Leny Andrade —
A Sensacao ... CD RCA/BMG (Brazil), 1961. Used ...
$9.99
The debut album from Brazilian jazz singer Leny Andrade – a wonderful session that's equal part scatting vocals, samba jazz, and smoky ballads! Andrade was one of the few Brazilian singers to really get the sound of American jazz from the start – and works here in a style that has lots of traces of some of the Verve vocalists of the late 50s, but which also dances along with a strong component of Brazilian rhythm and instrumentation. Titles include the totally groovy "Sambop", plus "Un Amor Igual Ao Seu", "Nao Da Pe", "Aguas Paradas", "Filosofia", "Receita Para Esquecer", "Procurando Voce", and "Samba De Uma Nota So". CD
(Out of print and sealed.)
2
Arnaldo Antunes —
Paradeiro ... CD BMG (Brazil), 2001. Used ...
$8.99
New work by Arnaldo Antunes – one of Brazil's most captivating talents of the past 10 years, and an artist with a penchant for cross-cultural collaboration, in the mode of Lenine or Carlinhos Brown. The set was actually produced by Brown, and has all the angular madness of some of Antunes' earlier work – with titles that include "Essa Mulher", "Paradeiro", "Atencao", "Luzes", "Cidade", "Santa", and "O Mosquito". CD
Featuring Henry "Red" Allen Jr. on trumpet, Willie "The Lion" Smith on piano, Everett Barksdale on guitar, Ernest Williamson on bass, and Manzie Johnson on drums. Tracks include "Egyptian Fantasy", "Swing Parade", "Georgia Cabin", "You're The Limit", "Blues In The Air", "The Mooche", and "I'm Coming Virginia" – 33 tracks in all with lots of alternate takes. CD
One of Maria Bethania's most beautiful albums in years – one that features some great guitar accompaniment by Jaime Alem, who also helped produce the record. The album's got an intimate quality that works beautifully with Bethania's deep vocals – recorded here in a setting that's a lot more stripped-down than some of her more overproduced albums, and which has us really digging her singing more than we have in years! Titles include "Agua E Pao", "Primavera", "Dona Do Dom", "A Moca Do Sonho", "Maricotinha", and "Pra Rua Me Levar". CD
A well-titled set from Art Blakey – considering the hard-driving sound of the group! The album's one of the best from that unusual year of 1957 – almost a "lost" year for Art, when he was working away from Blue Note with a very different lineup of the Jazz Messengers than on his famous sessions for that label! The players here are all great – and include Johnny Griffin on tenor, Bill Hardman on trumpet, Junior Mance on piano, and Spanky DeBrest on bass – all working with a style that's a bit loose and open, allowing plenty of space for solos! Griffin's horn has all the sharp edges you'd expect, and Hardman's great too – and Blakey himself seems to sit back a bit more than usual in his chair, letting the soloists lead the tracks, instead of kicking things into gear from the drums. Titles include "Deo X", "Sweet Sakeena", "Late Spring", "Krafty", and "For Miles & Miles". LP, Vinyl record album
A merry, merry, merry and groovy groovy groovy Christmas from Captain Kangaroo, Mister Green Jeans and the early 60s cast! For the young or otherwise uninitiated, Captain Kangaroo (played by Bob Keeshin) was a groundbreaking, legendary children's television program that ran from the mid 1950s to the early 80s – with silly charm to spare. This wonderful Christmas record comes from the early part of the 60s, with the grander period production touches to show for it – groovy chorus backing vocals, sound effects, and a big, bright sound – on Christmas classics, original material, fun spoken intros and interludes. Not hokey at all...a real charmer! Includes "Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas", "Jingle Bells", "Santa's Other Reindeer", "I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas", "When Santa Claus Gets Your Letter", "Happy Little New Year" and more. CD
Featuring the groups the Council of Balance & Five Elements, which include George Lewis on trombone, David Gilmore on guitar, Andy Milne on piano, and Ravi Coltrane on saxophone. CD
(Includes insert. Record 3 has a short click on the last 2 tracks, but the rest is great. Box has light wear on the corners.)
16
Martinho Da Vila —
Serie Aplauso ... CD BMG/RCA (Brazil), Late 60s/1970s/Early 80s. Used ...
