Neo Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
Abiodun Oyewole —
Gratitude ... CD Fire, 2022. New Copy ...
$7.9915.99
Fantastic work from Abiodun Oyewole – best known as one of the founding members of the legendary Last Poets – but a singer who works here with a contemporary crispness that goes way beyond his roots! The message in Abiodun's older recordings is still alive and well here – in part ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
Soyoung Park's not just a great singer, she's a pretty great songwriter too – one who delivers mostly original material on this set, and makes the whole thing a really nice change from the usual jazz vocal album! Park's got a crisp, light style at times – almost somewhere in Blossom ... read moreCD
Kellee Patterson —
Maiden Voyage ... CD Black Jazz/Real Gone, 1973. New Copy ...
$8.9913.99
The most righteous album ever from Kellee Patterson – her first record, and a set that's way different from her more soul-based sides of later years! The album's got Patterson working in a wonderfully soulful approach to jazz – a style that's not unlike the earliest work by Dee Dee ... read moreCD
A wild little record from this little-known American singer – a set recorded in Germany at the end of the 60s, with a compelling mix of jazz, bossa, psychedelic, and funky touches! Don's got this weird sort of raspy vocal approach a times – a rumbling style of putting over a lyric that' ... read moreCD
One of the deepest soul sets from Esther Phillips' 70s years on Kudu Records – a set with some nicely gritty grooves and a surprisingly earthy feel at times – especially when compared to some of her other albums of the time! Backings are by James Brown's old reedman, Pee Wee Ellis ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
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 moreCD
Two full albums from one of the most popular jazz singers of his day – back to back on the same CD, with bonus material too! First up is the album I Worry About You – fantastic work from Arthur Prysock – a singer who really helped redefine the role of the male singer in the 60s, ... read moreCD
Cecile McLorin Salvant —
Ghost Song ... CD Nonesuch, 2022. New Copy ...
$13.9914.99
A fantastic new chapter in music from Cecile McLorin Salvant – a singer who's only been with us for a little more than a decade, has already gotten a Grammy and a MacArthur Genius Grant – yet hasn't let that stop her from being even more creative than ever! Cecile's still very much a ... read moreCD
Cecile McLorin Salvant —
Melusine ... CD Nonesuch, 2023. New Copy ...
$13.9914.99
Cecile McLorin Salvant has already been one of the most striking jazz singers to emerge in years – and here, she pushes her talents even further – as she moves past standard material, into a complex realm that's all her own! The album's a unified batch of songs dedicated to the ... 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 moreCD
Gil Scott-Heron at his early best and most revolutionary – circa Small Talk At 125th And Lenox, Pieces Of Man and Free Will, plus a host of rare and unreleased material – the complete Flying Dutchman Masters in a masterfully compiled anthology! Rather than simply collecting the ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
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 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 moreCD
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 moreCD
A really fantastic live album from Nina Simone – recorded at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1966, and delivered with that hard-burning energy that always makes Nina's concert performances so mindblowing! There's a lean, mean groove to the record – sharply soulful piano from Simone, and ... read moreCD
Gary Smulyan with Anais Reno —
Tadd's All Folks ... CD Stateside (Denmark), 2022. New Copy ...
$16.9919.99
A really unique take on the music of jazz legend Tadd Dameron – a set that focuses entirely on vocal versions of his compositions – a side of Dameron's legacy that's sometimes overlooked! Tadd wasn't that much of a lyricist himself – although he did do two of the songs here ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreCD
An incredible record from this enigmatic vocal group! Sound Of Feeling were an ultra hip trio (2 gals, 1 guy) who recorded under the aegis of Leonard Feather at the end of the 60s – and who worked in a mode that combined sweet harmony vocals, sunshine pop, and some surprisingly experimental ... read moreCD
The first-ever anthology of work by Sharon Tandy – a mod Brit singer from the 60s, one with a really groovy sound! Sharon's got the same heartbreaking blend of soul and pop that you'd find in Dusty Springfield at her best, but she's working with arrangements that have a rawer sound – ... (Rock, Vocalists)read moreCD
A well-selected set of tracks by the legendary vocalist Leon Thomas – one that focuses squarely on his recordings for the Flying Dutchman label – with standouts from his own records, a crucial collaboration with Johnny Hodges, and a previously unreleased tune as well! The collection ... 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
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
A rare jazz treasure from the European scene of the early 70s – killer material from a wealth of American artists and local talents – all done as special sessions for Dutch radio, and never issued to the public on record! Despite the radio origins of the music, the sound here is ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreCD
(And don't miss the Mark Murphy Happy Samba 7" – which features different material from the same sessions!)
Sarah Vaughan has a wonderfully warm glow here – that richness in her voice that only seemed to come on more strongly as the 70s moved on – with elements that are every bit as great as her famous recordings of the 50s, but even more mature, and more finely-tuned with an understanding of ... read moreCD
Dinah Washington —
Mellow Mama ... CD Apollo/Delmark, 1945. New Copy ...
$2.9912.99
A very early chapter in the career of the great Dinah Washington – a series of sessions she cut for Apollo Records in the mid 50s, right before she would soon rise to fame on Mercury – and material that's every bit as interesting for the players involved as it is for Dinah's vocals ... read moreCD
Great groovy pop from the Italian scene of the 60s – a wealth of rare singles from female singers, almost all of whom we've never heard before! We'll confess to a long love and deep knowledge of female French singers from the time – but also admit a strong ignorance about most Italian ... (Rock, Vocalists)read moreCD
The great Jimmy Webb is one of our favorite songwriters of the 60s – a young man at the start, but one who could come across with a maturity that few of his contemporaries could match – arguably setting the scene for a key step into adult pop that would really explode in the 70s! Yet ... (Rock, Vocalists)read moreCD
Cool space songs in all sorts of styles – raw rockers, swinging vocal numbers, and even some cool instrumentals that have all sorts of weird sound effects and spacey modes – brought together here in a wonderfully overstuffed package! We've loved the other releases in the Destination ... (Rock, Vocalists)read moreCD
A really cool collection of car-themed tunes – not 60s hot rod numbers, but mostly 50s tracks from those years when the automobile was really beginning to dominate American culture – and served as the inspiration for car-based cuts in a variety of different styles! A good number of the ... (Rock, Vocalists)read moreCD
Take a trip to the sea with this mighty sweet collection – a whole batch of boat and summer-related tracks from the glory days of the 7" single – served up in a variety of different genres, and with a mix of music that would work pretty darn well for a winter cruise as well! The ... (Rock, Vocalists)read moreCD
A really cool set, and one that goes way past the usual 60s soul and pop modes that usually define a girl group compilation – as this one goes way way back, and traces female harmony modes from the early swing years onwards – served up in a massive 82 track package that's overflowing ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
The image of a female singer at a piano is nothing new, but it definitely has a very special place in the history of jazz – maybe one of the few spots where a female instrumentalist could really get some time in the spotlight, while also breaking past some of the more standard cliches of ... read moreCD