A great little jazz album from Ray – more so than most of his earlier work from the 60s and 70s, and performed here with a great batch of players that include guest appearances by Kenny Burrell, Steve Turre, Eddie Gomez, and Joe Lovano. Adam Koller is in Ray's regular group – and he ... (Latin) read moreCD
A Japanese-only variation on an older Crown Records pressing of material that was originally done for the Modern/RPM label in LA – rare material from both singers, pressed up on much nicer vinyl than the original! Johnny Watson sings and serves up guitar solos with the group of Maxwell Davis ... (Blues) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
An unusual Japanese-only collection of work by bassist Ron Carter – pulled from American sides for Fantasy, and done by Suntory Whiskey! The set features the new tracks "Double Bass" and "36414" with Jay Berliner on guitar and Kenny Barron on piano – and other ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Original Japanese pressing – VIJ-28068 – with red obi and insert.)
Jackie Chan —
Viva Jackie Chan ... LP Victor (Japan), 1982. Near Mint- Gatefold ...
Out Of Stock
A great Japanese collection – featuring tracks from early Jackie Chan films, including two by Lalo Schifrin! (Soundtracks) LP, Vinyl record album
Otis Clay —
Live – Otis Clay ... LP Victor (Japan), 1978. Near Mint- 2LP ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
A rare live set from Otis Clay – much more obscure than his later Japanese album that circulated in the 80s – and captured at a time when Otis was coming off his famous stretch at Hi Records! The set features great small combo backing by an American group – and titles include ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Nice Japanese pressing, with insert! Cover has minimal wear and is a great copy overall!)
John Coltrane —
Soultrane ... CD Prestige/Victor (Japan), 1958. Used ...
$9.99
A bold early statement from a young John Coltrane – and an album that really has him expanding his talents as a tenor soloist! Coltrane's working here in open-ended quartet format – with backing from the Red Garland trio that includes Paul Chambers and Art Taylor – on a set of ... (Jazz) read moreCD
A legendary group who never fully got their due – and maybe one of the creepier acts on the British scene at the start of the 70s! The cover art probably gives things away – but the sound of the record is even more haunting – with some acoustic elements that echo the acid folk ... (Rock) read moreCD
Eddie Condon's Hot Shots/Joe Venuti/Eddie Lang —
From Chicago To New York ... LP Victor (Japan), Late 1920s/Early 1930s. Near Mint- ...
$6.99
A strange mix of material – but some great work overall! Most of the record features Miles Davis recording with a quintet that includes Thelonious Monk on piano, Milt Jackson on vibes, Percy Heath on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – on longer versions of "The Man I Love" (in ... (Jazz) read moreCD
As classic an early album by Miles Davis as you can find – truly filled with the "all star" players billed in the title, and a session that has the sharpness of Davis' bop work for Blue Note, yet also lets him stretch out in a slightly more relaxed format! The album features Miles ... (Jazz) read moreCD
Directions —
Directions ... CD Brunswick/Victor (Japan), 1975. Used ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
One of the rarest soul records on Brunswick! This one was cut during the mid 70s – when the label was really having some rough times financially, but also was cutting some of its most groundbreaking soul work. The Directions are a tight harmony quintet – equipped, it appears, with ... (Soul) read moreCD
One of the most far-reaching, exploratory records cut by Booker Ervin during the 60s – a set that really lives up to the "freedom" in its title! The album really takes off from some of Ervin's other work of the time – and stands along next to the equally-great Space Book as a ... (Jazz) read moreCD
Mindblowing work from Booker Ervin – one of our favorite albums ever from his years at Prestige, and a record that really earns its haunting title and cover image! Book's definitely headed out to space on this one – working in a freer mode than on some of his Texas tenor-styled albums ... (Jazz) read moreCD