$5.99
14 tracks. CD
(Out of print.)
17
Danger Mouse & Black Thought —
Cheat Codes ... LP BMG, 2022. New Copy ...
$24.9926.99
The long hinted at full duo effort from Danger Mouse & Black Thought – which despite the title arrives with no shortcuts taken by either party – they got to the highest level after decades of grinding and stellar play! Danger Mouse hasn't produced a straight-up, classic-schooled gritty hip hop album in quite a while and he couldn't have a finer foil than Black Thought – and guest spots include an archival verse from Danger Mouse's late partner MF Doom, appearances by Raekwon, Run The Jewels, Kid Sister and others. Titles includes "Cheat Codes", "Sometimes", "Darkest Part" with Raekwon & Kid Sister, "No Gold Teeth", "Belize" with the late great MF Doom, "Aquamarine" with Michael Kiwanuka, "Identical Death", "Strangers" with A$ap Rocky & Run The Jewels, "Violas And Lupitas" and more. LP, Vinyl record album
18
Jorge De Altinho —
Sabor Brasil ... LP BMG (Brazil), 1990. Very Good+ ...
Just Sold Out!
A cool jazz classic from altoist Paul Desmond and guitarist Jim Hall! The album was recorded under Desmond's name, but Hall's the guitarist throughout, and his playing lends an indescribably wonderful edge to the set, making the album a real team effort! Unlike other RCA sides by Hall and Desmond, this one features the pair with larger string backings by Bob Prince, which create a dreamy pillow for alto and guitar to solo across. Titles include the Desmond originals "Late Lament" and "Desmond Blue" – plus "Ill Wind", "My Funny Valentine", and "Like Someone In Love". CD features 7 bonus tracks – masters and alternates, but tunes not on the album, including "Autumn Leaves", "Imagination", and "Advise & Consent". New notes, and extra photos too! CD
Soul doesn't get any groovier than this! This legendary LA vocal group had a masterful talent for mixing soul harmonies and pop production – and they forever transformed the face of AM radio with their ability to put over a song with incredible sweetness while still coming up with enough emotion to make it plausible. This set features 22 of their little gems – including "Wedding Bell Blues", "Stoned Soul Picnic", "One Less Bell To Answer", "Up, Up, & Away", "Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In", "California Soul", "Carpet Man", "Puppet Man", "Save The Country", "Sweet Blindness", and "Living Together, Growing Together". CD
(Out of print.)
22
Ella Fitzgerald —
In The Groove ... CD Buddah/BMG, 1939/1940. Used ...
$0.991.99
Includes 21 early recordings by Ella Fitzgerald & Her Orchestra. CD
Really incredible work from the early version of Fleetwood Mac – a set that has them moving past the straighter blues of their roots, but not yet in the smooth territory of later 70s fame – music that's awash in the mindblowing guitar work of Peter Green! The pacing and song structure is great – very fresh, and another example of the way that the group and their contemporaries used blues rock as this surprisingly strong springboard to quickly move into new and inventive territory of their own! Titles include "Coming Your Way", "Show Biz Blues", "Under Way", "One Sunny Day", "Fighting For Madge", "Like Crying", and "Before The Beginning". Great CD version – with the original 14 track UK version of the record, in a book-like cover with new notes! Also features four bonus tracks that include "A World In Harmony", "The Green Manalish", and "Oh Well (parts 1 & 2)". CD
A very famous moment from Dizzy Gillespie – tracks from his famous concert at Salle Pleyel, in Paris, from 1953! Gillespie's in fine form throughout – working in a great mix of bop and modern elements, with a few occasional playful touches to please the crowd – but never in a way that cuts into the integrity of his music at all! Players include Bill Graham on alto and tenor, Wade Legge on piano, Lou Hackney on bass, and Al Jones on drums – and Joe Carroll sings guest vocals on a number of tracks. Titles include "Tin Tin Deo", "The Champ", "The Bluest Blues", "Birk's Works", "Mon Homme", "Ooh Shoo Be Doo Be", "School Days", "Swing Low Sweet Chariot", and "Good Bait". CD
(Out of print, digipak case has some light edgewear and a sticker on the back.)
