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Johnny Hammond 
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Exact matches: 5
1
Salvation/
An amazing bit of jazz funk from Johnny Hammond – and one of his greatest LPs! This is the first album that Johnny recorded with Larry Mizell, cut right before the pair of them went onto do the landmark Gears album. While this one never became as famous as Gears, it's got some fantastic moments that are every bit as great – a perfect blend of Mizell's spacey fusion and Hammond's fiercely soulful soloing, with lots of great jazzy changes to keep the pace fresh throughout. Includes the great spacey jazz cuts "Star Borne" and "Yesterday Was Cool", the latter of which is an excellent piece of work by Larry Mizell – plus the cuts "Back To The Projects", "Gambler's Life", "Rhodesian Thoroughfare", and "Virgo Lady". Plus, the CD features 4 bonus tracks that represent some of Johnny's best work for the Kudu label – including "Rock Steady", "Higher Ground", "Breakout", and "Who Is Sylvia". CD
Also available Gambler's Life ... LP 30.992
New Jazz/
Oliver Nelson is definitely taking care of business here – thanks to some key help from the great Lem Winchester on vibes, and a young Johnny Hammond Smith on organ! The pair bring a mighty deep groove to the record – which gives Nelson a chance to show off some of the deeper tones on his tenor and alto sax – a sound that gets a lot more space for personal expression than on some of his albums with larger arrangements! The raw sound of the record is a great change from the more composed modes you might know from Oliver's other dates – and the set's further illustration that Nelson was one of the most complete, most versatile talents in jazz at the time. Titles include "Trane Whistle", "In Time", "Groove", and "Lou's Good Dues". CD
(Out of print, name in pen on CD.)
3
Johnny Hammond —
Gears (with bonus tracks) ... CD Milestone/
One of our favorite albums of all time – and a record that just gets better and better the more we listen to it – and we've listened to it for years! Johnny "Hammond" Smith began his career as a simple soul jazz organist – but by the time of this album, he'd teamed up with the mighty Larry Mizell, the genius arranger/
4
Johnny Hammond Smith —
Black Coffee/Riverside/
Sublime Hammond from Johnny Smith – a pair of early albums for Riverside, back to back on a single CD! Black Coffee is one of Johnny Hammond's first albums – and a cooking little live set that really has the organist working with some early raw power! The group's a trio, but they seem to burn differently than some of the other organ combos of the time – maybe with that fluid sensibility that Johnny brought to his keys, and which would later open up in even more famous ways. The core group features Eddie McFadden on guitar and Leo Stevens on drums – but they're joined by Seldon Powell on tenor for more than half the album, who really opens things up with his tremendous playing – and shows at an early state that Johnny Hammond always knows the right way to use a horn player. Titles include "Monterey Theme", "Far Away Places", "I Remember Clifford", "He's A Real Gone Guy", and "Rufus Toofus". Mr Wonderful is a record that definitely lives up to its title – reminding us not only that Johnny Hammond Smith is one hell of an organist, but also a great leader with a really unique feel for a groove! The set's noteworthy not just for Johnny's own work on Hammond, but also for the presence of a young Houston Person – blowing tenor here in a way that's breathtaking right from the start – a bold, soulful tone that's a perfect fit for the group – which also includes trumpet from Johnny Williams and guitar from Eddie McFadden. The set includes a lot of tasty originals by Johnny – like "Cyra", "Lambert's Lounge", "Departure", and "Opus 2" – and already shows the way that Hammond was complicating his groove from that of other players of the time! CD
5
Johnny Hammond Smith —
Talk That Talk/Prestige, 1960. Used ... Out Of Stock
