Airto —
Fingers ... CD CTI/King (Japan), 1973. Used ...
Out Of Stock
One of Airto's greatest records ever – a really hard hitting batch of tracks that mix sharp-edged fusion lines with some earthier Brazilian percussion touches – all in a way that nicely steps off of Airto's first few American releases, and warms the groove up with a nice dose of ... (Brazil) read moreCD
A classic album from one of our favorite jazz singers ever – a set that really set a whole new standard for a generation! Even at this early stage, Lorez Alexandria was an amazingly accomplished vocalist – as you'll hear on this excellent selection of tunes from the Lester Young ... (Vocalists) read moreCD
Some of our favorite work ever from the legendary Hank Ballard – a key figure in early R&B, and a singer who cut some big hits with his group The Midnighters – but one who also continued to do some wonderful work for King Records long after his hits – most of which is included ... (Soul) read moreCD
Joe Beck —
Beck ... CD Kudu/King (Japan), 1975. Used ...
$12.99
A great little Kudu set from guitarist Joe Beck – a player who's sounding a lot tighter here than some of his odd psychedelic experiments of the 60s – but still pretty darn great overall! The style is smooth, as you'd expect from Kudu, but Joe's still got plenty of edges in his guitar ... (Jazz) read moreCD
That's Torys, as in Suntory's – the big Japanese distillery who's hosting this special performance of The Big Four – a crackling lineup that features soulful tenor from Hidehiko Matsumoto and drums from George Kawaguchi! The core group have an energy that's like the best American bop ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(70s Japanese pressing, with obi and insert. Cover has light aging.)
A bit blues, a bit soul, and a great document of some under-recorded talents in the Memphis scene at the start of the 70s! The album's got a grittier sound than usual for Hi Records – and shows that at some levels in Memphis, there were still artists carrying the heavier sounds of a decade ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(70s Japanese pressing, with insert. Cover has some light wear, and a small bit of splitting in the middle of the bottom seam.)
A killer from James Brown – and one of his best instrumental albums of the King years! The record has James working with the pre-JBs James Brown Band – a tight assemblage of players who really know how to craft an off-kilter groove. The guitar's popping on the beat here as much as the ... (Soul) read moreCD
Not as well-known as James Brown's live albums from the Apollo, but a really cooking set from the 60s that keeps up a plenty hard groove all the way through! As with most of James' live dates, the tracks here move at a clip that's often even faster than the studio work – played to perfection ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Unusual Mexican 60s poressing! Cover has some light wear near the opening, but is great overall – and vinyl has one short click, but is nice and clean.)
James Brown, proud and loud – a smoking 60s album that provides a great link between his earlier styles and his freer roots – with a brilliant blend of funk, soul, and a touch of raw R&B! Given the power of The Godfather at this point, there's no denying that even the older cuts ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A definite mother from James Brown – the kind of all-funky album that few of his contemporaries could ever hope to match! If you've ever doubted the sheer raw power of James at the end of the 60s, the first few notes of this one will definitely make you a convert – and the stretched-out ... (Soul) read moreCD
Raw soul, indeed – a term that could have been coined for James Brown's vocal approach, and which probably makes one of its first appearances here on a record! The album's kind of a grab bag of earlier sides that James recorded for King, but it's a perfect showcase for his amazing sound in ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono black crown label pressing. Cover has split seams.)
Here's where things really started getting interesting for James Brown! The album was issued right around the same time as James' single "Out Of Sight" on Smash – and like that track, "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" was one of the first to use that "instruments on the ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A tremendous turning point in the career of James Brown – and an album that points the way strongly to the even deeper funk of the 70s! The album's a hard-wailing batch of instrumental tracks played by the legendary James Brown Band of the late 60s – the pre-JBs ensemble that's gone ... (Soul) read moreCD
(Limited edition.)
James Brown —
Sex Machine ... LP King, 1970. Very Good+ 2LP Gatefold ...
$39.99
James Brown cooking it live – recorded (as the cover says) "at home in Augusta, Georgia with his bad self"! The groove here is a nice extension of earlier Apollo modes – one that shows the increasing funkiness of the James Brown Band, captured with a raw power that few other ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Italian Polydor pressing. Cover has light surface wear and a stuck gatefold.)
