... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A groovy little vocal group with a swinging 50s sound – working here with some great jazzy arrangements from trombonist Kai Winding! The style of the set prefaces Winding's pop/jazz sides for Verve in the mid 60s – but has a sound that's somewhat similar – with lead vocals by the male/female Axidentals group, and some trombone-based jazzy backings that showcase Winding's horn amidst a larger brass section. There's a great poppy punch to these tunes – and the Axidentals themselves can be credited for some extremely inventive vocal arrangements at times – in styles that go way beyond those of conventional groups of the period, in a mode that reminds us of some of the work by the Kirby Stone Four or the John LaSalle Quartet. Titles include "Walkin", "Out Of This World", "You Gotta Wail", "No Moon At All", "Day In Day Out", and "Close To You". LP, Vinyl record album

If you've ever doubted the real jazz sensibility of Tony Bennett, then this is an album to change your mind – because Tony's working here in a marvelously unadorned setting – with only the piano of Bill Evans to back him up! The record's a rare gem from years after Bennett was cracking the pop charts, but was willing to pull back to the jazz of his roots – and the session's equally rare for Evans, who rarely worked with vocalists at this point in his career. The simplicity of the album is its strength – and together, the pair really sound tremendous – slightly faltering at times, but in a way that exposes a sense of humanity you might not find in other records, especially those by Bennett. Titles include "When In Rome", "Some Other Time", "The Touch Of Your Lips", "My Foolish Heart", "Waltz For Debby", and "Young & Foolish". LP, Vinyl record album

Ray Charles in a nicely maturing mode – on a record from later in his Atlantic Records years, definitely paving the way forward for his 60s classics on ABC! The tunes are blues, but not in the way that Charles first started recording on earlier singles for Atlantic – as there's a bit more class, care, and a strong current of jazz that Ray was bringing more and more to his music as the years went on. Titles include the Charles originals "Hard Times", "I Believe To My Soul", "Mr Charles Blues", "I Wonder Who", "Some Day Baby", and "Nobody Cares" – plus nice takes on "I'm Movin On" and "The Midnight Hour". (Soul, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

About as classic as you can get for The Chordettes – a record issued right at the height of their "Mr Sandman" fame – and a treasure trove of lesser-known tracks done with a very similar feel! There's a bit more production here than in the group's earliest work – a nice use of echo at times, and slight instrumentation that makes the tunes really sparkle nicely next to the vocals. The girls have definitely moved way past simple harmony modes here – hitting some amazing new sounds with their vocals, with a great deal of charm throughout. Titles include "Mr Sandman", "Eddie My Love", "Soft Sands", "Echo Of Love", "Hummingbird", "Like A Baby", and "Love Never Changes". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums by Nat King Cole – done with a bit more depth and feeling than some of his other Capitol sets of the time – and some great jazzy backings, too! Arrangements are by Dave Cavanaugh, but there's almost a Basie-like quality to the group at times – never too hard-swinging, but definitely that slow-burning quality the Count could hit so well with a singer, especially on the horns! The group is awash with Basie-ites – and saxes are by Marshall Royal, Frank Foster, Billy Mitchell, and Frank Wess; trumpets include Joe Newman and Thad Jones; trombones feature Al Grey, Henry Coker, and Benny Powell; and rhythm features guitar from Freddie Greene, piano from Gerald Wiggins, and drums from Sonny Payne – definitely a swinging lineup. Titles include the great "Welcome To The Club" – plus "Anytime Anyday Anywhere", "The Late Late Show", "Wee Baby Blues", "Avalon", "She's Funny That Way", and "The Blues Don't Care". LP, Vinyl record album

A very groovy mid 60s set from Chris Connor – quite different than her famous 50s sides for Bethlehem, thanks to some hip arrangements by Don Costa! Don never goes to over the top here, but he does add in some nice groovy touches – things like bossa rhythms and electric harpsichord, used sparingly, but to very nice effect – and all in ways that help Connor hit some new ground for the times! Vocals are still totally top-shelf – as you'd expect from Chris – and tracks include "Love Life", "You're Gonna Hear From Me", "Who's Afraid", "Nowhere Man", and "Goin Out Of My Head". LP, Vinyl record album