A Johnny Hammond 2-fer – a pair of very early albums, back to back on a single CD! First up is Talk That Talk – subtle early magic from Johnny Hammond Smith, and the kind of sweet organ jazz set that really set Smith apart from his contemporaries in the 60s! There's a slightly offbeat vibe here that's hard to peg, but which already marks Hammond as one of the more inventive players of his generation – never content to just rehash R&B modes for jazz organ, and instead really exploratory in terms of timings and phrasings – using his instrument to great effect in a hip combo that features George Tucker on bass, Art Taylor on drums, and Ray Barretto on congas – plus some excellent tenor from Oliver Nelson on three tracks! Titles include "Talk That Talk", "Bennie's Diggin", "Portrait Of Jennie", "An Affair To Remember", "The End Of A Love Affair", "Riptide", "Misty", and "Minors Allowed". Getting The Message is a vibes and organ delight – a rare early set from Johnny Hammond Smith, and a date that features a key appearance from vibist Lem Winchester! Winchester only cut a handful of dates before shuffling off this mortal coil far too soon – and he's a hell of a player, with a richly chromatic tone that works beautifully next to Smith's organ lines – a pairing that's quite different than other organ/
Possible matches: 29
6
Johnny Williams —
Not With My Wife You Don't Vol 2 ... CD Warner/
Groovy groovy work from Johnny Williams – a second volume of material for one of his best 60s soundtracks – excellent early work from on the great modern film score composers! The film's a goofy sex romp, as you might expect from the title, and Williams' tunes really keep the spirit of the movie up nicely – running through a variety of upbeat styles, from jazzy Hammond, to groovy vocals, and even a few surprisingly nice chorus vocal type tunes! Includes the great song "Big Beautiful Ball", presented in vocal versions as well as a bonus instrumental, the former with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. This great Film Score Monthly Vol 2 features the nearly complete original film tracks, derived from the original scoring masters. Other titles include "My Inamorata", "It'll Take Hours", "Tom's Jealousy", "Two Of Everything", "High Tank", "Cold Feet", "Bowed Heads And Flowers" and many more. Also includes several bonus track instrumental versions. 38 tracks in all. CD
(Out of print.)
7
Johnny Lytle —
Loop/BGP (UK), 1966. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
Both of the rare albums on the tiny Tuba label, cut by jazz vibist Johnny Lytle in the 60s! The Loop is one of the coolest, grooviest albums ever from jazz vibist Johnny Lytle – a set that really leans into the impact that he was having with the soul instrumental crowd, and which serves up tunes in these short, tight grooves that show why Johnny was the king of the stepping dancefloor in the 60s! The set's still done with producer Orrin Keepnews, who'd handled Lytle's earlier jazz sides – but the tunes are shorter, and have the grooves punched up nicely – with plenty of cool Hammond work from organist Milt Harris, and tight drums from Peppy Hinnant – augment6ed with work from Willie Rodriguez on congas, and guest piano from Wynton Kelly on a few cuts! The whole thing's sweet and groovy, and the set features Johnny Lytle originals "Big Bill", "The Shyster", "Possum Grease", "The Man", "The Loop", and "Hot Sauce" – plus a cool cover of "Cristo Redentor". New & Groovy is one of Johnny Lytle's great recordings for the Tuba label, and probably one of the albums that shows his funky jazz vibes style at its best! The whole thing is very nicely stripped down - and the focus of the album is on down-and-dirty groovers, perfect for the jazzy stepper set that still digs Lytle loads! Lots of short groovy ditties on here which match Lytle's vibes and Milt Harris' organ. The group also includes Wynton Kelly on piano, George Duvivier on bass, Jimmy Cobb on drums, and Montego Joe on conga and percussion. Tracks include "The Snapper", "Selim", "The Pulpit", and "Screamin' Loud", "Too Close For Comfort" and more. CD
