An incredibly evocative record – one of the strangest of its kind, and an audio treasure that we've loved for years! Eden Ahbez first came into public prominence as the man who wrote "Nature Boy" for Nat King Cole – a dark, moody tune that was as mysterious and earthy as the ... (Now Sound, Vocalists)read moreCD
Sweet and dreamy vocals from Anna Maria Alberghetti – a great reminder that she was once a heck of a great singer, in the years before she became the Good Seasons lady! The album's got a soft, gentle feel – one that works perfectly for Anna's singing style – and which offsets her ... read moreCD
A nice sort of change for the lovely Anna Maria Alberghetti – and a record that's got the same sense of poise and class you might guess from her picture on the cover! Anna's still got that great range she first showed in the late 50s, but she's also got a great punch in the arrangements at ... read moreCD
Lush and lovely vocals from Italian singer Anna Maria Alberghetti – a great Capitol album that has her working with full backings from Nelson Riddle! The lyrics here are mostly in English, but Anna throws in a few Italian tunes – as was popular at the time, but often done with some of ... read moreCD
Albita —
Dicen Que ... CD Crescent Moon/Epic, 1996. Used ...
$1.99
Early In The Morning, a gem – right up there with her best work ever! An excellent early album by one of the greatest jazz vocalists of all time! The session's a very hip affair – recorded with the Ramsey Lewis Trio backing her up on one side, and a group led by Frank Foster on ... read moreCD
Always-great work from singer Lorez Alexandria – still sounding wonderful, even at this late date! Her presentation's a bit earthier than before, but no less poised than on earlier sessions – with the same sense of space and timing that's always made her one of our favorite jazz ... read moreCD
Incredible early work from Lorez Alexandria – the kind of albums that instantly set her apart from other singers of the 50s, reissued here properly for the first time in years! On This Is Lorez, the singer is working with sublime small combo backings from the group of pianist King Fleming ... read moreCD
A great cooker from the glory days of Ernestine Anderson on Concord Records – a time when the singer was rediscovered, and revamped in a bit of a bluesy mode – reaching a wide new audience at the time! Her vocals really shine at this point in her career, as she lets loose with a bit ... read moreCD
Call us crazy, but this is one of our favorite albums in years! We'll be honest, and say that we've never been big fans of Paul Anka – but take it from us, the Anka on this album's a lot different than the one you may know from the past! Anka's completely reinventing himself here – ... read moreCD
(Out of print.)
Laura Ann & Quatro Na Bossa —
Summer Samba ... CD Venus (Japan), 2008. Used ...
$18.99
The lovely Laura Ann does a nice job here with a host of classic Brazilian tunes – sung in both English and Portuguese, and backed by a jazzy little quartet! The album's got a nicely gentle feel, one that suits Laura Ann's vocals nicely – and it never tries to hard to be too classic, ... read moreCD
Louis Armstrong hits the Flying Dutchman label – and unlocks a whole new spiritual side of his talents – a mode that's quite different than some of his crossover pop of the 60s! The style here has a bit of righteous elements in the lyrics, and lots of spiritual jazz in the backings ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreCD
Tracks cinclude "All Of Me", "St. Louis Blues", "Body And Soul", "Mack The Knife", "Memories Of You", "When It's Sleepy Time Down South", and "Rockin' Chair" – 16 tracks total. (Jazz, Vocalists)CD
Havana Candy, indeed – as singer Patti Austin's in her sweetest mode of the 70s – stepping off of years of background vocals for others, and really emerging as a great soul star on her own! Patti got the chance to cut some soul singles back in her early days – but work like this ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
Includes "Hold Me", "Ability To Swing", "Givin' In To Love", "We Fell In Love Anyway", "The Heat Of Heat", "You Brought Me Love", "Love Is Gonna Getcha", "I'll Keep Your Dreams Alive", and more. (Soul, Vocalists)CD
Early work from Swedish jazz singer Alice Babs – and a set of recordings that feature the vocalist in the wonderful company of leader/arranger Erwin Lehn! Lehn's got a really fantastic sense of color – which we know most famously from his album on MPS – and that approach works ... read moreCD
Rare Bacharach galore – an assortment of under-reissued tracks all penned by the mighty Burt – most of which are from the heyday of 60s uptown soul! Despite the 1952 in the date range on the title, almost all the tunes here are from the mid 60s – that time when Bacharach was ... read moreCD
We know it's hard to think of anyone named Mildred as hip, but take it from us, the lady's actually a great singer with a deep capacity for jazzy blues and mellow R&B. These rare Savoy sides were cut during the years 1946 and 1947, and they feature great backing by pianist Ellis Larkin on ... read moreCD
Maybe one of the greatest albums of Chet Baker vocal material you could ever hope to buy – a fantastic testament of the young talent at the top of his game – effortlessly moving between well-conceived trumpet solos and those fantastic vocals that were unlike any other singer at the time! ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreCD
One of Chet Baker's most classic albums of the 50s – a record that features both vocals and strong trumpet solos – all from a time when Baker was one of the hottest things going in jazz! The album's different from records from previous years, in that it moves Baker from LA to New York ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreCD
Features Bud Shank on flute and saxophone, Russ Freeman and Pete Jolly on piano, Shelly Manne on drums, and others. Tracks include "Someone To Watch Over Me", "This Is Always", "Let's Get Lost", "Moon Love", "Sweet Lorraine", and "I Fall In ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreCD
(Out of print.)
