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Features Hoagy Carmichael in a variety of settings plus recordings by Frank Sinatra and Tommy Dorsey, Bob Hope, Billy Eckstine with Earl Hines and His Orchestra, and Bing Crosby. CD

Brilliant work throughout – both of Ray Charles' classic country albums in a single package! Volume one is the stuff of legends – and what seemed a silly idea at the time was true proof of Ray's genius – the most successful album of his career and a bona-fide number one hit that rode the charts for years and years! Ray's voice works perfectly with the material, and thanks to soulful arrangements by Gil Fuller, Marty Paich, and Gerald Wilson, the whole thing comes off to perfection. Titles include "You Don't Know Me", "I Can't Stop Lovin You", "Careless Love", "You Win Again", and "Worried Mind". Volume 2 is the second installment of one of Ray's greatest albums – and a landmark in the genre of country soul! As the title implies, Ray's singing a host of tunes best known from the country side of the spectrum – but he's working here with arrangements by LA jazzers Marty Paich and Gerald Wilson, to completely re-cast the tunes into the "modern sounds" mode promised in the title. The result is wonderful – a style that gave Ray's career a whole new boost, and a genre that was a perfect foil for his rich bluesy mode of singing. Titles include "No Letter Today", "Take These Chains From My Heart", "Teardrops In My Heart", "Making Believe", and "Hang Your Head In Shame". (Soul, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

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... LP, Vinyl record album

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A great illustration of the genius of Carmen McRae in the 70s – a record that easily shows why Carmen was hipper than most of her contemporaries from two decades before! The set has the vocalist somehow managing to still stick in a straight jazz style, without going for cheaper soul routines – yet also opening up with more of a sense of mature presence that showed the sophistication of the times – a killer blend that really makes the album a gem from these 70s years! The live setting features Carmen working through a mixture of new and old material in some really unique variations – working with a small group that includes Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet and Marshall Otwell on keyboards, carving out some space with a really wonderfully confident feel. Numbers include "No More Blues", "Only Women Bleed", "A Beautiful Friendship", "Star Eyes", "Dindi", "Never Let Me Go", "On A Clear Day", "On Green Dolphin Street", and "I'm Always Drunk In San Francisco". LP, Vinyl record album

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... LP, Vinyl record album

Mark Murphy sings the music of Ivan Lins – a great mix of modes, with instrumentation from Azymuth, and work from Frank Morgan on alto and Claudio Roditi on trumpet! CD

(Jazz, Vocalists) CD

Vocalist Fay Victor joins the wonderful group Other Dimensions In Music – for a performance that really helps deepen the sound and knock the whole thing out of the park! Make no mistake, we already love the instrumental side of the group – Roy Campbell on trumpets and other instruments, Daniel Carter on saxes and flute, William Parker on bass, and Charles Downs on drums and percussion – all shifting instruments, and working together in a mode that's very strongly in a legacy that runs from the AACM through the loft jazz generation! But the presence of Victor's voice really adds a whole new layer – contributions from various texts, which are spoken and sung, but in ways that are as unconventional as the music that Campbell and Carter make on their horns. Titles include "An Open Letter", "We Is We Trini", "Saltfish Refried", "Three Friends Advised", "Kitch Goes Home", and "John Gilman Wants Tobacco". (Jazz, Vocalists) CD

Key proof that great songs never get old – and maybe even more, that the political messages of yesterday still have plenty of power today! Drummer Ulysses Owens mines the righteous territory of the 60s and 70s here – bringing together songs originally performed by Nina Simone, Abbey Lincoln, and Joni Mitchell – all with a fresher, more contemporary approach that resonates surprisingly strongly – especially given the superb vocals on the album by Rene Marie, Theo Bleckmann, Alicia Olatuja, and Joanna Majoko! You'll no doubt know some of these songs – and most of the originals have been inspiring us for many years – but Owens finds a great way to open them up and make them sound even more vibrant, working with a group that also includes Allyn Johnson on Fender Rhodes and Hammond, David Rosenthal on guitars, and Reuben Rogers on bass. Titles include "Balm In Gilead", "Borderline", "Driva Man", "Baltimore", "Everything Must Change", "Freedom Day", "Be My Husband", "Mississippi Goddamn", and "Both Sides Now". (Jazz, Vocalists) CD