A classic set to feature the Bill Evans Trio with the great Scott Lafaro on bass and Paul Motian on drums! Listening to the set we're reminded of what always brings us back to Evans' playing – a quality that's often described as moody, but which is really is quite spry and lively throughout ... (Jazz) read moreCD
One of Bill Evans' landmark sessions with the young bassist Scott LaFaro – a player who made key contributions on every record he touched, then left this earth far too soon in his career! The live session's a perfect demonstration of the way that the Evans trio format not only re-worked the ... (Jazz) read moreCD
One of Farmer's best sessions of the 70s – recorded in a mode that's a bit freer than usual, with a group that includes Hampton Hawes, Ray Brown, and either Steve Ellington or Shelly Manne on drums. Art Pepper sits in on 4 of the album's 6 tracks – and it's his tone and edgieness that ... (Jazz) read moreCD
A tremendous comeback for the Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet – recording here in the mid 80s with original members Farmer, Golson, and Curtis Fuller – plus tremendous rhythm support from the trio of Mickey Tucker, Ray Drummon, and Marvin Smitty Smith! The session has less of the ... (Jazz) read moreCD
A noteworthy session from pianist Hampton Hawes – a rare quartet session from the 50s (at a time when Hawes was mostly working in trios) – and also a three volume set of releases, all recorded in the space of a single night! The album is truly an All Night Session – as the ... (Jazz) read moreCD
Maybe the title's a bit overly-optimistic – but with a record like this, you can certainly imagine a world in which everybody does like Hampton Hawes! The record's the third in a legendary early run for the Contemporary label – trio material that broke Hawes out of the box and firmly ... (Jazz) read moreCD
The darkly brooding image of Hampton Hawes on the front cover of this one is a real standout in the mostly-sweet cover lineup of the Contemporary label – but it's also a great indication of the sound of the record, which is something different than most of its contemporaries! Hawes is ... (Jazz) read moreCD
Terumasa Hino Sextet —
Fuji (Japanese pressing) ... LP Victor (Japan), Early 70s. Near Mint- Gatefold ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
Soaring, spiritual work from trumpter Terumasa Hino – one of his great early 70s records that really have the musician breaking out of the box – and maybe sounding like he belongs on Impulse Records at the time! Takao Uematsu, the tenor player, is great, and has an excellent hard reed ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Heavy gatefold pressing, with insert – SMJX 10135 – a great copy!)
(In the cloth-bound cover, with obi. Cover has some surface wear and some aging inside the gatefold.)
Bobby Hutcherson —
Color Schemes ... CD Landmark/Victor (Japan), 1986. Used ...
$11.99
A great title for this album from Bobby Hutcherson – given the way he commands such great tones from his work on the vibes! The album's a real gem from his Landmark Records years – that great back-to-basics point when Bobby was almost doing more by doing less – especially in a ... (Jazz) read moreCD
(Original Japanese pressing! Spine has a cutout notch.)
Masaru Imada Trio + 1 —
Maki ... LP Victor/Lawson (Japan), New Copy (reissue)...
$45.9954.99About October 30, 2024
Madleen Kane's still serving up her trademark sensuous brand of disco – which made her as big on the dancefloors as she was between the pages of Playboy at the time! Thor Baldursson handles the grooves here – with that great compressed style that always makes his work so great – ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Japanese pressing with obi and insert.)
George Kawaguchi & Hidehiko Matsumoto —
George & Sleepy ... LP Victor/Lawson (Japan), 1969. New Copy (reissue)...
$45.9959.99About November 27, 2024
An incredible record from two of the biggest Japanese jazz talents of the 60s – and a set that may well be one of the best that either of them cut in the decade! Drummer George Kawaguchi's got an approach to the kit that's usually straight ahead, and full-on – but here, he diverges ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A key transitional album for The Kinks – a record that took them from the lighter "picture postcard" rock of their late 60s albums, into the headier concepts that would mark most of their early 70s work! The concept here is fortunately a light one – a faux-hillbilly sort of ... (Rock) read moreCD
(Out of print 2006 K2HD Japanese pressing, includes obi.)