26
Luiz Gonzaga —
Capim Novo ... CD BMG (Brazil), 1976. Used ...
$1.999.99
The godfather of forro returns in this mid 70s album that still retains all the rootsiness of his earlier work – but which also has some strident instrumentation that shows just how much the genre had evolved over the years! Titles include "Carapeba", "Sanfona Sentida", "Mane Gamba", "Saudade Doi", "Sao Joao Nas Capita", "Roendo Unha", and "Capim Novo". CD
A great batch of small group recordings that feature Goodman in the company of Lionel Hampton, Teddy Wilson, and Gene Krupa. Tracks include "Tiger Rag", "Body & Soul", "All My Life", "Too Good To Be True", "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen", "Man I Love" and "Blues In Your Flat". CD
A really great, but very unusual John Lee Hooker album – one that was recorded in London with backing from later blues rock heroes The Groundhogs – a group who do a really great job here of hanging back, and letting Hook really take the lead! All those raw, gritty charms of Hooker's music are firmly in place – tunes that build with spare but intense guitar, and which have that sort of open, spacious quality of production that makes the core essence of the man himself ring out with all its glory! Later versions of the record added in a few more elements, but this set is the core original recording – with titles that include "Mai Lee", "It's A Crazy Mixed Up World", "Seven Days & Seven Nights", "Bad Luck & Trouble", "Waterfront", and "It's Raining Here". LP, Vinyl record album
The title track on this one's a slammer, and the whole album has Leela James really working at the top of her game – maybe using a touch of her maturity to really sharpen her songwriting edge, and serve up the kind of material that really lets us focus on her strengths! There's a confidence here that's great – as James makes no bones about her ability to inhabit a tune, and come across acting like she owns it – a quality that's emphasized by the also-maturing talents of Rex Rideout as co-producer of the set. Yo Yo makes a guest appearance on "I Was Your Woman" – and other cuts include "Thought U Knew", "Good On Me", "Right Back In It", "Satisfied", "Be Your Baby", "Whatcha Done Now", and "When It's Over". CD
One of those Waylon Jennings records from a time when he could do no wrong – fighting the stronger powers at RCA to really find his voice – recording at the studio of Tompall Glaser, with great production help from Willie Nelson – who was enjoying his own transformation at the time too! As with the previous two gems from this period, the choice of material and presentation is great – songs by Willie, JJ Cale, and Billy Joe Shavers – in a set of titles that include "Heaven Or Hell", "It's Not Supposed To Be That Way", "This Time", "Pick Up The Tempo", "If You Could Touch Her At All", "Walkin", "Slow Rollin Low", "Louisiana Woman", and "Slow Movin Outlaw". CD
A great set of tracks by the Kinks – originally written as the soundtrack for a film that barely saw the light of day – yet presented here as a classic late 60s album that's up there with the other gems from the same period as Arthur and Village Green! A few tunes are instrumental – as you might expect from a soundtrack, and the songs hold together well with similar themes – and those cuts are mixed with some wonderful vocal numbers that have Ray Davies working at the top of his game – that picture postcard way of putting over a scene or a story – served up in titles that include the excellent "God's Children", an instrumental version of "Lola", and the cuts "Animals In The Zoo", "Whip Lady", "Dreams", "Helga", and "Willesden Green". LP, Vinyl record album
The second act of The Kinks' entry into the rock opera mode of the early 70s – and in some ways, a much more confident effort than the first! The second act of Preservation is much bleaker than the first in a number of ways – quite possibly the strongest because it seems that Ray Davies has really begun to inhabit the roles of the tunes – stretching out here in high drama on a double-length set that certainly matches Tommy for its sense of scope and ambition – even if it was less likely to generate a catchy single! Titles include "Oh Where Oh Where Is Love", "Flash's Confession", "Introduction To Solution", "Shepherds Of The Nation", "Scum Of The Earth", "Mirror Of Love", and "Salvation Road". LP, Vinyl record album
(2023 pressing – on nice and heavy vinyl and replicating the original artwork!)