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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, the tunes here all take inspiration from the poetry of Robert Creeley – but never in a mode that's got the usual jazz meets poetry approach – as Sheila Jordan sings the lyrics when they appear, with a sense of her own power that's very different than a more standard recitation – and which, to us, really feels a lot like her great vocal performances with Steve Kuhn for ECM. Kuhn is also in the group on piano, and other musicians include David Liebman on saxes, Lyle Mays on keyboards, and Bob Moses on drums – all working under the superb leadership of bassist Steve Swallow – who really outdid himself with the depth of feeling in this project. Titles include "Colors", "In The Fall", "She Was Young", "Some Echoes", "Ice Cream", and "You Didn't Think". (Jazz, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

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A beautiful set of hipster jazz vocals! This legendary album by Pittsburgh pianist Frank Cunimondo has always been a favorite for the jazz-dance groover "Feelin Good" – a cut which has an incredible drum and bass riff, and which has been sampled more than a few times over the past few years. But even above that track, the whole album's pretty darn great – and it features an excellent set of vocals by the lovely Lynn Marino, a very unique vocalist with a sweet style that's sort of like Blossom Dearie. The whole album's got a lovely light groove, with some heavy rolling piano lines from Frank, tight rhythm backing by the trio, and a great sweet sound from Lynn. A real treasure, and impossible to find on the original vinyl. Titles include "Beyond The Clouds", "Pretty Pretty", "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", "Love So Fine", "A House Is Not A Home", and the incredible "Feelin Good"! (Jazz, Vocalists) CD

A beautiful set of hipster jazz vocals! This legendary album by Pittsburgh pianist Frank Cunimondo has always been a favorite for the jazz-dance groover "Feelin Good" – a cut which has an incredible drum and bass riff, and which has been sampled more than a few times over the past few years. But even above that track, the whole album's pretty darn great – and it features an excellent set of vocals by the lovely Lynn Marino, a very unique vocalist with a sweet style that's sort of like Blossom Dearie. The whole album's got a lovely light groove, with some heavy rolling piano lines from Frank, tight rhythm backing by the trio, and a great sweet sound from Lynn. A real treasure, and impossible to find on the original vinyl. Titles include "Beyond The Clouds", "Pretty Pretty", "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", "Love So Fine", "A House Is Not A Home", and the incredible "Feelin Good"! (Jazz, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

Lovely work from Lisa Ono – one of the first singers of the modern age to return to the genius of 60s bossa, and one of the few to keep getting it right over the years! Here, Lisa sings with studio help from Mario Adnet – that great contemporary bossa talent who's got a key ear for updating instrumentation without ever losing the charm of the past – keeping things live, spontaneous, and with just the right current of sadness – but all without ever just aping the styles of the 60s either. Lisa's voice is wonderful – maybe even better here than on her earlier records – and titles include "Upa Neguinho", "Roda", "Mas Que Nada", "O Cantador", "Lapinha", "Tim Dom Dom", "Sa Marina", "Bossa Na Praia", and "Chove Chuva". (Brazil, Vocalists) CD

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... LP, Vinyl record album

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 talents of late – possibly because she's really hipped up her sound a lot over the years, picking up a range of spiritual, soulful influences that push her music to a whole new level – as you might have heard on her recent collaboration with IG Culture. The music on the set is wonderful too – work by Chicago players we know, but have never heard this strongly before – grooving in modal and soulful modes behind Dee's great vocals, with a lineup that includes Miguel De La Cerna and Michael Logan on piano, Harrison Bankhead on bass, and Leon Joyce on drums and percussion. Titles include versions of two tunes by AACM member Henry Huff – "Live" and "You & I" – plus the Alexander originals "Long Road Ahead", "Rossingnol", "Butterfly", and "C U On The Other Side". CD

