A pretty hard rocking set of soul instrumentals from Gene Barge – a sax soloist with a honking King Curtis type sound, and a talent who was also doing a fair bit of producing and arranging for Chess during the 60s! This set is one of the few that Gene cut on his own, and is a loping set of ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono light blue "checker piece" label pressing. Cover has a cutout hole and light wear.)
Fontella Bass —
New Look ... LP Checker, 1965. Very Good ...
Out Of Stock
With that whip in her hand, we're not gonna argue with Fontella Bass about her New Look in the photo – and we can definitely say that the whole classic album definitely lives up to her hip, powerful stance on the cover! Fontella's a singer who started in gospel, later sung jazz, but who ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono light blue checker piece label pressing. Cover has a cutout hole, ring and edge wear, yellowing from age in back, a center split with some fraying at the bottom seam, and a large light stain at the bottom left corner with some wrinkling.)
2 early soul sides by the woman who later went on to marry Lester Bowie, and sing jazz vocals with the Art Ensemble Of Chicago. Both tracks have Fontella's raw hard soul sound firmly in place, with the kind of groove that was stolen from her to bigger fame by Aretha Franklin. (Funky 45's) 7-inch, Vinyl record
(Blue label pressing. A-side label has light wear.)
If it were up to us, every song Bo recorded would have been a hit – because they're all so great! This album does a pretty good job of sorting out the best numbers, though – picking 16 tracks from his all-great albums for Chess – with a focus on the tightest and most groove-heavy ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(60s checker piece label pressing. Cover has some surface wear and aging.)
A wicked reinvention of the sound of Bo Diddley – a set that electrifies his groove even more than before – and takes him into the same mix of funk and blues that Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf were exploring at the time! This album's right up there with the two Cadet/Chess classics by ... (Blues) read moreCD
A wicked reinvention of the sound of Bo Diddley – a set that electrifies his groove even more than before – and takes him into the same mix of funk and blues that Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf were exploring at the time! This album's right up there with the two Cadet/Chess classics by ... (Blues) read moreCD
A wicked reinvention of the sound of Bo Diddley – a set that electrifies his groove even more than before – and takes him into the same mix of funk and blues that Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf were exploring at the time! This album's right up there with the two Cadet/Chess classics by ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Man, with a square guitar and a badass style of presentation, it's hard to imagine how Bo could manage to NOT be in the spotlight! The album, like all his early Chess sides, is a real cut above the usual R&B set – with all original tracks, a really self-contained approach, and a no-nonsen ... (Blues) read moreCD
Forget the silly cowboy costume on the front cover – because this is a heck of a great album! Bo might have gotten saddled (no pun intended!) with a silly gimmick for the title and image of the set – but the album's one of his best from the early Chess years, and features a rip-roaring ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A second pressing of the first Bo Diddley album – and a set that's fantastically twangy! We never tire of Bo Diddley's incredible guitar work – and you'll get plenty of it in this early album he cut for Chess, a tasty batch of 12 tracks, all original tunes with a stripped-down ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Have guitar, will travel – and back in the day, Bo Diddley was going pretty darn far with great material like this! The album's a real standout, even in the classic Chess catalog of the early years –no filler, no covers, just all original material by Bo Diddley – done in that ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A collection of earlier work by Aretha Franklin – issued by Chess after her fame on Atlantic, but featuring tunes cut when a younger woman, working with famous father Reverend CL Franklin! Given that CL was one of the biggest stars of Chess' gospel recordings, there was plenty of material ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Excellent group harmony work from this long-running ensemble – a set of tracks that includes "Count Your Blessings", "There's Power In The Blood", "The Harvest Is Past", "Beams Of Heaven", "I Love To Call His Name", and "Sunshine Always ... (Gospel) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Original 70s pressing.)
Dale Hawkins —
Rock N Roll Tornado ... CD Checker/Ace (UK), Late 1950s/Early 1960s. Used ...
Out Of Stock
Stunning work from the great Dale Hawkins – a singer you may only know from the title track of this collection, but one who made some of the hardest, fiercest rock and roll on Chess Records in the 50s! Dale hailed from Louisiana, where much of this music was cut – but he also worked ... (Rock) read moreCD
Stevie Hawkins —
Two Wings ... LP Checker, 1967. Very Good+ ...
Out Of Stock
A rare album from the young gospel singer Stevie Hawkins – with nice Chicago Chess production! (Gospel) LP, Vinyl record album
(Mono blue fade label pressing. Cover has a cutout hole, light wear and aging, small tear at the opening, and some splitting in the bottom seam.)
A group that definitely lives up to its name – given that the lineup features the Chess Records stalwarts Bo Diddley, Howlin Wolf, and Muddy Waters! The set's maybe a bit more in the mode of Wolf or Waters than some of Bo's own records – although there's a bit of that riffing spark of ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Blue fade label stereo pressing with deep groove. Cover has surface wear, edge wear, and some aging. Vinyl is nice.)