A rare and early release from The Godfather, and one that we never see! Contains twelve sides by a young James experimenting with a variety of styles from doo-wop to blues, including "I Don't Mind", "Have Mercy Baby", "Shout & Shimmy", "Dancing Little ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Black label King pressing, titled "Good Good Twistin' With James Brown" on inner label. Cover has light wear, and a bit of seam splitting, but is nice overall.)
James Brown —
Soul Fire Vol 3 ... LP King/Polydor (Japan), Late 60s/Early 70s. Very Good- Gatefold ...
$14.99
A very cool Japanese-only collection – filled with funky gems from James Brown – including "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", "Get It Together (part 1)", "Say It Loud (part 1)", "Money Won't Change You (parts 1 & 2)", "Mother Popcorn (part ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Includes lyric sheet. Cover has some light wear and a bit of aging.)
James Brown recorded a few different Christmas records back in the 60s – but this stunner may well be the best of the bunch – a killer record that not only fills the need for James Brown Holiday tunes, but which also more than lives up to his non-Christmas gems for King Records too! ... (Soul) read moreCD
(Limited edition LP style sleeve – with red CD that has a vinyl-style design!)
King Records gems from the great Cowboy Copas – a singer who's a lot more country than western – despite his name and hat on the cover! The music here is the kind that really set the scene for crossover country in the 60s – tunes of heartbreak and loss, sometimes swinging ... (Folk/Country) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Black label deep groove pressing. Cover has split seams held with old tape, and light surface wear. Vinyl has a short click on "An Old Farm For Sale".)
Sweet soulful jazz from reedman Hank Crawford – one of his killer Kudu sessions from the 70s – all of which really helped Hank redefine his sound! The setting here is large and full – put together beautifully by Bob James, with that sense of space for the soloist that makes his ... (Jazz) read moreCD
One of Hank Crawford's first big records of the 70s – a really great set that helps him shake off some of his stock modes of the 60s and find a very different groove! A big part of the album is arranger Don Sebesky, who gives Hank a backdrop that's sophisticated and smooth, yet still pretty ... (Jazz) read moreCD
A sweet bit of electric funk, and one of Hank Crawford's greatest records from the 70s – thanks in large part to the great Bob James – who arranged and produced the record with a mighty soulful vibe – leaving Hank lots of room to solo on his own over the top! The groove is really ... (Jazz) read moreCD
(Out of print, 2016 Blu-spec CD pressing – includes obi.)
Eddie Lockjaw Davis —
Uptown ... LP King, Late 50s. Very Good+ ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
A nice little set that combines some of Eddie's rare work for King from the mid 50s! Eddie's tenor is in wonderful form here, working with a real sense of economy on the album's short tracks – a sense that you don't always get in some of his more stretched-out sets for Prestige. Backing on ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Black label King pressing, with deep groove! Cover is nice too.)
Bill Doggett —
Hold It! ... LP King, Early 60s. Very Good ...
$19.99
Next to Honky Tonk, this has to be one of the greatest Bill Doggett LPs for King! The set kicks off with Bill's great instrumental "Hold It" – a jaunty little groover that has the band fast vamping, then someone shouting "hold it", which they do, then start again. A ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Black label pressing with deep groove. Cover has light wear.)
Funky funky Hammond – a rare late 60s album from organist Bill Doggett, done with some help from James Brown – and a set that's unlike anything Doggett ever recorded before – or since! There's a blasting groove to the record right from the start – thanks to help from The ... (Jazz) read moreCD
Champion Jack Dupree —
Sings The Blues ... CD King/Gusto, Early 50s. New Copy ...
Out Of Stock
Early King Records material by Champion Jack Dupree – a hell of a pianist, and a heck of a great singer too – working almost as a raconteur on some of the best songs on this collection! The music has deep roots in New Orleans, where Jack must have really honed his piano skills – ... (Blues) read moreCD
A killer set from Joe Farrell – one of the 70s greatest reed players, and an always-exciting talent who was one of the first artists to really use the extended CTI format to break into a whole new level! The set's a drawn-out quintet side, with Chick Corea on electric piano, Buster Williams ... (Jazz) read moreCD
(Out of print, 2013 Blu-Spec CD pressing – includes obi!)
