A big crossover moment for Donna Summer in the 80s – a set that features lots of keyboard-heavy arrangements from Michael Omartin – who produced the record at a level that really gets the most out of Summer's hook-heavy style! Donna's way past the drama of the disco years here – ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Melba Moore gets some great help here from the Philly soul duo of McFadden & Whitehead – whose soaring styles proves to be a perfect fit for her amazing voice! Melba had cut some great work before this set, but here things really seem to come together – her amazing range, her ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Chicago —
Chicago II ... LP Columbia, 1970. Very Good+ 2LP Gatefold ...
$4.99
Chicago's second album – not as familiar as the first, and with some really great moments! The group is working here in the same extended-length format as on their debut, going for some more complicated tunes spread across the album's double length – jazzy riffing still firmly in place ... (Rock) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(70s pressing. Cover has a small center split in the spine.)
Allen's on the front cover in a white turtleneck that makes him look like a bit of a square, but the session's a nice jazzy fusion outing, in the best tradition of some of the excellent work from the time on the short-lived Headfirst label! Vizzutti plays trumpet in the lead, often in a ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a cut corner. Vinyl plays with a short click on "Down At Sunset Sound".)
A lady in the streets – and a freak in the bedroom! Hey, that's not us making that claim – it's Denise, on the leadoff track of this excellent early 80s set! Denise really pushes herself for the record – almost reinventing her sound, and coming up as one of the Queens of ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Jacksons —
Triumph ... LP Epic, 1980. Very Good ...
$3.99
One of Michael Jackson's last albums with his famous brothers – a record that was cut in between the two Quincy Jones albums (Off The Wall and Thriller) that would catapult him to megastardom! This set is still an all-Jacksons affair – produced and written by the whole group, and put ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Sweet solo grooves from Jermaine Jackson – and a record that shows he was one of the brothers who really had something to offer on the solo tip! The album's got a bouncy, ebullient groove right from the start – upbeat and positive, and really coming off the best Jackson's tip of the ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Three (Joe Sample, Ray Brown, Shelly Manne) —
Three ... LP Inner City, 1976. Very Good+ ...
$3.99
Quite possibly one of the most successful Japanese piano trio recordings of the 70s – a super-session performed by a group that includes Joe Sample on acoustic piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums! Given that Sample's best known during the era for his electric keys with the ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(US pressing. Cover has light wear and a residue spot from an old sticker.)
Linda Clifford goes a bit over the top with this one – a lavish double-length set, of the sort that ended up bankrupting the Curtom label during the late 70s! Linda's very much in full-disco mode, singing to long clubby arrangements by Gil Askey that have more strings than before – and ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(White label promo. Cover has some staining and a hype sticker.)
A great one from Nancy Wilson – a set that has the singer working with full arrangements from Billy May, who's got this surprisingly subtle approach at times that works really well with the soulful currents in Nancy's vocals! The approach is almost more like Oliver Nelson, especially with ... (Vocalists) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Stereo rainbow label pressing. Cover has light wear.)
David Sanborn —
Taking Off ... LP Warner, 1975. Very Good+ ...
$3.99
The fantastic first album from David Sanborn – a lot more than you might expect if you only know him from later years! Sure, the record's tight – and yes, Sanborn was a crossover player from the start – but there's some great moments here, and the whole thing's got a lot more of ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A killer start to the 80s for the Dazz Band – with great tunes in a funky mode as well as more measured group soul numbers – and it all adds up one of their best albums ever! Tunes like the opener "Shake It", plus "Shake It Up" and "Magnetized" bring the ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Raydio —
Rock On ... LP Arista, 1979. Very Good+ ...
$3.99
Not much rock here, but a definite guitar-driven groove – that Ray Parker vamp cooked up in a long legacy of work for other artists – really sparkling here in the frontline of Raydio! The bass is pretty strong too, with that mainstream funk sound that was popping strongly from the west ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Beautiful work on guitar and sitar from the great John Renbourn – with flute from Ray Warleigh, plus concertina, viola, and percussion – on titles that include "Trotto", "Lamento Di Tristan", "Veri Floris", "Alman", "The Lady & The ... (Folk/Country) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a few small stains.)