8
Various —
So Blue So Funky – Heroes Of The Hammond Part 2 ... CD Blue Note, 1960s/
11 more groovy organ tracks from the Blue Note catalog, with a few extra rare goodies thrown in from the Pacific Jazz one as well. Some nice rare ones that don't always show up, including "Street Scene" by Larry Young, "Minor Soul" by Johnny Lytle, "Morris The Minor" by Groove Holmes, "Where It's At" by Jimmy McGriff, "Meetin' Here" by Curtis Amy and Paul Bryant, "When Malindy Sings" by Freddie Roach, and "Can Heat" by Jimmy Smith. 11 tracks in all, and with lots of rare ones! CD
9
Johnny Ray Daniels —
Whatever You Need ... CD Bible & Tire, 2022. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
Soulful, spiritual sounds from North Carolina legend Johnny Ray Daniels – an artist who started out in soul, but soon found gospel more to his liking – then went on to create a decades-long legacy of wonderful music like this! The album's contemporary, but given a very old school treatment in the best style of the Bible & Tire label – small combo backing by the Sacred Soul Sound Section, who warm things up with Hammond organ and guitar – while Johnny Ray handles some of the lead guitar on the cuts, and gets support from Amp Daniels and Keamber Daniels on his lead vocals! Titles include "I Shall Not Be Moved", "Whatever You Need", "Something Within Me", "Thank You Lord", "Church Get Ready", and "Lord You've Been Good To Me". CD
10
Dawn/
The third and fourth albums from Atomic Rooster – back to back in a single set! First up is Made In England – a really striking album in the career of Atomic Rooster – one that's a little bit groovier than most, and maybe a bit funky as well! The drums are great, and have plenty of soulful currents – and the Hammond, piano, and electric piano work of Vincent Crane almost seem to echo earlier UK beat group currents, but turned towards a much hipper 70s vibe – one that's followed by an equally extended range from vocalist Chris Farlowe, who seems to fold together both his mod and prog experience in the vocals! Steve Bolton brings in some tight, riffing guitar – and titles include "Time Take My Life", "Never To Lose", "Breathless", "People You Can't Trust", "All In Satan's Name", "Close Your Eyes", "Little Bit Of Inner Air", and "Stand By Me". On Nice N Greasy, Atomic Rooster definitely get a bit greasy – using some funkier elements at times, and bluesier currents at others – all at a level that really lets singer Chris Farlowe hit some of his most expressive modes! The group's got a fresh guitarist this time around, Johnny Mandala on lead – and his presence gives some of the cuts a harder rock edge than before, often taking the lead more than the keyboards of longtime member Vincent Crane, which helps shape the sound of the set. Titles include "Voodoo In You", "Save Me", "Satan's Wheel", "Can't Find A Reason", "Take One Toke", and "All Across The Country". CD set features the bonus tracks "Moods" and "What You Gonna Do". CD
11
Concord, 2006. Used ... $6.99
One of the greatest albums we've ever heard from organist Joey DeFrancesco – a record that burns with strongly soulful work by Bobby Hutcherson! Hutcherson really helps Joey really flesh out his standard Hammond groove for the set – pushing the organ into broad new colors on both the ballads and uptempo numbers – and almost creating a sound that brings back echoes of some of the Johnny Hammond Smith and Lem Winchester collaborations back in the early 60s! George Coleman plays tenor solos on 2 tracks in the set, but the real sax credit here goes go Ron Blake – who plays tenor, soprano, and flute throughout – sparking the most driving tracks with a searing edge that's really great. DeFrancesco takes off on some Larry Young-ish riffs at times, but keeps things in check overall – and titles include a great remake of Hutcherson's classic "Little B's Poem", plus the originals "Down The Hatch", "Colleen", and "The Tackle" – and a nice take on "Somewhere In The Night", one of those tracks that never lets us down! CD
(Barcode has a cutout hole.)
