A stone classic from Chip Taylor – a very hip cat who was raised in New York, wrote a number of big pop hits in the 60s, but was always much more comfortable with country music in the end! The album's not straight country – but instead that perfect blend of rock roots and Nashville inspiration that was bubbling up in the American underground in the wake of the Byrds and Burrito Brothers – tried by many, but delivered by only a rare few like Chip at a level this good! The tunes are great – very thoughtful songwriting that puts Taylor on a par with Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson – and the backup group features some great steel guitar from Pete Drake, who really helps set the mood. Titles include "I Read It In Rolling Stone", "Son Of A Rotten Gambler", "The Real Thing", "101 In Cashbox", "Last Chance", and "I Wasn't Born In Tennessee". LP, Vinyl record album

More sweet and smooth than muddy – but that's what we'd expect from James Taylor during these classic years! Titles include "You've Got A Friend", "Riding On A Railroad", "Highway Song", "You Can Close Your Eyes", and "Soldiers". CD

Titles include "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight", "Little David", "One Man Parade", "Chili Dog", "Fool For You", "Who Don't You Know", "One Morning In May", and "Mescalito". LP, Vinyl record album

The album that warmed up many a dorm room back in the 70s! CD

Arranged and produced by David Spinozza – with titles that include "Ain't No Song", "Walking Man", "Hello Old Friend", "Migration", "Fading Away", "Me & My Guitar", and "Daddy's Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

Mike's come a long way from his early soul days with Dennis Coffey – working here to lay down a set of spacious disco tunes with a dreamy finish – really stretching out with the same sort of glide you'd find in the best Philly club at the time! The record's actually quite strong on the disco side of the spectrum – well-crafted work with a sound that's full and rich, but never cliched – definitely Theodore's moment to shine in the 70s, taking the torch from his old partner Coffey, who had his time in the sun a few years before! Titles include "Cosmic Wind", "The Bull", "Moon Trek", "Brazilian Lullaby", and "Belly Boogie". LP, Vinyl record album

Late work by Thin Lizzy – but one of our favorite albums by the group! Somehow, this set manages to capture all the great magic that made us love Jailbreak so much – still hard rocking, but with a deft sense of time and chord change that also reminds us a lot of Steely Dan at their best. Phil Lynott's vocals are as great and smoky as ever, and tracks include "Renegade", "Mexican Blood", "Fats", "Leave This Town", "It's Getting Dangerous", and "The Pressure Will Blow". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

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... LP, Vinyl record album

Classic! The third LP from the Time, and last before Morris Day went off and started his solo career – though by this point Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis had departed the group. Nonetheless, the sound is still tight modern funk, with Jesse Johnson and crew keeping things in the great post-Prince Minneapolis pop-funk sound, including some nice dance numbers like "Jungle Love" and "The Bird" – and Morris just being Morris on cuts like "My Drawers", "Chili Sauce" and "If The Kid Can't Make You Come". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the two 80s masterpieces by this amazing Minneapolis group, before Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis left to change the face of commercial R&B! This first album and it's follow-up remain as a couple of the more enduring moments of slick, stylish American pop soul, and represent just a huge part of what we still love about the 80s! Titles include "Get It Up", "Girl", After Hi School", "The Stick", "Oh Baby" and the 10 minute jam "Cool", one of our fave cuts of the early 80s. "I'm cooler than Santa Claus, baby. . ." LP, Vinyl record album

The groundbreaking first album from The Time – a set that very firmly put the Minneapolis soul scene on the map, served up by a lineup that was maybe even more of a supergroup than Prince's band at the time! And while most folks credit Prince with helping The Time get their start, these guys already have plenty of fantastic power of their own – no surprise, given that this early version of the group still featured Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, before they went off to become production giants on their own – plus wicked guitar from Jesse Johnson, and beautifully dynamic vocals from the great Morris Day! Titles include "Get It Up", "Girl", After Hi School", "The Stick", "Oh Baby", and the 10 minute jam "Cool", one of our favorite cuts of the early 80s! Great 2LP pressing – with bonus single cuts that include "Cool (parts 1 & 2)", "After Hi School (single edit)", "The Stick (single edit)", and "Get It Up (single edit)". LP, Vinyl record album