A beautiful album from Lorez Alexanderia – one of her two excellent sessions for Impulse! The record was cut after Lorez recorded some great sides for the Argo label – and it works off the strength of those sides, taking her unique vocal approach, forged in R&B, but smoothed by jazz, into a whole new level of expression! The backing is great – small combo, with featured musicians who include Bunk Shank and Paul Horn on reeds, and Victor Feldman and Wynton Kelly on piano – all working with moody, soulful arrangements that are a perfect accompaniment to Lorez' beautiful voice. Includes the cuts "Get Me To The Church On Time", "Satin Doll", "Show Me", "The Best Is Yet to Come", "I'm Through With Love", and 5 more! CD

The second album by this excellent all-female San Francisco jazz combo – a live date that's even more cooking than their debut! As before, there's a sweetly breezy style to the record – that hip SF sound of the 70s – with echoes of Braziliana and soul amidst the group's jazzier leanings – all wrapped together with a sound that's tight, but never uptight! The female vocals give the music a feel that's like Janet Lawson, Sheila Landis, or some of the hipper European singers of the 70s – and instrumentation is mostly acoustic, save for a bit of Fender Rhodes. Titles include a version of Gil Scott-Heron's "Willing", plus "Greeting Song", "Call It Jazz", "Too Bad", "Golden River/Golden Dream", and "Heaven Is In Your Mind". CD

The word from Mose is mighty darn hip – served up here in a sweet Atlantic Records session that seems to really hone into all the mod influences his music would have in the 60s! The rootsy quality of Allison's earlier records is still firmly in place – but the group also has a tighter feel that's almost more soul jazz – thanks, in part, to work from Ben Tucker on bass – in a groove that's similar to some of his own contributions to 60s jazz. Titles include a great version of "Foolkiller" – one of Mose's greatest tracks – plus "One Of These Days", "Days Like These", "Your Red Wagon", "Look Here", "I'm Not Talking", and "New Parchman". CD

A fantastic collection of work from those years when singer Ann-Margret first popped up on the American market – young, fresh, and sexy – and willing to do whatever it took to make her music stand out from the pack! Ann-Margret's got a vocal range that's maybe deeper than most of her contemporaries – a lusty growl that makes you feel like she's singing from way down in her toes – with odd bluesy currents mixed with jazzier backings – all in a mode that has really blows away the sultry tones of previous singers like Peggy Lee or Julie London. This 30 track package is a very well-chosen array of tunes from the early RCA years – and includes lots of solo numbers, plus work with Elvis Presley and Al Hirt – on titles that include "Man's Favorite Sport", "Next Time", "Madrid/The Pleasure Seekers", "Mack The Knife", "My Baby Just Cares For Me", "Teach Me Tonight", "The Lady Loves Me", "You're The Boss", "Mr Wonderful", "That Old Black Magic", "Everything Makes Music When You're In Love", "Let Me Entertain You", "Take All The Kisses", "Something To Think About", and "Mister Kiss Kiss Bang Bang". CD

Wonderfully warm soul from the great Patti Austin – a key artist in the late 70s, and one who really helped push the music forward with a new sense of sophistication! Patti's got a strongly jazzy vibe here – and works with David Matthews arrangements that are really well put-together – less funky than some of Dave's other work of the period, and filled with these mellow moments that really let Austin's energy flow! The overall feel is a bit like some of Jean Carn's work on Philly International – hip, sophisticated, and filled with plenty of jazz touches – although with an even stronger approach to ballads – and titles include the classic "This Side Of Heaven", plus "More Today Than Yesterday", "Say You Love Me", "In My Life", "Give It Time", and "What's At The End Of A Rainbow". (Soul, Vocalists) CD

Includes music from the Carpenters, Perry Como, BJ Thomas, Aretha Franklin, the Shirelles, the Drifters, Tom Jones, Gene McDaniels, Tommy Hunt, the Searchers, Bobby Vinton, Chuck Jackson, Dusty Springfield, Jack DeShannon, Cilla Black, and many others! CD