12
Unique (Germany), 2000. Used ... $4.99 9.99
A fantastic batch of keyboard tracks! Xaver Fischer plays like one of the funky fusion greats of the 70s – somewhere between Gene Harris, Ronnie Foster, and Johnny Hammond – working the electric piano and assorted keys to come up with a smooth spacey sound that reminds us of the classic days of Blue Note funk or Fantasy Records fusion! This album's a stripped-down affair that features only bass and drums behind Fischer's keys – plus a female vocal one track – which makes for a super-soulful sound that's really solid all the way through! Titles include "Bass of Space", "Venus", "Krakatu", "Babylon", "Gargamel", and "Palenque". CD
13
Groove Merchant/
A nice bit of funky organ work from Jimmy McGriff – a set that's got his famous talents on the Hammond out front of a larger ensemble – but in a way that's very different than some of his albums of that type from the 70s! There's lots of electricity in the mix – electric piano from Horace Ott, bass from Richard Evans, and guitar from Wayne Bennett – mixed with sharp work on horns from Cliff Davis on tenor and flute, Murray Watson on trumpet, and Johnny Beard on baritone – three players who really flesh out the sound! The album's got some excellent stone funky classics – like "The Bird", "Groove Grease", and "Plain Brown Bag" – plus some surprisingly funky readings of standards like "Canadian Sunset" and "Mr Lucky", both made to sound super-nice, thanks to excellent work on bass and drums! CD
14
Mr Bongo (UK), 1977. New Copy ... $11.99 14.99 On May 24, 2024
A sweet 70s groover from the great Lonnie Smith – a soulful little session that has the keyboardist really stretching out in some great ways! At the time, Smith fares a lot better than some of his late 60s jazz organ contemporaries – as he's got a great lean style, perfect for the decade's increasing use of electric keyboards and larger backings! This set's a great example of that style – as Smith moves way from his 60s soul jazz roots, into the soaring blend of jazz, funk, and soul that you'd also hear on Johnny Hammond albums of the time – almost more soul than jazz, given the presence of vocals on some cuts – but still always with more than enough room for the leader to stretch out and solo. Backings are nice and tight – and handled by Brad Baker (of B Baker Chocolate Company fame) – and tracks include "Funk Reaction", "For The Love Of It", "It's Changed", and "When The Night Is Right". CD
This item will not be delivered to you before Friday, May 24.
15
Shanachie, 1960s/
Features work by Charles Earland, Don Patterson, Larry Young, Jack McDuff, Johnny Hammond Smith, Groove Holmes, Lonnie Smith, and others! CD
(Spine has a cutout notch.)
16
Gene Ammons —
Gene Ammons Story – The Organ Combos ... CD Prestige, 1960s. Used ... Temporarily Out Of Stock
Our favorite side of Gene Ammons' talents – summed up nicely in a 2LP set! Ammons wasn't the first tenor player to work with a Hammond organ, but once the format gained popularity, Gene made a wise move to take it up – and it became a pairing that forever defined the later years of his sound! The 2LP set brings together a nice blend of ballads, groovers, and funky tunes recorded for Prestige with organists Johnny Hammond Smith and Jack McDuff during the 60s – titles that include "Born To Be Blue", "Twistin The Jug", "In Sid's Thing", "Blue Room", "Water Jug", "Getting Around", "Angel Eyes", "Stormy Monday", "Velvet Soul", and "Down The Line". CD
(Out of print.)