The second essential LP from the Time that would solidify Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis' position as a force to be dealt within commercial R&B for years to come, cut during the early 80s, when Minneapolis seemed like it was exploding at the seams with great music. With Morris Day's nice extended dance cut "The Walk" featuring a nice popping beat, plus the excellent and very Prince sounding slow jam "Gigolo's Get Lonely Too" and the percolating pre-New Jack funk of "777-9311". CD

A bit of a change for Allen Toussaint – the kind of an album that makes good use of all the connections he was making during the early 70s, when he was becoming the darling of the Warner Brothers scene in LA. Overall, Allen's getting pretty smooth by this point – so smooth that even some rootsy production by Jerry Wexler still makes it hard to remember that he got his start in the raw New Orleans soul scene – but at its heart, the album's still got a good talent for the kind of rolling groove that Toussaint brought to his own work, and that of so many other artists, in earlier years. This album features lots of LA studio backing, with players like Richard Tee, Victor Feldman, Paulinho Da Costa, Larry Carlton, and others of that ilk. Titles include "Motion", "Night People", "Just A Kiss Away", "Declaration Of Love", and "Viva La Money". LP, Vinyl record album

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Otis, Nelson, Lefty, and Lucky Wilbury play some nice tunes with their friend, Charlie T Jr. – Not to be confused with any of those Idle Race, Mudcrutch, Zimmermans, Kelton Orbison, or Beetle people. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Starring Nino Manfredi, Ornella Vanoni, and Aldo Fabrizi. LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little soundtrack by the great Trovajoli – scored for an Italian sex comedy starring Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni! The film's divided up into three segments with three different themes – the first of which is historical, the other two of which are great and groovy! The "Anna" segment features three strong jazz numbers – "Anna With The Rolls", "Descansado", and "Flowers For A Poor Millionaire". The "Mara" segment is the best, though, with some groovy jazz and organ bits that are similar to Trovajoli's best late 60s work. Titles include "Mara", "Rome, Don't Be Stupid", and "Portrait Of MM". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A quintet date with Mark Turner out front on tenor, Kurt Rosenwinkel on guitar, Kevin Hays on piano, Larry Grenadier on bass, and Brian Blade on drums. Tracks include "Nefertiti", "Some Other Time", "Alone & I", "Skylark", and "All Or Nothing At All". CD

Mark Turner on tenor saxophone, Kurt Rosenwinkel on guitar, Reid Anderson on bass, and Nasheet Waits on drums. CD

A pair of classic albums from The Undisputed Truth! First up is Method To The Madness – a gem from the second chapter of the group – that time when they stepped away from Motown, and followed producer/creator Norman Whitfield to his own label in California! The shift of record companies also marks a cool shift in styles too – an approach that still has all the bold, bassy elements you'd know from the earlier hits – but one that also has some fuller, more cosmic elements too! The set begins with a weird electronic spoken number that's almost experimental – then brings up the bass for a bit of heavy funk, while also using electric elements in a way that really points the way to sounds that other big funk groups would cop at the start of the 80s – but which really sound fresh here. Titles include "Sunshine", "Take A Vacation From Life (And Visit Your Dreams)", "Life Ain't So Easy", "You + Me = Love", "Cosmic Contact", "Hole In The Wall", and "Let's Go Down To The Disco". Smokin has them still going strong with Whitfield, in a groove that's every bit as wonderful as their early years! There's a killer mix of funk and deeper soul here that few other acts could handle this well – a way of hitting the flashy funk of Sly & The Family Stone or Graham Central Station – but also not falling into any showbiz traps, either – in a mode that really his the group not only respecting the role of each member, but also working together in a very cohesive way on the album. The result is a great little set that balances funky grooves with some excellent cosmic soul cuts – supported by great session work from giants like Wah Wah Watson, Walt Downing, and Jack Ashford. Titles include "Show Time", "Space Machine", "I Can't Get Enough Of Your Love", "Misunderstood", "Sandman", "Atomic Funk", and "Talkin To The Wind". CD

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The first album after David Lee Roth's departure, now with Sammy Hagar on vocal duties. Produced by the band and Mick Jones of Foreigner. Includes the hits "Why Can't This Be Love", "Dreams", "Love Walks In", "Best Of Both Worlds", "Good Enough", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