One of the oddest of the 70s concept albums by The Kinks – a set of tracks that takes Ray Davies and the band back to the school days of their youth – where they revisit frustrations, anger, and the disgrace in the title! The best moments here are the ones that unlock a bit of the straighter rocking that shows up more in late 70s Kinks work – like the excellent single "I'm In Disgrace", the anthemic "No More Looking Back", or the leadoff "Schooldays" – and a few of the weaker moments get a bit too silly, and almost showy at times – like Ray's writing for a forthcoming Broadway career. Titles include "The Hard Way", "Headmaster", "Education", "Jack The Idiot Dunce", and "Finale". LP, Vinyl record album
(2023 pressing – on nice and heavy vinyl and replicating the original artwork!)
42
Kinks —
Soap Opera ... LP RCA/BMG, 1975. New Copy Gatefold (reissue)...
$22.9924.99
One of the highest-concept of all 70s Kinks album – a dark exploration of fame and the price of success, done as a mini-rock opera starring Norman & The Starmaker! As with some of these sets, the best tunes here are those that are the most subtle and less dramatic – and which revisit the more everyday themes of the group's Village Green years. Other tracks are a bit more showy and gimmicky, in a way that almost makes you feel silly for caring about the subject matter – even though Ray Davies's vision of the issues at hand is still as biting as ever. A few standout tracks move into straighter rocking territory, but without the kitsch of some of the other "oldies" styled numbers – and titles include "Holiday Romance", "Everybody's A Star", "Rush Hour Blues", "Nine To Five", "When Work Is Over", "Ducks On The Wall", "You Can't Stop The Music", and "Face In The Crowd". LP, Vinyl record album
(2023 pressing – on nice and heavy vinyl and replicating the original artwork!)
We've loved the music of soul singer Ledisi since her first self-released album back in the 90s – and since that time, she's matured even more as a vocalist – to a point where she can easily take on the music of Nina Simone with all the glory it deserves! This special set features Ledisi singing with accompaniment from the Metropole Orkest and New Orleans Jazz Orchestra – each of whom bring a sense of fullness, but in different ways – as Ledisi stretches out the tunes with the kind of sophistication and richness that Nina might have done – but in a voice that's all her own. The set features guests appearances from Lizz Wright and Alice Smith – but Ledisi hardly needs them at all, as she's very firmly in the lead – on titles that include "Feeling Good", "Wild Is The Wind", "Work Song", "Four Women", "Ne Me Quitte Pas", "My Baby Just Cares For Me", and "I'm Going Back Home". LP, Vinyl record album
44
Michel Legrand —
RCA Years ... CD BMG/RCA (Japan), Early 70s. Used ...
$11.99
A great little look at Michel Legrand's years with RCA Records – a time when the famous French soundtrack composer was returning to some of his roots in jazz, and also providing backdrops for some singers as well! The scope of work here is really great – from hard-swinging big band material to smaller combo jazz, to vocal numbers that really show the warmth and feeling of Legrand's lyrics as well as his music. Most of the work here has been out of print for years, even on CD, and the package does a great job of mixing up the modes with a sense of fullness that goes even beyond the regular albums. Titles include "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life" and "Sweet Gingerbread Man" with Jack Jones, "I Will Wait For You" and "One At A Time" with Lena Horne, and "The Windmills Of Your Mind", "Snowbird Serenade", "The Summer Knows", "Watch What Happens", "The Saddest Thing Of All", and "Splittons" as jazz numbers by Legrand. CD
(2007 pressing – includes obi.)
45
Lynyrd Skynyrd/38 Special —
Christmas ... CD BMG, Used ...