17
Eddie Lockjaw Davis —
Streetlights (I Only Have Eyes For You/Prestige, 1962. Used ... Temporarily Out Of Stock
Two killers from Eddie Lockjaw Davis – both records that are different from his Cookbook sessions with Shirley Scott, and his twin-tenor battles with Johnny Griffin! First up is I Only Have Eyes For You – easily one of our favorite Eddie Lockjaw Davis albums! The record's a lot livelier than most – and it's recorded with the little-known Paul Weeden trio, who featured a young Don Patterson on organ. Weeden's a pretty good guitarist himself, and the whole session has a nice groovy groovy feel. Titles include "I Only Have Eyes For You", "Street Lights", and "The Way You Look Tonight" – and all tracks are taken at a good clip, with a strong club sound to them. Next is Trackin – a tight little soul jazz cooker from Eddie Lockjaw Davis – done with a sound that's leaner and cleaner than some of his Cookbook sessions – thanks to great Hammond from Don Patterson, working here in the trio of guitarist Paul Weeden! The combo's totally great – nicely focused, and hitting that more mature soul jazz swing that started to really come into play during the mid 60s – that stripping down of the organ stops, focused bite on tenor, and tight comping of guitar – all of which the combo carry off wonderfully – with help from George Duvivier on bass and Billy James on drums. There's a nice long cut with a laidback groove called "Beano", and a number of other shorter standards given the tenor/
18
Jimmy McGriff —
Tailgunner ... CD Lester Radio Corporation/
Jimmy McGriff in a very cool 70s mode – hitting some of the fuller, more soul-based styles that Johnny Hammond and Jimmy Smith were exploring in the middle of the decade – while still also displaying a hell of a talent on the organ as well! The album has extra keyboards from Pat Rebillot and Paul Griffin – which makes for a nice mix of organ and electric piano sounds, plus some occasional moog that's very nicely placed – all backed by a largeish group that has tight horns, and some occasional soul vocals from Al Downing and Denise Wooten. The vocals are often an augmentation of the tunes, and there's still plenty of room for solos by Jimmy in the middle – on titles that include "Tailgunner", "Flexible Flyer", "Sky Hawk", "Grandma's Toe Jam", and "Bullfrog". CD
19
Reuben Wilson —
Groove Grease – Sweet Life/Groove Merchant/
Two excellent albums of funky organ work from the great Reuben Wilson! Both sides were recorded for Groove Merchant after Reuben left Blue Note – and they're actually a lot better than his work for Blue Note, as they have him opening up his groove a lot more, funking it up in a mode that's a lot like Johnny Hammond's work for Kudu. The set features 13 tracks in all – including Reuben's great cover of "Inner City Blues" that was sampled by Tribe Called Quest, plus other funky numbers like "Cream Puff", "The Cisco Kid", "Sweet Life", "I'll Take You There", "Groove Grease", "Snaps", and "Superfly". CD
(Out of print, sticker remnant on booklet cover.)
20
Various —
For Connoisseurs Only – Kent/Kent (UK), Late 60s/
A sweet little dip into the catalog of the LA-based Kent/
21
Various —
If You're Not Part Of The Solution – Soul, Politics, & Spirituality In Jazz 1967 to 1975 ... CD BGP (UK), Late 60s/
Righteous jazz, but with a bit of a funky twist too – a great selection of classics from the years when 60s soul jazz was reaching out with a new sense of pride and power, and finding a way embrace all of the musical changes that were coming its way! The music here is often by artists who might have been playing straighter standards, or bluesy organ numbers a few years before – but who here are set fire by the changes of the 60s – both at a musical level, and a political one – the latter in ways that resonate strongly even in the instrumental passages on the set! The title is a reference to a famous quote by Eldridge Cleaver, used often by The Black Panthers – and the set begins with Joe Henderson's number of the same name, "If You're Not Part Of The Solution You're Part Of The Problem" – and follows with "Let's Make Peace & Stop The War" by Funk Inc, "Bitches Brew" by Eddie Jefferson, "HNIC" by Harold Vick, "Tawhid" by Johnny Lytle, "John Coltrane" by Clifford Jordan, "Celestial Bodies" by Catalyst, "Warriors Of Peace" by Azar Lawrence, "Africans Unite" by Gary Bartz NTU Troop, and "Black Feeling" by Johnny Hammond Smith. All tracks are nice and long – and the set has a great mix of spiritual ideals with a few funky currents. CD