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A cool set from a percussionist who was both a figure in the more cutting-edge side of the New York downtown scene of the early 80s – and who had done some work for bigger groups as well! The album's one of the few under Van Tieghem's name – and features the artist on a huge amount of percussion instruments, both electric and acoustic – plus keyboards and a variety of objects. Peter Gordon co-produced, and plays saxes on the set – and the record's a nice one in the same territory of Laurie Anderson and David Byrne experiments on early 80s Warner. LP, Vinyl record album

The only record from this group that would sort of morph into Apollonia 6, one of many Prince vehicles during the 80s. As you'd hope from a Prince side project, the tracks here bubble with his new wave/pop/funk crossover, though really the hit "Nasty Girl" is pretty much the only standout, but a great one at that. Also includes "Wet Dream", "If A Girl Answers (Don't Hang Up)", "Bite The Beat" and "3x2=6". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

The final Warner Brothers album from Dionne Warwick – and a smooth, sophisticated affair done with full arrangements from Michael Omartian! The sound's still not as pop disco as you might expect from the time, and Dionne's gentle vocals are often cast in backings that step along nicely with a mellow, midtempo groove – one that's a bit like some of the best Philly soul of the period, yet still with a bit more California polish overall. The album works surprisingly well as a soul record – and really puts Warwick in the company of a whole generation of younger singers who'd risen above her by this point in the 70s. Titles include "One Thing On My Mind", "Don't Ever Take Your Love Away", "Livin It Up Is Startin To Get Me Down", "Since You Stayed Here", "A Long Way To Go", and "Keepin My Head Above Water". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer funky stoner soul from LA! This album is one of the best by Charles Wright and his legendary funky group – and it features some straighter soul material, like the big hit "Loveland", or their mellow take on "Light My Fire" – plus some great heavy funk numbers, like "Till You Get Enough", "Everyday People", and "Must Be Your Thing". The record's a huge testament to the strength of the group – as they handle the soul material just as well as they do the funky stuff that they're more famous for – and we really dig this one for its tightness and straight ahead positive soul! CD

Fantastic funk from the 60s LA scene – and the first-ever album by a group who would dominate the west coast groove of the time! This first outing by the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band takes off nicely from the group's funky 45 years – using larger arrangements to expand upon their hard and heavy groove, in a style that almost has some funky soundtrack touches at times! Fred Smith produced and is directing the group – and tracks are short, sweet, and filled with groovy touches! Titles include "Spreadin Honey", "Fried Okra", "Soul Concerto", "Watts Happening", "103rd Street Theme", "Whole Hog Or Nothing At All", "Brown Sugar", and "A Little Class & A Little Trash". Great trippy cover too – and an endorsement from Bill Cosby on the back! LP, Vinyl record album

Kirk Whalum on tenor and soprano saxophones and keyboards, Garry Goin on guitar and keyboards, John Stoddart on keyboards, Luis Conte on percussion, and Blair Cunningham on drums. CD

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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

A wonderfully weird record from the mighty Mason Williams – a set that's filled with lots of cool little surprises at each new twist and turn – yet which also comes across with a really solid, tuneful feel overall! The album's got a bit of folk, a bit of moog, and a bit of kitsch – but has a way of serving it all up with the kind of warmth and wit we love so much in that unique late 60s Warner Brothers moment – the same sort of vibe you might get from Van Dyke Parks or Harpers Bizarre at their best. Some tunes have Mason Williams singing these beautifully poetic lyrics straight, while others evoke the playful feel of his appearances on the Smothers Brothers Show – but things are really balanced throughout, and give the record that sense of discovery we hardly ever find in albums these days. Titles include a new version of "Baroque A Nova" from Mason's first album, the cool electronic "Generatah Oscillatah" instrumental, the groovy "Last Great Waltz", a "One Minute Commercial", and a wild remake of "Cinderella Rockefella" – plus "Saturday Night At The World", "$13 Stella", and "Whistle Hear". LP, Vinyl record album

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... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

With a rare guest appearance by John Bonham of Led Zeppelin! LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