Molly's got a bit of a twang, but is more of a pop singer than a country one – singing here with music by Bob Bain! (Funky 45's, Vocalists) 7-inch, Vinyl record

Casb Calloway and Thelma Carpenter sing songs from Blackbirds Of 1928, with backings by Lehman Engel – and Carpenter and Avon Long perform songs from Shuffle Along, with backings directed by Eubie Blake, who wrote the music! LP, Vinyl record album

Later Atlantic Records material from the legendary Ray Charles – a set that definitely lives up to the genius of the title, in that it shows a real sense of development in Ray's music! Charles has moved from the shorter R&B of his early Atlantic singles, to embrace some greater jazz-based sophistication – served up here with players who include Paul Gonsalves and Zoot Sims on tenor, Clark Terry and Joe Newman on trumpets, Melba Liston and Al Gray on trombones, and Freddie Greene on guitar – all players who really shift things towards a richer, fuller sound – setting the stage for Charles 60s growth at ABC Records, but with less of the country modes. Titles include Charles takes on classics like "Just For A Thrill", "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin", "Am I Blue", and "It Had To Be You" – and the record also features a young Marcus Belgrave delivering a trumpet solo on "Alexander's Ragtime Band". (Soul, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

Later Atlantic Records material from the legendary Ray Charles – a set that definitely lives up to the genius of the title, in that it shows a real sense of development in Ray's music! Charles has moved from the shorter R&B of his early Atlantic singles, to embrace some greater jazz-based sophistication – served up here with players who include Paul Gonsalves and Zoot Sims on tenor, Clark Terry and Joe Newman on trumpets, Melba Liston and Al Gray on trombones, and Freddie Greene on guitar – all players who really shift things towards a richer, fuller sound – setting the stage for Charles 60s growth at ABC Records, but with less of the country modes. Titles include Charles takes on classics like "Just For A Thrill", "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin", "Am I Blue", and "It Had To Be You" – and the record also features a young Marcus Belgrave delivering a trumpet solo on "Alexander's Ragtime Band". (Soul, Vocalists) CD

A mindblowing look at the early years of Nat King Cole – a set that stretches in a mighty wide space before Nat's big fame at Capitol Records – and which also greatly expands our understanding of the material he recorded during his Decca years too! The music takes Nat back to a time long before most folks know his music – with roots in the bluesier side of the Chicago scene, moving through jazzier modes of the swing generation, to the tight trio work that helped Cole shape the sound of a generation – and all before he even got a chance to record more as a singer, and with bigger backings too! There's definitely some early Decca Records material from the 78rpm years, but there's also lots of alternate takes, small label material for Philo, Excelsior, and other labels – then a stunning amount of transcription recordings that were done for radio and broadcast – plus a few live tracks too. Not all the work here was recorded under Nat's name, either – as there's tracks in which Cole features strongly in other combos – although most tracks are trio numbers, and guitar great Oscar Moore is in the lineup right from the start. The 10LP set features over 180 tracks in all, remastered with really great sound – plus a 16 page booklet that's filled with notes, photos, and lots more musical history! LP, Vinyl record album

A mindblowing look at the early years of Nat King Cole – a set that stretches in a mighty wide space before Nat's big fame at Capitol Records – and which also greatly expands our understanding of the material he recorded during his Decca years too! The music takes Nat back to a time long before most folks know his music – with roots in the bluesier side of the Chicago scene, moving through jazzier modes of the swing generation, to the tight trio work that helped Cole shape the sound of a generation – and all before he even got a chance to record more as a singer, and with bigger backings too! There's definitely some early Decca Records material from the 78rpm years, but there's also lots of alternate takes, small label material for Philo, Excelsior, and other labels – then a stunning amount of transcription recordings that were done for radio and broadcast – plus a few live tracks too. Not all the work here was recorded under Nat's name, either – as there's tracks in which Cole features strongly in other combos – although most tracks are trio numbers, and guitar great Oscar Moore is in the lineup right from the start. The 7CD set features over 180 tracks in all, remastered with really great sound – plus a 56 page booklet that's filled with notes, photos, and lots more musical history! CD