$1.99
Terrace Martin is an artist who just keeps on getting deeper and deeper over the years – an already-great jazz musician, but one who's widened his scope to touch on broader currents of soul and hip hop – all of which really open up with the jazz-based energy at the core! At some level, this record might be to Martin's career what the Black Radio project was to Robert Glasper – as Terrace opens the door to all-star guests who include Kim Burrell, Leon Bridges, Ty Dolla $ign, Kendrick Lamar, Kamasi Washington, and even Glasper himself – while also finding space to serve up a few key tracks on his own, without any guests – tracks that may well be some of our favorite on the album. Titles include "Turning Poison Into Medicine", "Drones", "Leave Us Be", "Don't Let Go", "Listen", "Sick Of Cryin", "Leimert Park", "Tapped", and "Griots Of The Crenshaw District". LP, Vinyl record album
The title says "88", but the album's from 1978 – and it's one of Sergio's great sets from the 70s that mixes older Brazilian roots with sweeter American soul! The sound is really wonderful – almost more LA than Rio, but still with plenty of Brazilian elements filtered into the mix – not just in the choice of tunes, which is great, but in the freer, looser jazz styles employed with the vocals. Sergio plays some especially wonderful keyboards on the album – further enforcing a sense of jazzy warmth – and vocals are mostly by the team of Carol Rogers and Marietta Waters, singing together in that twin-female approach that Mendes used often over the years, but also with Waters stepping out solo a bit too. Musicians include both American jazz talents like Bud Shank and Frank Rosolino – plus Brazilian artists who include Nana Vasconcelos and Nelson Angelo. Titles include a great version of "Waters of March (aka Agua De Marco)" – done at a fast clip, with English lyrics, and a very nice groove that makes the cut a real dancefloor groover – and other tracks include "Bridges", "Misturada", "That's Enough For Me", "One More Lie", "Life Goes On", and "Tiro Cruzado". CD
One of Charles Mingus' excellent albums for the Bethlehem label – recorded during that magical year of 1957, a real turning point in his career! There's a sharpness here to Mingus' musical vision that hadn't shown up in previous years – a refinement of ideas expressed for Savoy and Prestige on previous sessions, drawn with tighter tension, and a bolder sense of spirit and emotion throughout. The group's a well-chosen batch of modernists – with Shafi Hadi on alto and tenor, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, Clarence Shaw on trumpet, and the surprising addition of Bill Evans on piano – sounding a fair bit bolder here than elsewhere. Titles are almost all Mingus originals with a great balance of modern structures and freer solo moments – and tracks include "Conversation", "West Coast Ghost", "Fifty First Street Blues", "East Coasting", and the sublime "Celia", which Mingus and Hadi performed in the film Shadows by John Cassavettes. LP, Vinyl record album
A pretty darn sweet vocal session from the duo of Miucha and Antonio Carlos Jobim – recorded with lots of bossa overtones, very much the same spirit as the legendary Elis & Tom album of the mid 70s! Chico Buarque participates in the session, and Jobim even lends his vocal talents to a track or two – but his real talent, though, is his work on the arrangements – as he gives the whole thing a beautifully dreamy quality, in the manner of his best 70s work, with lots of strange off-kilter melodies floating around the mix of strings, piano, and flute! Miucha's vocals are lovely, and titles include "Sei La A Vida Tem Sempre Razao", "Vai Levando", "Comigo E Assim", "Samba Do Aviao", and "Saia Do Caminho". CD
This second collaboration between these two great talents is every bit as wonderful as the first – a great later set of bossa-revival work, done by Tom Jobim and Miucha in a similar mode to his earlier work with Elis Regina! The set was recorded in New York, with spacious production from the legendary Aloysio De Oliveira – and the result's a beautiful combination of lilting melody and warm vocals that shows that Jobim could still sound wonderful, even after his initial 60s classics. Chico Buarque and Joao Donato contribute to the magic, and titles include "Turma Do Funil (No Baixo Leblon)", "Triste Alegria", "Sublime Tortura", "Samba Do Carioca", "Falando De Amor", "No Cego", and "Dinheiro Em Penca". CD
(2001 pressing – part of the excellent Serie 100 Anos De Musica! Shrink is intact but has a hole in one corner.)
Omar's second album for BMG – and an instant classic set of soul tracks that sadly almost disappeared as soon as it was released! The album shows Omar growing even stronger than ever both as a singer and songwriter – moving from the indie feel of earlier work into a confident role as one of the few strong male soul talents of the end of the 20th century. Omar's voice is heavenly, as always – almost an electric-sounding pitch that works perfectly with the keyboards and instrumentation on the set – and his songs have a mature quality that is at once personal and professional. The album's filled with some great songs and wonderful surprises – like Omar's cover of The Stranglers' "Golden Brown", and tracks that include "Say Nothin" (2 versions), "This Is Not A Love Song", "Fallin", "Music For The Pipe", "Waiting Game", and "Spring Step". LP, Vinyl record album
(Out of print with a small cutout hole through the case.)
