New Arrivals

LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

A stone classic from Richie Havens – and we don't just mean that because of the title and cover! The record's got Richie really taking his music to the next level – moving past straighter folk lines, and hitting a more sophisticated sound that's not too far from territory Terry Callier ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

A pop soul classic from Force MDs – the kind of record that countless other groups would copy in years to come! The MDs' mix of hip hop production and straighter soul was hardly new at the time, but it's carried off perfectly here – done in a way that shakes off the last vestiges of ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

A key early moment for Keith Jarrett – his first-ever solo album, recorded in the early 70s for ECM – and the start of a huge legacy of later work! Before this set, Jarrett had recorded some compelling trio material for Atlantic – and he was also exploring more spiritually ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

Later reissue of this landmark album that forever changed the face of live recordings! As has been told and retold often, King records not only had the genius idea of bringing recording equipment into the Apollo Theater to catch James in a smoking live setting – but they also went out of ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

Groovy Ella from the end of the 60s – the kind of record that marked a really nice change from her staid work for Verve in years past! The setting here is bouncy and mod – a great mixture of jazz, soul, and bits of late 60s Brit Easy – no surprise, given that the sessions were ... LP, Vinyl record album (Vocalists LP)

Sweet clubby grooving from Joe Thomas – a set that has the Ebony Godfather smoothing his groove a bit for the disco years of the late 70s, but still keeping things plenty soulful throughout! Brad Baker (of B Baker Chocolate Company fame) arranged and conducted the album, and he brings in ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

The title's certainly right on this one, because the album is soft and beautiful – recorded by Aretha Franklin in a moody late nite mode that's similar to early 60s work by Sarah Vaughn or Dinah Washington on Roulette! Backings are by Belford Hendricks – relatively full, with strings ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

An overlooked sleeper from Jerry Butler – the kind of record that follows nicely off of his best strengths for Mercury in the early 70s – and which has him furthering the level of mature soul that was his greatest contribution to music in the decade! As before, the best tunes here are ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

A great bit of pop acid house from the UK heyday of the late 80s – a clear follow-up in spirit to hits like "Pump Up The Volume" and "Bomb The Bass", with a similar blend of brazen beats, blasts of sound, and stark samples that come in and out of the mix. A bit more poppy ... 12-inch, Vinyl record (Soul 12-inch)

Sweet Canadian disco from the team of Phyllis and Helen Duncan – recorded in a style that features longer tracks, pulsating rhythms, and some of the instrumental flourishes that were stepping out on some of the best Prelude records of the time! The pair trade vocals wonderfully throughout ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

Wonderful work from one of Clark Terry's best periods – and the kind of stripped-down swinging 60s set that really lets him show his most soulful side! The group features Terry on both trumpet and flugelhorn – working in co-leadership with Bob Brookmeyer on trombone – supported ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

The record everyone's used for the "I Want Action" sample. One of the first records produced by Russell Simmons, with beats by Orange Krush, who did most of the beats for the early Run-DMC records. 12-inch, Vinyl record (Hip Hop 12-inch)

A great document of the hippest thing going on TV at the time – the full absorption of the 60s underground into mainstream TV culture! Producers Rowan and Martin bring together a cast that includes Henry Gibson, Joanne Worley, Dave Madden, Ruth Buzzi, and Goldie Hawn – all doing a ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soundtracks LP)

A classic double live album from Bob Marley & The Wailers – presented and packaged at a level that's really a cut above the usual set of that nature from the time! The group's in excellent form in a concert setting – and there's more than enough magic here to warrant the extended ... LP, Vinyl record album (Reggae LP)

Not the Transmat issue, but another indie released 12" of these seminal Detroit techno tracks, that manage to sound both warm and cold at the same time, in a way that still appeals to us today. 12-inch, Vinyl record (New Grooves 12-inch)

After his huge success with The Harder They Come, Cliff made a number of LPs in the states, most self produced, some of which were more succesful than others, and many with a clear nod towards US Soul and R&B, like this one. And though we'd be hard pressed to call this one of his best, it does ... LP, Vinyl record album (Reggae LP)

12-inch, Vinyl record (Soul 12-inch)

Sensitive, but never sleepy – a perfect balance between gentle pop and deeper soul – served up with masterful arrangements and production from Burt Bacharach! The album's an early treasure in Dionne's 60s run for Scepter Records – an album that features a bit less Bacharach/David ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

A stone classic from reedman Ronnie Laws – and an album that really helped set a whole new standard for funky fusion in the 70s! Laws works here with great Wayne Henderson production – which gives the album an even sharper sound than other Blue Note sets of this vintage – and ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

A great counterpart to Nancy Wilson's classic Hollywood My Way album for Capitol – and like that one, a classy set of tunes arranged and conducted by Jimmy Jones! The style is similar to Nancy's more pop-oriented work, with perhaps a bit more pause on the ballads to unlock their more ... LP, Vinyl record album (Vocalists LP)

One of the first albums to ever issue recordings made at the Newport Jazz Festival – quite a big hit, and the beginning of a real trend in jazz! The set's also some great work by Duke – free to perform in a setting that's not bound by some of the time restrictions of earlier years, ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

This mid 60s set for Cadet finds Jamal and his trio, featuring Jamil Nasser on bass and Frank Gant on drums playing it cool despite the title – which is actually the Irving Berlin penned lead track. Other tracks include a rendition of Sonny Rollins' "St. Thomas", the latin-tinged ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

Quite possibly the best of the non-Blue Note Blakey sides from the early 60s – and an excellent outing from the sextet version of the Jazz Messengers that included Freddie Hubbard, Curtis Fuller, Wayne Shorter, Cedar Walton, and Reggie Workman! The format here is a big tighter than some of ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

Not much stretching going on here, as most tracks are three minutes or under – but Ramsey's in fine fine form, working with the classic Young/Holt trio lineup, crafting very groovy little numbers that have a lot more going on underneath than you'd expect from the surface! Includes the ... LP, Vinyl record album (Jazz LP)

The earliest work we've ever seen from Azie Mortimer – a hip album of vocal jazz tracks that predates some of her later soul material! Azie's got a really great style – lean, expressive, and with these great elements that really take her past more conventional jazz vocals – still ... LP, Vinyl record album (Vocalists LP)

Some nice little groovers from the enigmatic Friends Of Distinction – and a record recorded right after their big "Grazin In The Grass" fame. The album features lots of cool arrangements from Jerry Peters – whose handling of the group pushed them past a simple pop-soul vocal ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

A landmark soul album – and one of the first to break that acoustic-based Soul II Soul sound back into the American market. In a late 80s market of weak tinny soul albums, this one stood out as a deep rich wonderful gem, with a solid classic sound that's still pretty darn nice in any decade! ... LP, Vinyl record album (Soul LP)

12-inch, Vinyl record (Soul 12-inch)

Classic commercial 80s groove, with Full Force production fully in effect! 12-inch, Vinyl record (Soul 12-inch)