22
Gene Ammons —
Angel Eyes ... CD Prestige/
A stone classic from Gene Ammons – and a record that introduced his talents to a whole new audience in the 60s! The album's a more laidback one than some of Jug's more hard-blown honkers – as you might guess from his hit rendition of the ballad in the title – and the instrumentation here varies between organ from Johnny Hammond Smith and piano from Mal Waldron – making for a nice tapestry of dark-tinged, late nite moods. Other players include Frank Wess on tenor and flute, and Art Taylor or Ed Thigpen on drums. Titles include the classic "Angel Eyes", plus "You Go To My Head" and "It's The Talk Of The Town" – and slightly more groovin numbers like "Getting Around" and "Water Jug". CD
23
Eddie Lockjaw Davis —
Jaws Strikes Again/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1976/
Three overseas sessions from American tenor great Eddie Lockjaw Davis! Jaws Strikes Again is a slightly different setting than some of the other 70s albums from Eddie Lockjaw Davis – in that the set was recorded for the Black & Blue label, who always liked to get a nice gritty punch out of the players they recorded! Given Eddie's legendary tone, the approach works perfectly here – on tracks that are short and focused – and which feature some mighty nice work on Hammond from Wild Bill Davis, plus guitar from the great Billy Butler, and drums from Oliver Jackson! Titles include "Jumpin With Symphony Sid", "The Man I Love", "When Sunny Gets Blue", "Candy", "After You're Gone", and "Light & Lovely". Nice Jazz 1978 is a great example of Eddie in collaboration – as Eddie Lockjaw Davis is a hell of a player on his own – but he's maybe even more amazing when he works alongside other horn soloists – who always seem to inspire Davis to bring out the boldest, mouthiest side of his horn! That tenor is alive and well, and wonderfully set up here – in five different live performances from the Nice Jazz Festival in 1978 – two with Illinois Jacquet on tenor, six with Harry Edison on trumpet, and one more with Paul Bascomb on tenor and Eddie Vinson on alto. Tracks are nice and long – that back/
24
Bobby Forrester —
Bobby Forrester Organist (Japanese paper sleeve edition) ... CD Dobre/
One of the greatest albums of Hammond jazz ever recorded – and a darn funky one at that! Bobby Forrester may not look like a hipster on the cover, but this set grooves like some of the best early 70s work by Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, and Groove Holmes – hitting hard with some really funky tracks that have made the album a must-have with collectors for years. The sound here a lean, mean revision of the Prestige Hammond jazz groove of the 60s – Bobby grooving on organ with just drums by Johnny Kirkwood and guitar by Elijah Williams Jr – all coming together in a totally solid sound that has plenty of funky riffs, nice drums, and soaring organ lines! Given the lean, compact approach to the groove, we might compare Forrester most with Charles Earland at his best – although the album's got a voice and depth that's certainly all its own. Titles include the classic groover "Uncle Funky", a great cover of "Sanford & Son Theme", and the cuts "Blues For Razz", "Don't Misunderstand", and "Funky Fly". CD
25
Illinois Jacquet —
With Wild Bill Davis Vols 1 & 2/Black & Blue/