Chet Baker, Helen Merrill, & Others —
Passaporto Per L'Italia ... CD RCA/Dialogo (Italy), 1962. New Copy ...
$18.9922.99
A very cool album from the Italian branch of RCA Records – and a set that features a host of artists from other nations who briefly stopped over in Italy, and recorded some of these gems for the label! There's a core energy to the set, which balances contributions from a few key artists, ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreCD
Bessie Smith by LaVern Baker – a great blend of modes that really comes off great! Instead of sounding like a throwback blues album, the set comes across with a nice degree of contemporary class – thanks in part to a jazzy presentation that's a bit different than some of Baker's other ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
The Barry Sisters at their swinging best – a hip female duo who really know how to make familiar tunes groove nicely with the sort of dynamic energy we'd normally reserve for male vocal quartets! Arrangements are by Richard Wess and Stan Applebaum – both of whom bring a cool sort of ... read moreCD
(Out of print and still sealed! Back cover has a small Japanese promo sticker.)
A great little record from this legendary pair – a late nite, bluesy sort of record that's a nice change from some of the Joe Williams/Count Basie material on Verve! Basie plays Hammond on part of the record – and the organ makes a wonderful accompaniment to Joe's vocals – played ... (Jazz, Vocalists)read moreCD
A really unique album from Molly Bee – a singer with country roots, but who comes across here like some of the best jazz vocalists on late 50s Capitol Records! Backings might have a touch of western in the mix – like some occasional steel guitar or backing vocals – but they've ... read moreCD
Classy soul from Regina Bell – a mellow, mature set that's filled with seductive charms! Titles include "Take My Time", "Someone Who Needs Me", "La Da Di", "Let Me Hold You", "Oooh Boy", "What If", "Gotta Go Back", and ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
A much more solidly American album than some of Vicki Benet's other efforts of the time – which were usually more French-styled than this one! This time around, Vicki's got a great breathy style that's right up there with Julie London on Liberty – a late 50s sexiness that perfectly ... read moreCD
A loungey album of vocals from this obscure Brazilian vocalist – and very much what you'd expect from the sexy cover! Norma's an emotive singer, playfully working her way through a number of tracks in Portuguese, plus some American standards from the 50s and 60s – all set to a slightly ... (Brazil, Vocalists)read moreCD
(Out of print, 2002 Brazilian pressing)
Tony Bennett —
Duets II ... CD Columbia, 2011. Used ...
$1.99
Tony Bennett —
Jazz ... CD Columbia, Late 50s/1960s. Used ...
$1.99
A great collection of some of the more jazz-based work of singer Tony Bennett – one that features a huge amount of all-star musicians – including Al Cohn and Stan Getz on tenors, Count Basie and Herbie Hancock on pianos, Nat Adderley on cornet, Chico Hamilton and Art Blakey on drums, ... read moreCD
Tony Bennett pays tribute to Frank Sinatra, supported here by a small jazz trio performing tracks that include "I Wished On The Moon", "Night And Day", "Nancy", "A Foggy Day", "Call Me Irresponsible", and "One For My Baby". CD
(Out of print.)
Tony Bennett —
Something ... CD Columbia, 1969/1970. Used ...
$2.99
A nice little 2CD set – one that features the full 1962 Carnegie Hall concert by Tony, with a second CD that gives the album enough space to add in a huge amount of previously unreleased tracks! The performance has Tony singing with both the trio of Ralph Sharon, and a larger orchestra ... read moreCD
A pair of late 60s Columbia classics from Tony Bennett – back to back on a single CD! First up is Tony Makes It Happen – a very jazzy album, with a group that features Joe Wilder and Joe Newman on trumpets, Urbie Green on trombone, Joe Soldo on flute, and orchestrations from Marion ... read moreCD
The complete recording of Tony Bennett and Bill Evans as a duo – the Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album from '75 and the '76 follow up Together Again – back to back, plus a bonus CD of alternate takes! If you've ever doubted the real jazz sensibility of Tony Bennett, the Tony Bennett/Bill ... read moreCD
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 ... read moreCD
The title definitely gets it right (although we wince at using the word "chillin" with such a great artist) – as the set features the great Andy Bey singing with just his own piano for backing – in a mode that easily makes for one of his most relaxed, personal albums ever! ... read moreCD
One of our favorite moments from that great Andy Bey comeback in his later years – a time when the singer returned to recording after too much time away from the studio – and with a rich quality that offers a maturing version of the music he gave us in the 60s and 70s! At some level, ... read moreCD
(Out of print.)