Junior Walker —
Hot Shot ... LP Motown, 1976. Near Mint- ...
$4.99
A mid-70s stormer from Jr Walker & The All Stars – a set that glides along on a fuller set of backdrops than before, with Holland-Dozier-Holland production from Brian Holland returning to Motown – but in a hip 70s style that has strings and funk dancing along in a great way beneath ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A sweet early 80s set from the Ohio Players – one that's a bit different than their 70s hits, but in a way that also shows that the group were still very much in wonderful form! At a point when these guys could have easily stood still, and just kept churning out the kind of grooves that ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a cutout notch and some light stains along the spine.)
Sweetly soaring disco from the legendary Celi Bee – easily one of our favorite disco divas of the late 70s! This album's got a slightly lighter feel than some of Celi's other work – a bit less drama at times, but still plenty of full-on clubby rhythms – thanks to arrangements ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Richie Havens is way past the folksy mode of his roots by this point – working in a set of smooth arrangements by William Smitty Smith and Booker T – a style that mixes electric touches with Havens' still-raspy vocals, an approach that's a bit like that used on some of Bill Withers ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
While this set was produced by Simon Harris, and there's not a ton of stuff to get excited about here, there is the nice ragga crossover track by Asher D & Daddy Freddy "Ragamuffin Hip Hop", and the break cut-up "These Are The Brakes" by DJ Hanway plus CJ Mackintosh "The ... (Hip Hop) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(White label promo. Cover has some wear, with peeling along the spine.)
Quite an unusual album for Dionne Warwick – a late 60s effort that has her returning to her gospel roots, and singing with backing from The Drinkard Sisters – a group originally founded by Dionne's mother, and which featured a young Cissy Houston! The sound here isn't as strictly ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Stereo pressing with silver text. Cover has a cutout hole.)
Featuring Ray Brown on bass, Cal Collinson guitar, Jake Hanna on drums, Marshal Royal on alto sax, and Snooky Young on trumpet. (Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a cutout hole and light wear.)
James Cleveland & The Salem Inspirational Choir —
Victory Shall Be Mine ... LP Savoy, 1980. Very Good- ...
$1.99
(Cover has a cut corner, light ringwear, and some edge wear.)
Average White Band —
Aftershock ... LP Track, 1988. Near Mint- ...
$4.99
Titles include "The Spirit Of Love", "Sticky Situation", "I'll Get Over You", "Later We'll Be Greater", "We're In Too Deep", "Let's Go All The Way", and "Love At First Sight". (Soul) LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a cutout hole, some edge wear, and hype sticker.)
By the time of this early 80s recording, original Hi-Lo's member Gene Puerling had been crafting sly vocal jazz gems for MPS with the Singers Unlimited – mixing together smooth 70s production and slight electric instrumental touches, to get a sublime sound that took the harmony approach of ... (Vocalists) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Pausa pressing. Cover has some wear at the top seam.)
Titles include "Second Best", "So Wrong So Fast", "Jealous Hert", "Would You Be Satisfied", and "How Long Does It Hurt". (Folk/Country) LP, Vinyl record album
(Mono rainbow label pressing. Cover has split seams held with yellowed tape and call leters in pen on back.)
(Yellow & black label pressing with deep groove. NOTE – Vinyl is in Fair condition. Cover is still in nice shape, with a small mark from price sticker removal, and some light wear and aging on back.)
A crowd-pleasing cooker from Clark Terry – a set recorded live before a very appreciative audience, and in a hipper 70s mode than you'd expect! The album's one of those great jazz efforts that was put together by Ed Bland – who seems to bring a nice sense of bounce, soul, and groove to ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has light ringwear and some wear at the bottom seam.)
Pedicin was a studio player at Philly – with a sweeping saxophone sound that showed up in more than a few good licks on the label's big hits. This album's one of two that he cut as a headliner, and it's sort of a smooth jazz affair, with touches of instrumental Philly. The record's not ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover has very light moisture damage at the bottom.)