58
Iggy Pop —
Soldier ... CD Arista/BMG (UK), 1980. Used ...
Just Sold Out!
One of Iggy's better solo albums – with all the manic vocals you'd want and expect, but with some really cool production touches and oddball, yet accessible songs. You got love Iggy for kicking of a high stakes second album for Arista with a song about wanting a rubber dolly and hanging out with transvestites – flavored by a circus-y organ rather than blistering Stooges-style guitars. This was a man not kleen on repeating himself, and Soldier's still a fascinating effort. Includes "Loco Mosquito", "Ambition", "Knocking 'Em Down (In The City)", "Get Up & Get Out", "Mr Dynamite", "Play It Safe", "Take Care Of Me", "I Need More", "Dog Food", "I Snub You" and more. CD
The definitive anthology from Brazilian singer and guitarist Sergio Reis – rootsy in style, with almost countrified stylings, but handled with many modern production touches. CD
(Out of print. Slipcover has single bent tab on the die cut cover – otherwise in great shape, including the individual CDs which are all sealed!)
A very cool reworking of the fourth album from Run The Jewels – one that opens up their sound to the world of Latin music, by inviting in a whole host of different artists to really transform the tunes! In some cases, these changes are subtle, with tracks that still sound a fair bit like the originals – at other times, they're huge, with live instrumentation and fresh production that really take off in all sorts of directions – leaving Killer Mike and El-P to act as the hosts of one massive musical party! Titles include "Nunca Mirar Hacia Atras (Bomba Estero's version)", "Ju$t (Toy Seletah version)", "El Suelo Debajo (Son Rompe Pera's version)", "Goonies Contra ET (Danny Brasco & Nick Hook's version)", "Caminando En La Nieve (Orestes Gomez & Nick Hook's version)", and "Fuera De Vista (Trooko's version)" – includes a second disc of instrumentals! CD
A very cool reworking of the fourth album from Run The Jewels – one that opens up their sound to the world of Latin music, by inviting in a whole host of different artists to really transform the tunes! In some cases, these changes are subtle, with tracks that still sound a fair bit like the originals – at other times, they're huge, with live instrumentation and fresh production that really take off in all sorts of directions – leaving Killer Mike and El-P to act as the hosts of one massive musical party! Titles include "Nunca Mirar Hacia Atras (Bomba Estero's version)", "Ju$t (Toy Seletah version)", "El Suelo Debajo (Son Rompe Pera's version)", "Goonies Contra ET (Danny Brasco & Nick Hook's version)", "Caminando En La Nieve (Orestes Gomez & Nick Hook's version)", and "Fuera De Vista (Trooko's version)" – includes a second disc of instrumentals! LP, Vinyl record album
(Indie exclusive double yellow vinyl pressing – with poster and sticker sheet!)
A huge amount of work from one of the most important French film composers of the modern age – the great Philippe Sarde, an artist whose music has accompanied a wide range of really wonderful films over the decades! Sarde was a key figure in merging some of the larger orchestrations of the previous generations with some of the leaner, more focused musical ideas that emerged on the European scene in the late 60s, especially on the French and Italian scenes – and over the decade, his use of new ideas woven with mainstream richness really brought a new sense of life to the world of soundtracks – so much so that Sarde's work was widely acclaimed on our side of the Atlantic – which wasn't always the case for some of his French contemporaries. This 6CD set provides a great overview of his compositions – and features 101 remastered selections from dozens of films – all packaged with a big 36 page booklet of notes. CD