Great early work by this swingin' French vocal group! These guys swung as hard as American jazz vocal groups, like Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross or The Hi Los – but they stuck to hipper, jazzier material, and had a driving sound that never let up! The group is led by singer Mimi Perrin, who ... (Vocalists) read moreCD
A very unusual session for Carmen McRae – a live recording that features only her vocals and piano, on spare readings of a number of sophisticated songs that ably demonstrate the class and care she was bringing to her work at the time! The approach is quite different from some of the ... (Vocalists) read moreCD
A very unusual session for Carmen McRae – a live recording that features only her vocals and piano, on spare readings of a number of sophisticated songs that ably demonstrate the class and care she was bringing to her work at the time! The approach is quite different from some of the ... (Vocalists) read moreCD
Charles Mingus —
Mingus At Monterey ... CD Jazz Workshop/Victor (Japan), Mid 60s. Used ...
Out Of Stock
A landmark recording from Mingus – and one of his best of the mid 60s! The album was recorded live at the Montery Jazz fest – and it features great work by Jaki Byard, Charles McPherson, John Handy, and Lou Blackburn. Mingus explores his increasing fascination with the work of ... (Jazz) read moreCD
A landmark recording from Mingus – and one of his best of the mid 60s! The album was recorded live at the Montery Jazz fest – and it features great work by Jaki Byard, Charles McPherson, John Handy, and Lou Blackburn. Mingus explores his increasing fascination with the work of ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Japanese pressing, with insert. Inside gatefold has some light aging – front cover looks nice.)
Pre-moog work from Hugo Montenegro – but a set that's still pretty darn groovy! The Beach Boys reference in the title is very well put, as Hugo's using some cool harmony vocals for the record – a chorus that definitely takes some of its inspiration from Brian Wilson, singing here both ... (Now Sound) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Frank Morgan with Cedar Walton —
Easy Living ... CD Contemporary/Victor (Japan), 1985. Used ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
A great date from the later revival years of altoist Frank Morgan – thanks to a warm performance from the Cedar Walton trio! One of the great things about late Morgan is the way in which he's able to really fit himself into different settings – still holding onto his soulful roots, but ... (Jazz) read moreCD
(Out of print Japanese pressing with a cutout notch through the case spine.)
Phineas Newborn —
Harlem Blues ... CD Contemporary/Victor (Japan), 1969. Used ...
Out Of Stock
A later issue of material recorded in the late 60s by Phineas for Contempoary – tunes from the sessions for the album Please Send Me Someone To Love, but which didn't make the cut at the time – and are here issued a decade after the original recordings! The group on the set features ... (Jazz) read moreCD
A legendary live performance, and one that's often billed as a high moment in the history of bebop – a special concert-only group that brings together five key bop heavyweights – Charlie Parker on alto, Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Bud Powell on piano, Charles Mingus on bass, and Max ... (Jazz) read moreCD
A legendary live performance, and one that's often billed as a high moment in the history of bebop – a special concert-only group that brings together five key bop heavyweights – Charlie Parker on alto, Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Bud Powell on piano, Charles Mingus on bass, and Max ... (Jazz) read moreCD
A unique large group session from Art Pepper – one of his few this way as a leader, despite constant 50s presence as a sideman in big ensembles! Arrangements are by Marty Paich, who more than makes things swing – and there's a nice rhythm section dancing underneath a larger group ... (Jazz) read moreCD
A lost treasure – finally brought back to light! The album features previously unissued material by the team of Art Pepper and Warne Marsh – tracks recorded back in 1956 for Contemporary records, but only issued many years later as part of the Complete Contemporary project for Pepper's ... (Jazz) read moreCD
Late live work from Art – recorded in Japan, with his excellent quartet that included George Cables on piano and Billy Higgins on drums. Cables' free flowing piano lines always bring out the best in Art's alto work – as you'll hear on the album's long tracks that have a relatively open ... (Jazz) read moreCD
(Out of print. This is an XRCD24 pressing, with higher fidelity and improved audio quality. Includes obi!)