The groovy off-kilter arranger from the Kenton band lays down some cool, but oddly orchestrated stuff in a setting with a big, fat bottom of 10 saxes and 2 basses. Tracks include "2 Funky Basses", "Contrasts", "Saxophobia", "Holiday For Strings", "Guy ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover is missing the poster, with some wear along the perforation along the top.)
George Benson —
Weekend In LA ... LP Warner, 1978. Near Mint- 2LP Gatefold ...
$4.99
Titles include "Ode To A Kudu", "We As Love", "Lady Blue", "Windsong", "Weekend In LA", "It's All In The Game", and his classic take on "On Broadway". (Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has light ringwear and some wear at the bottom seam.)
A later Capitol gem by June – where she reprisies a number of classics from her early years with Stan Kenton – new versions of late 40s tunes, done here with Pete Rugolo arrangements that go a good way towards showing how both he and June had grown during the 50s. Titles include "H ... (Vocalists) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Stereo rainbow label pressing. Cover has splitting on the seams and light surface wear.)
Jo Stafford gets sentimental over Tommy Dorsey – but in sweet swinging ways that really reflect the 60s setting of the record! In other words, the tunes may be a bit old – but they're recast in more modern arrangements here by Nelson Riddle, Billy May, and Benny Carter – all of ... (Vocalists) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(White label promo. Cover has a split spine and bottom seam, a promo sticker, and tape remnants.)
Classy supperclub vocals, with arrangements by Jimmy Jones, and some sweet polished singing from Bill Henderson. Most of the tracks are standards or pop – like "Am I Blue", "The More I See You", and "Twelfth Of Never – but there's a few nice lesser-known ones, ... (Vocalists) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mono rainbow label pressing, in a cover with a stereo sticker. Cover has adhesive residue on the opening.)
Joe Sample —
Carmel ... LP ABC, 1979. Very Good+ ...
$3.99
God, we love this record – and we're not ashamed to admit it! Sure, it sold a gazillion copies – and sure, for some folks it showed the true demise of the Crusaders ensemble. But for us, it's a masterpiece of smooth fusion, and a landmark album of easy jazz that spawned countless ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A seminal bit of crossover disco from the mid 70s – and a record that broke big on its title reworking of The Animals' earlier hit! Leroy Gomez heads the group on vocals and alto sax – and brings a slight Latin flourish to the album – mixing strings with some brassier "Spanis ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
We don't know about you, but we never get tired of Cheech & Chong's jokes about reefer and East LA. Loads of classic material on this first LP: "Blind Melon Chillin", "Wink Dickerson", "Acapulco Gold Filters", "Vietnam", "Trippin In Court", ... (Comedy) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A later album from Little Feat – and one that adds some new dimensions to their ever-searching vibe! On Time Loves A Hero, Little Feat takes some surprising steps – even for them – into a bit of a fusiony rock vibe some of the time. Still, the soulful boogie rock and stripped ... (Rock) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover has light wear.)
Bud Shank's second Beatles-titled album of the 60s – and a set that's even groovier than the first! The record features a wonderful jazz-based approach to "second chapter" Beatles – with arranger Bob Florence providing superb arrangements for post-Rubber Soul tunes, which are ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has some wear with a split bottom seam and a sticker on the spine.)
Always-great work from the 5th Dimension – one of their biggest albums ever, built around the group's hit version of "Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In", and featuring some other psychedelic pop soul gems like "Sunshine Of Your Love", "Blowing Away", "The ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
An unusual late record from the legendary Sonny Stitt – a set that's got some electricity in the group, but at a level that's not entirely funky jazz! Instead, the tracks are long, and feature some well-crafted solos from the leader – and the vibe here is loose at times, a bit like the ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Early American work from Julie Andrews – recorded right at the start of her big fame on the stage, but with styles that almost hearken back more to the sound of her homeland! Many titles have musical elements or themes that echo the British Isles – a few traditional folk tunes here, or ... (Vocalists) read moreLP, Vinyl record album