One of the wildest albums ever recorded by sitar genius Ravi Shankar – a set done for the Dark Horse label of George Harrison – who also plays guitar and autoharp on the record too! Yet Harrison is just one of many friends hinted at in the title – as Shankar brings in a host of other Indian musicians and singers – including vocalist Lakshmi Shankar, tabla player Alla Rakha, and violinist L Subramanian – next to work from more familiar LA musicians who include Billy Preston on organ, Emil Richards on percussion, Paul Beaver on moog, and Tom Scott on saxes and flute! The result is a majestic LA flowering of ideas that Shankar first showed the world many years before – all filtered through the imagination of George Harrison, who supported Ravi often over the years, and brought his creative genius to a much larger audience. Titles include the long "Dream Nightmare & Dawn" suite – plus "I Am Missing You"," Jaya Jagadish Hare", and "Kahan Gayelava Shyam Salone". LP, Vinyl record album
Obscure vocal session cut by New Orleans singer LaVergne Smith, and recorded in the Crescent City along with a local group that included Red Tyler, Wallace Davenport, and Earl Palmer. The material is bluesy and standard, and LaVergne's soulful voice wraps a bit of New Orleans in every track. Titles include "Blue Prelude", "Out of Nowhere", and "I Almost Lost My Mind". CD
A sublime 70s groover from the great Tamba Trio! This one works off of the expanded sound that the bossa jazz combo were forging on their late 60s work for CTI – adding in some more complicated arrangements by Luiz Eca to the regular piano/bass/percussion groove, pushing the sound into a more complicated style that reminds us of the best 70s work of Edu Lobo! The tracks are wonderfully written – with a jazzy rhythm at the core of most of them – but the added washes of sound and color really flesh out the group's unique vision, and make the album one of their greatest ever! Titles include "Reflexos", "Mestre Bimba", "Ossaim", "Em Casa", "Morada", "Infinito", "Gazera", and "Nao Tem Nada Nao". CD
The smoking second set from The Undertones – a record that maybe has the group moving slightly away from the rougher punk territory of their debut, but still at a level that's full of raw guitar-driven power throughout! Feargal Sharkey's become a hell of a singer by this point – and really knows how to work that raspy charm to great effect – as clearly one of the most distinct punk vocalists of his generation! The guitar interplay by the O'Neills is great too – and titles include "See That Girl", "More Songs About Chocolate & Girls", "Hard Luck", "The Way Girls Talk", "My Perfect Cousin", "What's With Terry", "Girls That Don't Talk", "Nine Times Out Of Ten", "Wednesday Week", and "Tearproof". LP, Vinyl record album
One of the tightest, sharpest records of the late 70s punk years in the British Isles – a set that's got all the same hook-heavy power of the Buzzcocks on Singles Going Steady – with song after song that seem almost effortless – very punky, but extremely catchy too – at a level that also has the record rivaling some of the best classics by The Ramones as well! The whole thing's a treasure – and titles include "Family Entertainment", "Male Model", "Teenage Kicks", "Jump Boys", "Here Comes The Summer", "Get Over You", "Jimmy Jimmy", "(She's A) Runaround", "I Know A Girl", and "Listening In". LP, Vinyl record album
Rare work from Muddy Waters – a set of tracks all recorded overseas, at the famous Montreux Jazz Festival – but during that strong 70s moment when Muddy had really focused his sound, and was reaching out to cross global boundaries and touch a whole new generation with his sound! The Montreux vibe is always one that's very faithful to the artist – audiences at that festival aren't the sort to be given watered-down, commercial pap – and that's definitely the vibe here, as the material resonates with any of Waters' best 70s live material for other labels, with a really great sound, even from the stage. The set features performances from Muddy Waters appearances in 1972, 1974, and 1977 – and titles include "Same Thing", "Howlin Wolf", "Still A Fool", "Trouble No More", "Rock Me Baby", "Long Distance Call", "Mannish Boy", "Nobody Knows Chicago Like I Do", "County Jail", "I'm Ready", "Electric Man", and "Can't Get No Grindin". LP, Vinyl record album
83
KJ Yesudas —
Vanamala ... CD BMG/Crescendo (India), 1992. Used ...