Three full albums from tenorist Illinois Jacquet – served up in a single set! First up are the two volumes of Illinois Jacquet with Wild Bill Davis – a nice lean set from this legendary tenorist – one that features his raw, raspy tone in the company of early Hammond organ giant Wild Bill Davis! Both players get plenty of room here to open up and shine – in a group with the drums of Al Bartee, on soulful takes on tunes that include "Blue & Sentimental", "Blues For New Orleans", "No Sweat", "Just A Sittin & A Rockin", "It Don't Mean A Thing", "Pamela's Blues", "Misty", "The Man I Love", "What Am I Here For", and "All Of Me". Nice Jazz 1978 is a great set of performances recorded live in France in the late 70s! The tracks are long, open, and relaxed – and really seem to bring out the best in Jacquet's horn – as he's paired with the tenor of Eddie Lockjaw Davis on three tracks, the tenor of Paul Bascomb on another, and the trumpet of Clark Terry on one more – while working with help from either Hank Jones or Roland Hanna on piano. Our three favorite tracks are the ones with Davis – which almost have a reworked version of the groove that Eddie cut with Johnny Griffin on a number of records – but overall, the material is all pretty great, and is a strong showcase for the Jacquet raspy sound. Titles include "Lean Baby", "Blues From NO", "Mop Mop", "Cotton Tail", "Blues From Louisiana", and "Robbin's Nest". CD
26
Various —
70s Music Explosion Vol 3 – Miracles ... CD Time Life, 1970s. Used 2 CDs ... Out Of Stock
Music from The O'Jays, Tony Orlando & Dawn, Looking Glass, The Sweet, Mac Davis, John Denver, Albert Hammond, Melanie, Redbone, The Main Ingredient, Vanity Fare, Johnny Nash, Paul Revere & The Raiders, and more. CD
27
Various —
Blaxploitation – The Payback Vol 3 ... CD GTV (UK), Early 70s/
3rd volume, and the righteous 70's soul and funk tracks keep on coming! Titles include "World Is A Ghetto" by War, "Ike's Mood" by Isaac Hayes, "Trouble Man" by Marvin Gaye, "Love TKO" by Teddy Pendergrass, "Breakout" by Johnny Hammond, "Ironside" by Quincy Jones, "Move On Up" by Curtis Mayfield, "Who Is He & What Is He To You" by Creative Source, "Melting Pot" by Booker T & The MGs, "Westchester Lady" by Bob James, and lots lots more! 25 tracks in all. CD
28
Various —
CTI Records – The Cool Revolution (4CD set) ... CD CTI, 1970s. Used 4 CDs ... Out Of Stock
A well-titled little set – as the collection is as cool as the sound of CTI Records back in the 70s! The unique package features an LP-sized cover – just like one of the CTI gatefold albums from back in the day – which contains 4 different CDs, each with a slightly different take on the sound of the legendary label! CD 1 is titled Straight Up – and features amazing 70s jazz from Hubert Laws, Ron Carter, George Benson, Randy Weston, Freddie Hubbard, and others. CD 2 is titled Deep Grooves/
29
Various —
We're Gonna Rock – Original Early Rockers ... CD Collector (Netherlands), Early 60s. Used ... Out Of Stock
30 songs from Billy Wayne & The Jackson Boys, Von Star, Bobby Lee, Johnny & The Jays, Bill Willis, Price Leggs, Steve Bledsoe, Johnny Nace, Jerry Hammond, Mike Kelly, Ken Darrow, The Country Misfits, and more. CD
30
Roger Glenn —
Reachin' ... CD Fantasy/
A great lost chapter in the Larry Mizell story – a record that's not nearly as well known as Mizell-produced jams for Bobbi Humphrey or Johnny Hammond, but which is every bit as great! Roger Glenn's a funky flute player with a really great groove – California groovy, with just a touch of Latin – served up here with some great Mizell-infused touches – that rolling rhythm on the bottom, soaring instrumentation on the top, and some great Latin elements that are wrapped up warmly in the fusion! There's plenty of great keyboards, too – played both by Larry Mizell, and also by Mark Soskin – a range of Fender Rhodes, Arp, mini-moog, and more – all adding in the right sort of warmth to Roger's flute, and the album's rich array of percussion. Titles include "Kick", "Reachin", "Rio", "Gloria", "Overtime", and "Don't Leave". CD
31
BB King —
Blues Is King ... CD Bluesway/
A 60s set from Memphis bluesman BB King – but one put together with a very distinct Chicago touch as well! The set's produced by Johnny Pate, and recorded live with a vibe that's similar to King's classic recording at The Regal – but it's almost got even more of a soulful punch, thanks to backing from a cool small combo that includes Bobby Forte on tenor, Kenneth Sands on trumpet, Duke Jethro on Hammond, and Louis Satterfield on bass! BB's vocals are great – in his best early form – and the tunes are bluesy, but also smoke with a nice degree of soul – and almost some jazzy touches at times from the tenor and organ. Titles include "Don't Answer The Door", "Blind Love", "Tired Of Your Jive", "Night Life", "Buzz Me", and "Waitin On You". CD