Elsie Bianchi Trio —
Atlantis Blues ... CD Sonorama (Germany), 1962. New Copy ...
$8.9919.99
A rare early session from the lovely Elsie Bianchi – best known for her classic 60s sides on Saba/MPS, heard here in a very similar format! The set features Elsie working with her combo from the Swiss Atlantis nightclub in the early 60s – and was originally issued as a limited-number ... read moreCD
A really unusual slice of work from pianist Elsie Bianchi – not just because the tracks here have never been heard before, but also because they feature Elsie playing some Hammond, in addition to her usual piano – and the recording was also made in Atlanta, and not some of the European ... read moreCD
With a career that spans decades, it might be a bit hard to sum up the best of Jane Birkin in one collection – but this overstuffed 3CD set does a pretty fantastic job! The package begins with lots of material from Jane's early years as a young English singer, crashing the French pop scene ... (French, Vocalists)read moreCD
Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin take Jane's ever-growing trash rock aesthetic into the Euro club world of the 70s – and the result is an insane batch of tracks that are among Birkin's craziest work of the decade! She sings with an incredibly deadpan style – as you'll hear especially ... (French, Vocalists)read moreCD
One of the most creative albums we've heard from Dee Dee Bridgewater in years – a set of tracks recorded with a host of Malian artists – in a unique cross-cultural mode that's unlike anything else Dee Dee has ever recorded! The core style here is still very firmly rooted in Bridgewater' ... read moreCD
The lovely and soulful Hadda Brooks was one of the great talents on the LA scene of the postwar years – a vocalist and pianist with a style that blended blues and jazz, in a manner that was like some of her male counterparts on the scene at the time, such as Nat King Cole or Charles Brown. ... read moreCD
A different James Brown album – but a nice one! James doesn't sing soul, so much as jazz – in front of large backings by Louis Bellson, with arrangements by Oliver Nelson that are in his best 60s soul mode – and which give the album a very very groovy feel overall! The record's ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
Some of the most unique vocal work ever recorded – a stunning collection of Columbia sides by Oscar Brown Jr, a singer who mixed together equal parts jazz, soul, and folk – and came up with a sound that was all his own! Oscar bubbled out of the hip Chicago scene of the early 60s – ... read moreCD
Wonderful work from Walter Brown – a bluesy singer who first rose to prominence in the early 40s band of Jay McShann (alongside a young Charlie Parker) – but who recorded these great cuts in the postwar years! The style is a nice fusion of earlier jazz modes and some of the leaner ... read moreCD
A really unique Japanese-only session from singer Ann Burton – one that was only briefly issued as a 45rpm album, and which really features Burton at her intimate best! Backing is by a trio that features Ken McCarthy on piano, and the sound is relatively clear, and quite subtle at points ... read moreCD
Great work from Ann Burton – an excellent jazz singer who made some great records in the 60s and 70s, although mostly overseas – so she's a lot less known on our shores than elsewhere! This is a really spare session, one that lets Ann's vocals come through wonderfully – as she's ... read moreCD
Some of the greatest work we've ever heard from Dutch singer Ann Burton – rare recordings presented here for the first time ever, and arguably even better than some of the commercially-issued material she cut back in the day! There's a light, swinging style to many of these tunes we really ... read moreCD
A date recorded in 1980, with an equally laidback feel as some of the earlier Ann Burton albums from the 70s! Burton's singing with only bass and piano for accompaniment – no drums at all, which makes for a very gentle, laidback sound – a perfect showcase for Ann's unique talents. ... read moreCD
Terry Callier —
Timepeace ... CD Verve/Forecast/Talkin' Loud (UK), 1998. Used ...