The first solo album by Charles Wright – and a really mindblowing set that shows that he was the key psychedelic force in the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band! The set's got a much more stoner funk approach than ever before – one that's clearly fascinated with the bassy "rhythm" of the title, but which also has Wright really leaning into some soulful lyrics that represent the "poetry" of the set. A few of the cuts on the album go for quite a long stretch – especially the messed-up jam "Soul Train", which is almost a Funkadelic number, and the really crazy "Run Jody Run", a 13 minute jam filled with heavy guitars, soulful horns, and some mad shouted lyrics by Charles! Other tracks are mixture of soul and funk, and titles include "Girl Don't Let Me Down", "Just Free Your Mind", "Good Things", and a trippy cover of "Here Comes The Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly wonderful debut from the Yellowjackets – one of those groups who've become such a cliche that we forget how great they can be when they're on! This original album was cut years before "smooth jazz" meant "too slick to have soul" – and it's got a sweet electric bounce that follows nicely from the 70s R&B fusion experiments of players like Donald Byrd, Tom Browne, and Ronnie Foster. Russell Ferrante plays some great keyboards on the set next to the bass of Jimmy Haslip and drums of Ricky Lawson – and the album's rounded out with some excellent guest work by fusion luminaries that include Bobby Lyle, Ernie Watts, Larry Williams, Paulinho Da Costa, Robben Ford, and Roland Bautista. LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful work from the Youngbloods – a mixture of folk rock and jazzy phrasing, very much in the same spirit of Tim Hardin or Tim Buckley, with a depth and complexity that's quite surprising, and which has held up surprisingly well over the years – almost more appealing now than when it was first recorded. The electric piano alone is worth the price of admission – jazzy in a way you won't find on the group's other records – and the album features a number of longer tracks – including a sublime reading of Fred Neil's "The Dolphin", and the cuts "Beautiful", "Sunlight", "Ride The Wind", and "Sugar Babe". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A special version of this excellent series – with an album by each artist in the package! Side one features a killer album by the justly described Great JJ Jackson – and one that's been a darn tough one to find over the years! The leadoff cut is JJ's amazing single "But It's Alright", a slammin' soul track that always stops us dead whenever we hear it – which isn't often enough! The rest of the material is excellent too, and there are lots of nice tracks like "I Dig Girls", "Courage Ain't Strength", "Too Late", "Try Me", "Down But Not Out", Sho Nuff (Got A Good Thing Going", and "Four Walls". He's equally adept at uptempo soul and more ballad inflected tunes – great stuff all the way! Side two features Hypnotized by Linda Jones – one of the greatest female singers on the east coast scene at the end of the 60s – heard here on a classic Warner Brothers set that includes some of her best-remembered tracks! At some level, the set's a prequel to Linda's later recordings for the Stang/All Platinum label – as it features production and arrangements by the great George Kerr – who really has a way with slow-moving soul tunes, and the kind of sad-tinged tracks that Jones always did so well! Plus, his raw production really brings out some of the deeper soul qualities in Linda's voice – a mode that's quite a surprise at times, and presented here in a way that's far beyond any of the Aretha Franklin-styled cliches of other singers. Jones is a tremendously unique talent in female soul, and this album's her lasting legacy – a true treasure with cuts that include the hit "Hypnotized", plus loads of other nice ones like "Last Minute Miracle", "Give My Love A Try", "You Can't Take It", "What've I Done", and "I Can't Stand It". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Sam & Dave, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Booker T & the MGs, Arthur Conley, Archie Bell & the Drells, the Drifters, the Coasters, Ray Charles, and more. CD

Features selections by Talking Heads, Peter Gabriel, Time, Gang Of Four, Laurie Anderson, Ramones, Roxy Music, Pretenders, and others! LP, Vinyl record album

Memorial concert with Anoushka Shankar, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, Joe Brown, Billy Preston, Ringo Starr, and Paul McCartney. CD

Includes tracks by Peter Frampton, Alice Cooper, The Steve Miller Band, War, Dr John, ZZ Top, Foghat, and others. (Note: This item is not for sale online until 7:00am on Sunday, April 21. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago the morning of Saturday, April 20. It will not be pre-sold or reserved in any way. However, after 7:00am on April 21 we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.) LP, Vinyl record album

Latin grooves from the 60s and 70s – most from hard-to-find sides cut for Atlantic Records! Like the first volume, this one dips into some excellent material that was only ever briefly issued on LP – and it mixes it with some overlooked Latin cuts on albums by jazz and soul artists from the same time. The groove's got a tight 60s beat to it – with plenty of Latin Soul riffing, and even a bit of funk in the mix. Titles include "His Groove" and "King Kong" by Eddie Cano & Nino Tempo, "Watusi Boogaloo" and "Light & Sweet" by Willie Rosario, "Are You Sure" by Freedom Sounds, "Ghetto Funk" by Ike Turner, "Blood Shot" by Hubert Laws, "Devilette" by Dave Pike, and "Hip Hug Her" by Mongo Santamaria. LP, Vinyl record album