One of Art Pepper's most classic sets for Contemporary – a record that puts him in the company of the Miles Davis rhythm section – Jimmy Cobb on drums, Paul Chambers on bass, and Wynton Kelly on piano – who make up 3/5 of a quintet that also includes trumpeter Conte Candoli! The ... (Jazz) read moreCD
A New York album, but one that was oddly recorded in Burbank – and which has Art Pepper sounding very much at the top of his game! The format here is a bit like the other Artist House Pepper sessions, and those he did for the Japanese Atlas label – tight, focused, often tunes that are ... (Jazz) read moreCD
(Out of print 1985 Japanese pressing.)
Art Pepper —
Stardust ... LP Victor/Omnivore, 1979. New Copy (reissue)...
Out Of Stock
A great little record from Art Pepper – four long tracks that really have him stretching out on alto – but in a way that's maybe a bit different than some of his more burning albums on the Galaxy label at the time! The group here follows from some of the previous Artist House ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A great little record from Art Pepper – four long tracks that really have him stretching out on alto – but in a way that's maybe a bit different than some of his more burning albums on the Galaxy label at the time! The group here follows from some of the previous Artist House ... (Jazz) read moreCD
2 funky classics from the legendary Pretty Purdie! Purdie Good is Bernard Purdie's first album as a leader for Prestige – cut right after he'd hipped up plenty of other sessions for the label with his famous funky drums! The groove here is very much in the best Prestige jazz funk mode of ... (Jazz) read moreCD
With Harold Arlen and Fred Astaire. (78 RPM) 78 RPM, Vinyl record
Sonny Rollins —
Cutting Edge ... CD Milestone/Victor (Japan), 1974. Used ...
$14.99
An underrated 70s effort from Sonny Rollins, featuring him fronting a dynamite group with Stanley Cowell and Mtume at the height of their Afro-centric electric jazz period. Longtime sideman Bob Cranshaw plus David Lee round out the rhythm section, and this is one of Rollins' LPs featuring the ... (Jazz) read moreCD
An overlooked Sonny Rollins set from the early 80s – one that has him recording with a fair bit of guitar, but still staying very much in his best form as an improviser! The group here features both Bobby Broom on electric guitar, and Yoshiaki Masuo on acoustic and electric – both ... (Jazz) read moreCD
An overlooked gem from Rollins – and a record that has him playing with a bit of an electric feel, in a style that's similar to some of Joe Henderson's early 70s Milestone sessions! Similar to Henderson's albums, George Cables plays a bit of electric piano on the set – grooving nicely ... (Jazz) read moreCD
(Out of print 1998 Japanese pressing, includes obi.)
A classic set that brings the east coast tenor of Sonny Rollins into contact with a west coast rhythm section of Ray Brown and Shelly Manne! Despite Rollins' silly look on the cover, and the album's overall "western" theme, the session's a brilliant one – right up there with Sonny's ... (Jazz) read moreCD
(Early Japanese CD pressing. Booklet has age spots.)
A classic set that brings the east coast tenor of Sonny Rollins into contact with a west coast rhythm section of Ray Brown and Shelly Manne! Despite Rollins' silly look on the cover, and the album's overall "western" theme, the session's a brilliant one – right up there with Sonny's ... (Jazz) read moreCD
Patrice Rushen —
Before The Dawn ... CD Prestige/Victor (Japan), 1975. Used ...
Out Of Stock
Patrice Rushen's second album – and a very sweet batch of keyboard funk! The record has Patrice working in a groove that's almost like that of Herbie Hancock at the time – using lots of electric piano, clavinet, and synth to craft some mighty fine jazz funk grooves. The group's a ... (Jazz) read moreCD
Shungo Sawada Quartet —
Formation ... LP Victor/Lawson (Japan), 1970. New Copy (reissue)...