$9.99
Terry Callier's first album in nearly 2 decades – and a return to the folksy glory of his roots! The set was put together by the British Talking Loud label – no surprise, given that although back home, Callier had fallen into obscurity – but his star was still riding very high on ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
A 22 track collection of work by Mike Cambpell – a little-known Bay Area vocalist from the 80s, with a sweetly swinging style that's very much in the tradition of Mark Murphy, another San Francisco contemporary. The CD features 12 tracks from Campell's 1982 album Secret Fantasy, originally ... read moreCD
A great groover from Vikki Carr – one of the biggest voices on Liberty Records after Julie London – and one with a heck of a great style for the 60s! Carr has a strong range in her vocals, but always holds back from the heavy trills you might have heard a decade before – and ... read moreCD
A treasure trove of early work by Betty Carter – key early sessions from the 50s, all packaged together on one CD! The bulk of the collection – the "Ray Bryant" and "Gigi Gryce" components – features Carter's work for Epic in the mid 50s, sides recorded for ... read moreCD
A fantastic album by Betty Carter – and certainly her rarest – not nearly as "out there" as you might guess from the title, but still a sparkling set of modern jazz vocals! The album was recorded with arrangements by Gigi Gryce, plus some help from Melba Liston – and a ... read moreCD
The rare first album from Mel Carter – a cool, classy singer from the west coast scene – and one who echoed some of the more sophisticated styles from back east by soul artists like Jerry Butler or Walter Jackson! Mel's definitely got a style that's all his own – and his voice ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
A tribute to the great Billy Strayhorn – features Bill Charlap and Hank Jones on piano, Joe Lovano on tenor, Rodney Jones and Russell Malone on guitar, Diane Reeves and Elvis Costello on vocals, and others! (Jazz, Vocalists)CD
You know, over the years, you get exposed to so many cliches about Ray Charles that it's easy to forget how great he is – but you won't after hearing this set! This totally essential box pushes way past any other collection to pull together the raw early R&B sides by Ray – much ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
We might argue with the mathematics in the title – or at least joke that Ray was using equations as titles years before Anthony Braxton – but you can't contest the fact that this one's a classic treat, and a legendary attempt to class up Ray's bluesy style for the masses. Quincy Jones ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
A stunning standout from Ray Charles' years on ABC Records – and a set that brings in a bit of hard-swinging jazz to the country-styled groove Ray was hitting at the time! Backings are by Ralph Burns, who keeps things pretty hip – not as modern as some of his 50s charts for other ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
A classic! What seemed a silly idea at the time was true proof of Ray's genius, and the result was 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 ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
A fantastic vintage performance from the legendary Ray Charles – his first concert outside the US, spread out over four different nights at the Antibes Festival in France in 1961! This package brings together the full performance for the first time ever – not only including material ... (Soul, Vocalists)read moreCD
Sarah Elizabeth Charles —
Inner Dialogue ... CD Truth Revolution, 2014. Used ...
Just Sold Out!
Features guest trumpet from Christian Scott. (Neo Soul, Vocalists)CD
Darkly beautiful work from singer June Christy – a lesser-remembered gem from the end of her years at Capitol Records! The mood here is very much in keeping with the "night people" setting of the title – a lonely space of empty streets, open windows, and late night saloons ... read moreCD
Always brilliant work from the great June Christy – an album that's got a lot more darkness than you might think from the title and the bright-colored cover! The style is very booze-soaked and sad – with plenty of echoes of the classic Something Cool album – and like that set, ... read moreCD
June's got rhythm, sure, but the real thing that makes her great is her dark and moody sense of melody! This album's one of June's late 50s efforts done with husband/arranger Bob Cooper – not as arch modern as some of her recordings with arranger Pete Rugolo, but still in a style that's ... read moreCD
From its booze-soaked title cut, to its haunting selection of lonely ballads like "Midnight Sun" and "Stranger Called The Blues", this is one of the most fantastic vocal jazz albums of all time – and a record that we'd recommend instantly to anyone! June Christy has an ... read moreCD
Haunting stuff – and one of June Christy's darkest albums! June's singing here with her old boss, Stan Kenton, at the piano – no other real backing, just the pair of them working together in a session that's uniquely stripped down for the time. June's vocals are frail and tender ... read moreCD
Jay Clayton, Fritz Pauer & Ed Neumeister —
3 For The Road ... CD Meistero Music, 2002/2020. Used ...
$8.99
Features Ed Neumeister on trombone, Fritz Pauer on piano and Jay Clayton on vocals and electronics. Tracks are a mix of originals plus a few standards. CD
An incredible treasure from a lost vocal jazz genius – the little-known Bobby Cole, every bit as great a singer as he was a songwriter, very unusual for the time! Bobby was probably best remembered as the house pianist at Jillys, but at the time of this 1964 recording, he was poised to ... read moreCD
Wonderful work from vocalist Freddie Cole – brother to Nat, and an equally talented singer! Freddie's got a sound that's a bit sadder and more world-weary than Nat – still in kind of a small combo jazzy mode, as would bespeak his roots, but singing with a really honest approach that ... read moreCD
A great album, and one in which Nat King Cole returns to his roots as a jazz singer! The session differs greatly from Nat's other schmaltzy ones from the time, and it features a very "after midnight" sound – with Nat playing and singing backed only by a small combo that includes ... read moreCD
An important album by Nat King Cole – one that presented him in a live format, working in front of a very relaxed crowd at the Sands, expressing himself in a way that's quite different than some of his studio albums. The staid sound of Cole is opened up a bit here in the live set – a ... read moreCD
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 ... read moreCD