A group that definitely lives up to its name – given that the lineup features the Chess Records stalwarts Bo Diddley, Howlin Wolf, and Muddy Waters! The set's maybe a bit more in the mode of Wolf or Waters than some of Bo's own records – although there's a bit of that riffing spark of ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A stone classic! "Temptation 'Bout To Get Me" is one of those harmony tracks that you never forget. It's got a strong strong hook, sung in a descending vocal style that pins it right to your heart! (Funky 45's) 7-inch, Vinyl record
One of the funkiest albums ever cut by Little Milton – done at the end of the 60s with some hard Chicago soul arrangements from Gene Barge, and an overall style that mixes electric blues with some of the hard soul coming from the city's west side scene at the time! The album's much more of a ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A great example of why Little Milton was always one of the few Chicago blues artists who could also break strongly in the soul camp at the time – and a beautifully balanced set that perfectly shows both sides of the Chicago scene of the time! Production is by old Vee Jay maestro Calvin ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Blue fade label stereo promo. Cover has ringwear, heavy edge wear, call letters in marker on both sides, pieces of colored tape at the spine, and a peeled spot and some titles circles in marker in back. Labels have call letters in marker.)
Big blues from Little Milton, recorded with a mighty big sound as well – thanks to the cool criss-crossing of soul and blues that was going down at Chess Records in the 60s! Milton's got this raw, raspy style in his voice – a nasty edge that mixes perfectly with his own sharp guitar ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Very dangerous! Cash is in trouble on both sides – and both cuts were arranged and produced by Monk Higgins! "SOS" is mellow and sad, and really shows Cash's strong talent for a bluesy ballad. "I'm In Danger" is a stormin uptempo number, with a good Chicago northern ... (Funky 45's) read more7-inch, Vinyl record
Two sides recorded by Bobby with Cash McCall in Chicago – both original tunes by Bobby, handled with a deep soul approach. "Give Me Your Love" has a bit of a Tyrone Davis sort of swing to it – guitar working around the bouncing bassline, as Bobby's vocals swing out a bit more ... (Funky 45's) read more7-inch, Vinyl record
A killer from Bobby Moore! Sure, he's best known for the classic southern soul number "Searching For My Love" – but the one we die for is "Hey Mr DJ", a slow vamping instrumental with a honking tenor all over the top, and bubbling organ and really heavy drums underneath. ... (Funky 45's) read more7-inch, Vinyl record
Socking soul power! Bobby Rush cut this great single for Chess in the late 60s, and both sides are killer funky soul! "Sock Boo Ga Loo" is the virtual definition of a Sock Boogaloo cut – with a great hard drum sound, and a totally catchy groove throughout! (Funky 45's) 7-inch, Vinyl record
(Blue fade label pressing. Labels have light wear.)
Harold Smith & The Majestic Choir —
God Never Fails ... LP Checker, 1967. Very Good ...
Out Of Stock
One of those great and very soulful 60s gospel sessions done for Chess Records – co-produced by Ralph Bass and Sonny Thompson, and with small combo backing that features Hammond and piano! (Gospel) LP, Vinyl record album
Incredible early tracks from the great Joe Tex – recorded long before his bump and "I Gotcha" years, back when Joe was a sweet southern soul singer, with a strong penchant for a sad lyric, and a unique ability to shift between singing and talking, in a style that made him one of the ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Early 80s Japanese P-Vine pressing, with obi and insert. Cover has light aging.)
Tommy Tucker may be best-remembered for the title track of this classic album – a tune that was covered by countless other artists in the 60s – but he's a hell of a talent with a mighty great range, and a gritty, soulful sound that's perfect for early 60s Chess Records! The album's got ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Vibrations —
Watusi ... LP Checker, Early 60s. Very Good ...
$44.99
Hard grooving early work by The Vibrations – recorded before their sides at Okeh, with a style of rough-hewn soul that's very much in keeping with their hit "The Watusi". The album's got plenty of great numbers, very much in a Chicago dance mode of the 60s – and titles ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Black label pressing - nice and clean. Cover looks great on front, but has a small bit of splitting on the bottom seam.)
Damn funky gospel from The Violinaires – easily one of the hippest spiritual albums you could ever hope to find on Chess! The groove here is gritty Chicago funk, put together by Gene Barge with lots of heavy bass on the bottom – in a blend that's somewhere between the Cadet/Concept ... (Gospel) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Two classic hard funky slammers from Andre Williams! "Do the Popcorn" is an unbelievable non-stop cut, with jangling guitars in chorus all the way through – and Andre speaking in a raspy sexy voice, while a funky female chorus chimes in from time to time. Oh, and did we mention ... (Funky 45's) read more7-inch, Vinyl record
(In a Chess Group sleeve, with a small tear in the die-cut.)