$45.9954.99About October 30, 2024
Searingly soulful work from the group of guitarist Shungo Sawada – a player we mostly know from his groovy instrumental sides of the 60s, but who sounds plenty darn hip in this setting! The record has a nice sort of soul jazz groove on most numbers – one that takes Shungo's warmer ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
The one and only album from Sunrize – a cool little group who get some heavy help on production and arrangements from the Isley Brothers and Chris Jasper! The groove here is a nice extension of the Isley vibe of the time – a bit more bassy at points, clearly going for the ensemble funk ... (Soul) read moreCD
(Out of print, 2003 Japanese pressing)
Derek Trucks Band —
Already Free ... CD Victor/Sony, 2009. Used ...
Out Of Stock
Mal Waldron & Gary Peacock —
First Encounter ... LP Victor/Trading Places (UK), 1971. New Copy Gatefold (reissue)...
$27.9929.99
Far-reaching and incredibly soulful work from Mal Waldron and Gary Peacock! Both players are at the height of their powers here, and have a warmth and sense of interplay that makes the session one of the best they did alone or together during the time. The group's a trio, with Hiroshi Murakami ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Mal Waldron/Terumasa Hino —
Reminiscent Suite ... CD Victor/BBE (UK), 1972. New Copy ...
$16.9919.99
Really evocative work from pianist Mal Waldron – a rare Japanese session cut with trumpeter Terumasa Hino, and a hip group of players who really make the set sparkle! The album's easily one of the most spiritual that Mal ever cut – and features two side long tracks that build ... (Jazz) read moreCD
Mal Waldron/Terumasa Hino —
Reminiscent Suite ... LP Victor/BBE (UK), 1972. New Copy Gatefold (reissue)...
Out Of Stock
Really evocative work from pianist Mal Waldron – a rare Japanese session cut with trumpeter Terumasa Hino, and a hip group of players who really make the set sparkle! The album's easily one of the most spiritual that Mal ever cut – and features two side long tracks that build ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Sadao Watanabe —
Come Today ... CD Victor (Japan), 2013. Used ...
$9.9924.99
Excellent small group work from Sadao Watanabe – easily one of the best Japanese reed players of the past 50 years – still sounding great here on a recent acoustic session! Watanabe plays alto throughout – a definite preferred horn of late – and stretches out in these ... (Jazz) read moreCD
(Out of print, includes obi.)
Sadao Watanabe —
Jazz Samba ... LP Victor (Japan), 1967. Near Mint- ...
Out Of Stock
Brilliant proof of the early genius of Japanese saxophonist Sadao Watanabe – a set of tracks that mixes together samba rhythms and jazz, but in a way that's a bit different than most other 60s efforts of the type! The rhythms here are often quite rootsy – recorded upfront in the mix ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
An unusual Japanese-only collection of American and Japanese disco material – heavy on Avco label tracks from the US – but with other odd material too! There's a lot of cuts by the Soul Sounds Symphony, and by Van McCoy – and the set also features work from Dooley Silverspoon, ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Japanese pressing – with obi! One label is Avco, the other Victor.)
A great little set that moves chronologically from bebop and cool jazz to hard bop and new wave, with music by Bud Powell, Charlie Parker, Wardell Gray, Stan Getz, Miles Davis, Art Pepper, Dexter Gordon, Ray Bryant, Herbie Hancock, and Tony Williams – 25 tracks total. (Jazz) CD
A great little set compiled by the folks at Swing Journal, with music by Miles Davis, Art Farmer, George Wallington, Thelonious Monk, Taddd Dameron, Mal Waldron, Roy Haynes, Kenny Dorham, Sonny Rollins, and others – 21 tracks ... (Jazz) read moreCD