Killer CTI work from Joe Farrell – with grooves so sharp you could cut your trousers on them! Farrell's angular reed style is in perfect form here – grooving with a small group that includes Herbie Hancock on piano, Joe Beck on guitar, Steve Gadd on drums, and Don Alias on percussion ... (Jazz) read moreCD
(Out of print, 2013 Blu-spec CD pressing – includes obi.)
A stone killer from the legendary 5 Royales – one of the greatest groups to ever record for King Records in the 50s, and a key force in helping move things forward from doo wop to soul! The balance between Lowman Pauling's lead and the harmonies is amazing – a big inspiration on the ... (Soul) read moreCD
Eric Gale —
Forecast ... CD Kudu/King (Japan), 1973. Used ...
Out Of Stock
One of the most successful albums ever from guitarist Eric Gale – a laidback understated player whose mellow sound had a tremendous influence on mainstream jazz funk in the 70s! The album takes off from the late 60s CTI and Verve sessions by Wes Montgomery – and features Gale riffing ... (Jazz) read moreCD
(Out of print.)
George Hines & The Gospel Winds —
Moving Up ... CD King/Gusto, Early 70s. New Copy ...
Out Of Stock
Great 70s gospel from George Hines & The Gospel Winds – but a set that's recorded with much more of an old school vibe overall! The interplay between lead and group vocals really takes us back to some of the best male groups of the postwar years – that time when gospel vocal ... (Gospel) read moreCD
A monster from the great John Lee Hooker – an artist who isn't usually associated with King Records, but who issued this mighty collection of sides for the label at the start of the 60s! Most of the work dates from a few years before – gritty tracks that have Hooker at his best postwar ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A groovy little record from the Count Buffalos group – an ensemble we know mostly for their heavier funk of the early 70s and late 60s – but who here step out in a clubbier mode with some sweet touches of disco! The group's still a jazz one at its core – but they've also added in ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Milt Jackson —
Goodbye ... CD CTI/King (Japan), 1973. Used ...
Out Of Stock
Sweet 70s electric work from the great vibist Milt Jackson – a record that has him hitting some nicely moody modes, and in a spacious style that's almost a 70s remake of the energy of the Modern Jazz Quartet! Cedar Walton plays piano and Fender Rhodes – and Hubert Laws is in the group ... (Jazz) read moreCD
(Black label pressing. Vinyl has some cosmetic sleeve impressions and some press flaw bumps that click just a bit. Cover has some splitting in the bottom seam.)
A great 60s collection of earlier work by Lonnie Johnson – some of the rootsiest blues that King recorded in the postwar years! (Blues) LP, Vinyl record album
A more electric album than usual from pianist Fumio Karashima – but in a great way too! The album has Karashima playing Fender Rhodes, mini-moog, and other keys – in addition to his usual acoustic piano – in a driving quartet lineup with bass from Miroslav Vitous and saxes from ... (Jazz) read moreCD
Bossa nova and blues? Turns out they're a surprisingly great combination – but not in a mode that's really the more mainstream conception of either – and instead more of that mix of Brazilian rhythms and soul you'd find in early 60s work by The Drifters! The record's a real standout ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Beautiful heavy vinyl mono pressing – just like an original King Records version!)
Killer early material from Freddy King – a blues album, but one that's also got a strong resonance with instrumental soul and early funk! The record is "Strictly Instrumental" – as the cover says – and a nice batch of short bluesy groovers that feature Freddy's great ... (Blues) read moreCD
Tracks include "Giant Steps", "Danny Boy", "Take Five", "Killing Me Softly With His Song", "Harlem Nocturne", Chopin's "Etude Opus 10, No 3", and the originals "Song Of The Waves" and title track "Let Old Memories Be". (Jazz) CD
(Out of print, includes obi which has a small Japanese promo sticker over barcode, disc has a promo stamp.)
Makoto Kuriya with Nathan Davis & Curtis Fuller —
Mercy Mercy Mercy ... CD King (Japan), 1998. Used ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
A great later moment from reedman Nathan Davis – a player we love for his 60s work on the European scene and his 70s self-released records – but who hardly ever made it to the studio at this later date! Davis plays both tenor and soprano sax – the latter with that sharp edge we've ... (Jazz) read moreCD
(Out of print, includes obi.)