Ella Fitzgerald recorded famously in Berlin for Verve Records at the start of the 60s – but this set's from later on in the decade, and shows just how much Ella had grown as a singer! There's less of the easygoing good vibes of that previous album, and a much more mature, intimate quality at times – mixed with a few of the groovier styles that Fitzgerald was picking up in the second half of the 60s! Throughout it all, backing is just by a trio, but one who rock things with plenty of soul – Jimmy Jones on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Sam Woodyard on drums – on titles that include "So Danca Samba", "Summertime", "You've Changed", "Misty", "Midnight Sun", "Here's That Rainy Day", "Don't Be That Way", "These Boots Are Made For Walking", and "Oh Lady Be Good". LP, Vinyl record album

A cool quartet with some very groovy vocals – a combo who seem to take some great inspiration from Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 – as well as other hip vocal groups of the 60s! The lineup features one gal and three guys – often with the gal singer in the lead, supported by warm harmonies from the male singers – all grooving to their own instrumentation, played on organ, guitar, and drums! This lean approach is mighty nice – and has the group soaring through a cool mix of soul and pop material that's all pretty upbeat and lively – given a few 70s touches on the keyboards at times, and coming across with a spontaneous feel that almost makes you feel like you're catching the combo in a club. Titles include "Dream A Dream A Day", "Scarborough Fair", "Summertime", "I Thank You", "More Today Than Yesterday", "What The World Needs Now", "Let's Make It One World", and "Day Dreaming". LP, Vinyl record album

A lucky number 13 from Lee Hazlewood – one of the artist's last albums during his legendary LHI run of creativity – and a set that marks a really groovy step forward! The music here has all the wit and sharpness of Lee's better-known late 60s material, but there's also a bit of a groove too – some currents that were brought to the record by Larry Marks, then given a special Hazlewood touch when Lee's vocals were added – all in a way that almost makes for a soulful 70s update to his 60s sound! The set was only issued during Lee's time in Sweden during the early 70s – which makes it one of his rarest records ever – and titles include "You Look Like A Lady", "Tulsa Sunday", "Ten Or 11 Towns Ago", "And I Loved You Then", and "I Move Around". Features the bonus tracks "Drums", "Susie", and "Cold Hard Times (outtake)". 2LP edition features 30 tracks in all – including acoustic demos, unreleased tracks, and more – including the rare tunes "Peppermint Morning", "Miracle On 19th Street", and "I'm Riding". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful set from vocalist Jon Hendricks – and quite different than most of his other work! This set was one of a few that Jon recorded while living in the UK at the end of the 60s – and it features orchestrations by Wally Stott, and production by Johnny Franz – the team who both made the Scott Walker records of the late 60s so great! The style here is a bit more subdued than that on the Scott Walker albums – warm and lush, in a mode that has Hendricks singing as a traditional vocalist, in a mellow late nite style. The album features a few original tunes – "Times Of Love", "Where", and "One Rose" – plus great versions of "I Concentrate On You", "Lil Darlin", and "Nature Boy". Oddly dark, with some nice touches – and a whole new side of Hendricks' vocals! LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic stuff – and a key example of the penetration of psychoanalysis in the US during the postwar years! The tunes here are all vocal parodies of familiar themes from Freud – sung by Katie Lee in a way that's a bit jazz, but possibly a bit folksy too – very playful at times, with the dry wit that you'd get in some of Tom Lehrer's famous records of the same period. Instrumentation is arranged by Bob Thompson, who really emphasizes the whimsy in the tunes – and titles include "The Will To Fail", "Repressed Hostility Blues", "Gunslinger", "Properly Loved", "Real Sick Sounds", "Shrinker Man", and "Schizophrenic Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