32
Various —
Los Angeles Soul Vol 2 – Kent/Ace/
Really great work from the Kent/
33
Various —
Prestige Soul/Prestige, Late 50s/
If this is what they call an Encyclopedia, the folks at Britannica can sign us up! The set's a smoking selection of older soul jazz numbers from the glory days of Prestige Records – that key late 50s/
34
Jimmy McGriff —
Groove Grease/Groove Merchant/
Three 70s killers from Jimmy McGriff! Groove Grease is a nice bit of funky organ work from Jimmy McGriff – a set that's got his famous talents on the Hammond out front of a larger ensemble – but in a way that's very different than some of his albums of that type from the 70s! There's lots of electricity in the mix – electric piano from Horace Ott, bass from Richard Evans, and guitar from Wayne Bennett – mixed with sharp work on horns from Cliff Davis on tenor and flute, Murray Watson on trumpet, and Johnny Beard on baritone – three players who really flesh out the sound! The album's got some excellent stone funky classics – like "The Bird", "Groove Grease", and "Plain Brown Bag" – plus some surprisingly funky readings of standards like "Canadian Sunset" and "Mr Lucky", both made to sound super-nice, thanks to excellent work on bass and drums! Main Squeeze is one of the grooviest albums ever from Jimmy McGriff – a hard-wailing session that's filled with plenty of cooking lines on the organ, and a few especially funky tracks! The groove here is tight, short, and very sharp – strongly in the mode of other post-Sue sessions by McGriff – like The Worm or other Groove Merchant sides – with a style that's often much more focused than Jimmy's earlier years, and strongly turned towards the rhythms of the tunes! A few numbers are more familiar soul jazz, but these are nicely offset by the harder funk numbers of the record – like the romping, stomping break classic "The Main Squeeze", the totally groovy "The Worm Turns", and the fast-vamping "GMI". The group features Jimmy Ponder on guitar and Connie Lester on alto sax – and other titles include "The Sermon", "Stella By Starlight", and "The Blues Train To Georgia". Tailgunner has Jimmy McGriff in a very cool 70s mode – hitting some of the fuller, more soul-based styles that Johnny Hammond and Jimmy Smith were exploring in the middle of the decade – while still also displaying a hell of a talent on the organ as well! The album has extra keyboards from Pat Rebillot and Paul Griffin – which makes for a nice mix of organ and electric piano sounds, plus some occasional moog that's very nicely placed – all backed by a largeish group that has tight horns, and some occasional soul vocals from Al Downing and Denise Wooten. The vocals are often an augmentation of the tunes, and there's still plenty of room for solos by Jimmy in the middle – on titles that include "Tailgunner", "Flexible Flyer", "Sky Hawk", "Grandma's Toe Jam", and "Bullfrog". CD
Partial matches: 1
35
Various —
De-Liteful & Soulful – Deep Mover ... CD De-Lite/
A slice of soul you might never expect – early work from the De-Lite label, a company better-known for their famous club hits of the late 70s – but starting out here with an amazing array of deep soul 45s! The music is a wonderful contrast to the disco and club of the label's fame – and showcases an immediate commitment to singers who could really knock it out of the park – with vocals that rival the sounds coming from southern labels like Stax, or some of the more famous productions on Atlantic – which is a huge surprise if you only know the De-Lite recordings by Kool & The Gang or The Kay-Gees! 25 tracks in all – all super-rare – and titles include "Keep Away" by The Appointments, "Look What You Done For Me" by Contributors Of Soul, "Oh Girl" by Johnny Washington, "Need You Girl" by Fred Cole, "I Wish It Would Rain" by Beverly Hammonds, "Say So" by La Jay Alexander, "Everlasting Love" by Johnny Washington, "I Saw You There" by The Appointments, "I Smell Trouble" by Johnny De'Vigne, "I'll Always Love You" by Felton Burks, "Send Her Back" by Sammy Taylor, "When A Woman Loves A Man" by Jean Battle, "Tender Loving Care" by Joe Kennedy, and "I Got To Get Close To You" by Yvonne Daniels. CD
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