Features tracks by Lindsey Buckingham, Fleetwoods, Ramones, Ralph Burns, Nicolette Larson, Vanity 6, and June Pointer. LP, Vinyl record album

Includes tracks by Al Jarreau, Quarterflash, Rod Stewart, Talk Talk, Pointer Sisters, Burt Bacharach, Marshall Crenshaw, Heaven 17, and Rufus & Chaka Khan. LP, Vinyl record album

Includes music from Dion, Del Shannon, Bruce Channel, Jan & Dean, The Kinks, The Beach Boys, The Shirelles, The Shangri-Las, Chris Kenner, Dionne Warwick, Bobby Lewis, and more – 20 tracks in all. CD

(Note: This item is not for sale online until 7:00am on Sunday, April 21. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago the morning of Saturday, April 20. It will not be pre-sold or reserved in any way. However, after 7:00am on April 21 we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.) LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Three Dog Night, The Hollies, The Rascals, Blue Cheer, Smith, Blood Sweat & Tears, Spencer Davis, Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels, Canned Heat, Shocking Blue, Ides Of March, and Joe Cocker. LP, Vinyl record album

Label sampler with selections by Kensington Market, Joni Mitchell, Eric Andersen, The Collectors, Tiny Tim, David Blue, Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Arlo Guthrie, Randy Newman, The Fugs, The Electric Prunes, Tom Northcott, and Van Dyke Parks. LP, Vinyl record album

Includes selections by Stephen Bishop, The Cage featuring Nona Hendrux, Chicago, Depeche Mode, Heaven 17, Elton John, Basil Poledouris, Michael Sembello, and Tina Turner. LP, Vinyl record album

Music by Mudhoney, Babes In Toyland, Jane's Addiction, Daniel Lanois, David Lynch, Brian Eno, Sister Double Happines, Wolfgang Press, and the Muffs. CD

An all-star tribute to the great Curtis Mayfield – served up by a generation of artists who were influenced by his classic work! The set mixes soul singers and pop stars – in a really surprising lineup of tracks that includes "The Makings Of You" by Aretha Franklin, "Choice Of Colors" by Gladys Knight, "Gypsy Woman" by Bruce Springsteen, "I'm The One Who Loves You" by Stevie Wonder, "Woman's Got Soul" by BB King, "Keep On Pushin" by Tevin Campbell, "Fool For You" by The Impressions & Bradford Marsalis, "I'm So Proud" by The Isley Brothers, "Look Into Your Heart" by Whitney Houston, "Billy Jack" by Lenny Kravitz, "Amen" by Elton John & The Sounds Of Blackness, "If There's A Hell Below" by Narada Michael Walden, and "Let's Do It Again" by The Repercussions and Curtis Mayfield himself! Cassette

Music from Arlo Guthrie, Will Geer, Robert Ryan, Odetta, Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Tom Paxton, Joan Baez, Peter Fonda, Judy Collins, and more. CD

Tracks by Paul Simon, Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, REM, Eric Clapton, and more. Cassette

An earnest, kinda lovable hard rock soundtrack to the modern classic movie version of the earnest, TOTALLY lovable SNL-sketch Wayne's World! Naturally opening with Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", thanks the flick's most unforgettable scene, the soundtrack is a goofy, but fun mix of glammy and hard rock, classic 70s jams and early alt rock of the time, plus glam pop tunes by co-star Tia Carrarre and Mike Myers and Dana Carvey on the Wayne's World theme. Party on! Includes "Foxey Lady" by Jimi Hendrix, "Ballroom Blitz" by Tia Carrere, "Feed My Frankenstein" by Alice Cooper, "Dream Weaver" by Gary Wright, "Time Machine" by Black Sabbath, "Loving Your Lovin" by Eric Clapton and more. CD

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Includes the classics, "Gimme All Your Lovin", "Sharp Dressed Man", "Legs", "TV Dinners", and more! LP, Vinyl record album

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