Lovely work from Eri Ohno – one of the deeper voiced singers in the city pop generation, and an artist who's able to work here with a nice mix of soulful styles! The record's got some leaner backings than other projects of this nature – really just a small combo, pictured with Eri on the back – and there's a nice sense of groove on most of the numbers, which works well for the English language lyrics that Ohno delivers – almost more at times like those moments when a soul singer might make an appearance on a fusion record from the Japanese jazz scene of the late 70s. Titles include "Milestones", "Rainbow Lovers", "Everytime Shuffle", "One For Me", "Skyfire", "River", "Good Question", and "So Tonight". (Japanese, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

Pretty wild stuff from Annette Peacock – almost a "no wave" record at times, with lots of quirky art rock overtones next to the jazz vocal stylings that are more of her typical bag. The album's got lots of heavy guitars from rockers that include Mick Ronson, Chris Spedding, Bill Bruford, and Brian Godding – but it's also got a kind of cool approach to the music that goes for some nice faux-soulful takes on a few tracks, creating funk where we wouldn't expect it – and going for some warmer moments that soften Annette in ways that sound very nice. Our favorites are the cuts "This Feel Within", "Real & Defined Androgens", and "Questions" – and other titles include "Don't Be Cruel", "Dear Bela", and "My Mama Never Taught Me How To Cook". LP, Vinyl record album

Not a live album – as you might think from the title – but a tight batch of tunes that shows the full funk and soul talents of the legendary Esther Phillips! The album's got a nicely dark undercurrent at times – a sound that's not as smooth as some of Esther's other Kudu albums from the 70s, with bits of R&B bubbling underneath the more contemporary arrangements. Backings are penned by Pee Wee Ellis and Gary King – and players include Bob James and Richard Tee on keyboards, Hubert Laws on flute, and Bernard Purdie and Steve Gadd on drums – the latter of whom provides a sublime beat on the album's standout funky number "Disposable Society" – one of those great little groovers that never did anything for Esther at the time of its release, but which has really gotten rediscovered in recent years! Other tracks include "Doing Our Thing", "Living Alone", "Can't Trust Your Neighbor With Your Baby", and "I Feel The Same". (Soul, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure pre-Mode date from vocalist Lucy Ann Polk – and a set that's got a wonderful LA 50s feel! Backings here are by the Dave Pell Octet – with Pell on tenor, Ronny Lang on alto, Don Fagerquist on trumpet, and Claude Williamson on piano – and arrangements are by Wes Hensel and Shorty Rogers, nice and jazzy throughout! Lucy's approach to the tunes is light and lovely, but she also burns with a bit of a deeper fire at times too – a bluer tone underneath the charm up top. Titles include "But Beautiful", "Imagination", "It Could Happen To You", "It's Always You", and "Darn That Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

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 includes a stellar guest performance by Hermeto Pascoal on a number of tracks, and runs through a lively set of tracks that includes a bunch of excellent groovers – upbeat numbers that almost get a bit funky at times. A highlight of the album is the long cut "Cobra Criada", which builds slowly into a complex funky line, with Elis scatting madly over the top. Other goodies include "Asa Branca", "Cai Dentro", "Garota De Ipanema", and a great remake of "Upa Neguinho", with nice messed-up arrangements. (Brazil, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

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 backing from a group that includes some exceptional work on drums from Robert Hamilton – a player who really helps kick up the rhythms at times – while Nina delivers these searing lyrics that definitely showcase the more righteous, political side of her spectrum! The set's a great addition to the Philips material from this period – and titles include a killer version of "Mississippi Goddam", plus "You've Got To Learn", "Blues For Mama", "Be My Husband", "Music For Lovers", and "I Loves You Porgy". LP, Vinyl record album

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 backing from a group that includes some exceptional work on drums from Robert Hamilton – a player who really helps kick up the rhythms at times – while Nina delivers these searing lyrics that definitely showcase the more righteous, political side of her spectrum! The set's a great addition to the Philips material from this period – and titles include a killer version of "Mississippi Goddam", plus "You've Got To Learn", "Blues For Mama", "Be My Husband", "Music For Lovers", and "I Loves You Porgy". LP, Vinyl record album