Little Royal —
Jealous ... LP Trius/King, 1972. Sealed ...
$14.99
An obscure little album – but one that's had surprising life in recent years, thanks to a great batch of funky tracks on the set! Little Royal is one of those soul singers who doesn't mind borrowing bits from bigger stars as long as they work well in his act – stepping out like Garland ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Original pressing. Cover has a cutout hole.)
Little Willie John —
Sure Things ... LP King, 1961. Near Mint- ...
$14.99
It's always a sure thing when we see the name of Little Willie John on the cover of a record – a sure thing that the music's going to be great, the vocals sublime, and the whole thing a non-stop package of raw early soul! Willie's a singer who recorded for King Records during the same early ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Manhattan Jazz Quintet —
Autumn Leaves ... LP King/Paddle Wheel (Japan), 1985. Near Mint- ...
$16.99
A standard-setting record from the Manhattan Jazz Quintet – that strong return to acoustic modes that made the combo such a breath of fresh air in the 80s – at a time when so few jazz groups were content to just focus on doing their thing! The head genius here is pianist David Matthews ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Includes insert. Cover has some light aging along one edge, and in another corner.)
The first of many great albums from the Manhattan Jazz Quintet – a great acoustic combo led by pianist David Matthews, after some initial 80s years experimenting with fusion! Matthews' acoustic strengths are a wonderful surprise – both on his piano solos, and in his ability to lead ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(German pressing – on Bellaphon.)
Yoshiyaki Masuo —
Good Morning ... CD Electric Bird/King (Japan), 1979. Used ...
$9.99
A nice little wake up call from Yoshiyaki Masuo – a set that has his guitar working in close collaboration with extra guitar from Motoaki Masuo – for a two-stringed approach that's a bit different than some of Yoshiyaki's other records! The music is laidback, but never sleepy – ... (Jazz) read moreCD
(White label promo in a King sleeve! Note: Record has a very slight warp, but plays fine.)
Takeru Muraoka —
Soft Landing ... LP King (Japan), 1978. New Copy (reissue)...
Out Of Stock
Electric funk, with some mighty nice horns – a mix of saxes from Takeru Muraoka – plus trumpet and flugelhorn from Susumo Kazuhara too! We're not sure, but it almost feels as if Takeru's a bit overdubbed – using alto, tenor, and soprano together at various points to give the ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
There's a vampire with a flute on the cover – and that image alone is more than enough to make us drop the needle on this rare Japanese gem from the 70s! And fortunately, the sound of the music is equally cool – funky fusion with some nicely spacey currents – almost a Mizell ... (Jazz) read moreCD
Long tracks, lots of open energy, and plenty of freewheeling solos too – just the sort of Japanese jazz album from the 70s we treasure so much! The group here is led by drummer George Ohtsuka – sometimes spelled Otsuka – and features Fumio Karashima on piano and Fender Rhodes ... (Jazz) read moreCD
This title is scheduled for release about Saturday, May 1.
Long tracks, lots of open energy, and plenty of freewheeling solos too – just the sort of Japanese jazz album from the 70s we treasure so much! The group here is led by drummer George Ohtsuka – sometimes spelled Otsuka – and features Fumio Karashima on piano and Fender Rhodes ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
This title is scheduled for release about Saturday, May 1.
One of our favorite-ever albums from Esther Phillips – an album that really helped her transform her sound for the 70s! The approach here is a lot more jazzy than before – served up with a good dose of funk, thanks to arrangements from Pee Wee Ellis – fresh from his work with ... (Soul) read moreCD
Not the usual sounds you might expect from postwar country music – as Wayne Raney's an unusual star from the King Records roster – one who could play harmonica as well as sing, and who definitely brought a strong boogie current to his hillbilly material! The album's a heavyweight ... (Folk/Country) read moreCD
An incredible late 50s set for King by singer Lula Reed – and a pretty unique blend of R&B and bluer and moodier material – but a lot more upbeat than you'd expect from the title! Lula's voice is a genuine vessel for the bluesy material, but it's also light and lovely, and works ... (Soul) read moreCD
A really beautiful soundtrack for a Japanese film that didn't get that much circulation on our shores at the time – a score that mixes keyboard passages with light orchestrations, all with a nice sense of spareness and beauty! The music is maybe vaguely in the territory of Joe Hisaishi, but ... (Soundtracks) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
One of Lonnie Smith's rarest albums – and one of the most obscure records on the landmark Kudu label! The set is one of Smith's most far-reaching from the 70s – a bit in the mode of his earlier records for Blue Note, but with a slightly sweeter quality that shows the shift to Kudu ... (Jazz) read moreCD
Our favorite years of the Stanley Brothers – material recorded after they'd left the bigger labels, and really started to hit their stride for the smaller indies King and Starday Records! Both companies were completely faithful to the growing sound of bluegrass, and really let the brothers ... (Folk/Country) read moreCD
Our favorite years of the Stanley Brothers – material recorded after they'd left the bigger labels, and really started to hit their stride for the smaller indies King and Starday Records! Both companies were completely faithful to the growing sound of bluegrass, and really let the brothers ... (Folk/Country) read moreCD
A great introduction to the King Records material of The Stanley Brothers – a nicely-priced 4CD set that's overflowing with classics from one of the best duos in bluegrass! Ralph and Carter Stanley work together perfectly during these years – harmonizing in an incredible way, right up ... (Folk/Country) read moreCD
Heavenly sounds from this legendary duo – a great collection of spiritual sides the bluegrass brothers recorded for King and Starday Records – all material that was maybe even more important to their catalog than their secular singles! Ralph and Carter Stanley have a fantastic harmony ... (Folk/Country) read moreCD
Gabor Szabo —
Rambler ... CD CTI/King (Japan), 1973. New Copy ...
$13.99
Lean 70s genius from the great Gabor Szabo – a set that has him electrifying the sort of vibe he created on Impulse Records in the 60s – but all without ever sounding too slick or commercial! The group here is nice and lean – supervised by Bob James, who plays piano and organ, ... (Jazz) read moreCD
(Part of the CTI 50th Anniversary Special Collection!)
Cecil Taylor's first LP for the Candid label – and a landmark album that really lets him open up for the first time in years at a recording session! The album was cut at Nola's Penthouse in 1960, and the core group is Cecil's trio with Buell Neidlinger on bass and Dennis Charles on drums ... (Jazz) read moreCD
(Out of print, 2001 pressing with 24bit mastering.)
Very early work from Joe Tex – recorded way before his boogie records of the 70s, and even his country soul classics of the 60s! Yet despite the age of these sides, the Joe Tex vocal approach is very firmly in place – that raspy mode that's undeniably human, and which might be rooted ... (Soul) read moreCD
Nice King Records compilation of earlier material by Eddie Cleanhead Vinson – featuring plenty of cuts you won't find in any other format. Vinson's got a jazzier style than most of the 50's R&B singers, and he also plays some tasty alto with a good raw edge, which keeps the tracks ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Tan label pressing. Cover has split seams and surface wear.)
A long-awaited follow-up to one of our favorite compilations of King Records soul music – a set that does a perfect job of showing the label's strong roots in R&B, and it's important force in 60s soul! The package offers up tracks with a really great sound – definitely the grittier ... (Soul) read moreCD
Raw, raunchy sounds – all pulled together from a time before soul and rock even existed! Most of the work here is from the classic catalog of King Records – a killer imprint in the postwar R&B market, and a company who wasn't afraid to do what it took to make a knockout record! In ... (Soul) read moreCD
Raw, raunchy sounds – all pulled together from a time before soul and rock even existed! Most of the work here is from the classic catalog of King Records – a killer imprint in the postwar R&B market, and a company who wasn't afraid to do what it took to make a knockout record! In ... (Soul) read moreCD
Raw, raunchy sounds – all pulled together from a time before soul and rock even existed! Most of the work here is from the classic catalog of King Records – a killer imprint in the postwar R&B market, and a company who wasn't afraid to do what it took to make a knockout record! In ... (Soul) read moreCD
Poll winners from the Japanese scene of the late 50s – stepping out in a special live performance from the time! The album's almost got a Verve Records sort of feel – especially from the all-star tip – and tunes are more swing than bop, although there's definitely a few modern ... (Jazz) read moreCD