$1.992.99
Includes 21 tracks by Pixinguinha & Benedicto Lacerda, Jacod de Bandolin, Martinho Da Villa, Nelson Goncalves, Carmen Miranda, Luiz Gonzaga, Alcone & Maria Bethania, and more. Compiled by Jun Takemura. CD
A really great collection of work from De-Lite Records – one that goes way way past the bigger hits on the label from Kool & The Gang and the Kay-Gees! Instead, this one really digs deep – and comes up with rare 45s for a host of artists that we didn't even know recorded for De-Lite – obscure but great material that shows just how tied to the east coast scene the label was before it starting hitting the charts and the clubs! There's lots here you'll be hard-pressed to track down otherwise – and titles include "The Story Of Our Love" and "It Really Hurts Me Girl" by The Carstairs, "Super Soul Music" and "I Got To Get Close To You" by Yvonne Daniels, "Darling Baby" and "I Wish It Would Rain" by Beverly Hammonds, "I Need You" and "I'll Always Love You" by Felton Burks, "I Smell Trouble" by Johnny De'Vigne, "Love Making" and "When A Woman Loves A Man" by Jean Battle, and "I Saw You There" and "Keep Away" by The Appointments. LP, Vinyl record album
11 tracks including "Parranda Quisqueyana", "Soy Feliz", "El Mesias", "El Nino Pobre", "Salve De Navidad", "Brisas De Pascuas", and "El Martiniqueno". Featuring arrangements by Ramon Orlando and Rafael Solano. CD
Great grooves galore – a sweet selection of tracks from the late 60s onwards, none of which were made available to the public at the time! The French Tele Music company was one of those secret sound library labels – recording top shelf tracks during the 70s, but then only passing them along to TV, radio, and film producers – for possible use in later projects! This meant that there was a rich array of wonderful sounds that never made it to records that the public could buy in stores – and the result is a collection like this, which is overflowing with killer grooves that you're not likely to have in your record collection at all. Styles range from funky jazz to clubby grooves, with plenty of soundtrack-styled funk numbers in the mix – and titles include "Gang Train" by Bernard Estardy, "West Coast Drive" by Pierre Alain Dahan & Mat Camison, "Mitsuko" by Jean Jacques Debout, "Percussionissimo" by Hervey Roy, "Suspense Time" by Michel Gonet, "Meteor One" by Sauveur Mallia, "Pop Percussions" by Janko Nilovic, "Rocket 2" by Bernard Lubat, and "Les Copans De La Basse" by Guy Pedersen. 26 tracks in all – selected by Lord Funk & DJ LC! LP, Vinyl record album
90
Lou Bennett Quartet —
Enfin! ... CD BMG (France), 1963. Used ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
A heck of a Hammond set – and from Europe, no less! Lou Bennett was a visionary player from the US who recorded some of his best work in the French scene of the 60s – grooving in a mode that was clearly inspired by Jimmy Smith, but which also showed some of the talent for pushing the Hammond past its boundaries – as would show up more heavily in the work of Larry Young. Like Young, Bennett displays an early affinity for the work of Coltrane – apparent here from the album's leadoff take on Trane's jaunty "Moment's Notice". Other tracks on the set are equally striking – and include versions of Ornette Coleman's "Jane" and JJ Johnson's "JJ" – as well as 2 great originals by Rene Thomas, who plays guitar in the quartet – "I Remember Sonny" and "Indicatif" – plus Bennett's own "Enfin". CD
(Out of print.)
91
Keni Burke —
Changes ... CD BMG (Japan), 1981. Used ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
A standout solo moment from the amazing Keni Burke – an artist who's come a long way from his youthful start in the 5 Stairsteps! Keni had recorded other adult work by the time of this early 80s set, but Changes is easily his best-remembered album – a masterpiece of 80s groove, all arranged and produced by Burke – who also played a fair bit of the music on the set as well! The tunes are upbeat and grooving – often with a rhythm that goes nicely right down the middle, and never tries to be too funky or clubby. This groove is epitomized by Burke's classic "Risin' To The Top" – a tune that's been sampled heavily over the years, to great fame – and which is probably the lasting legacy of this set. But the whole album's totally great – sophisticated 80s groove at its best – with other cuts that include "Who Do You Love", "Shakin", "Can't Get Enough", "Changes", "All Night", and "Hang Tight". CD
(Out of print, includes obi.)
92
Paul Desmond with Jim Hall —
Easy Living ... CD Bluebird/BMG, 1966. Used ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
Paul Desmond doesn't get any better than this – blowing his icy cool alto next to warm guitar lines from the mighty Jim Hall – a classic RCA Records pairing in jazz, heard to great effect on this classic album! There's a slight bossa groove to some of the rhythms, which is great for Desmond's sound – and the backing is also free of piano, so the guitar and alto hang together wonderfully by themselves – suspended in space, dipping and turning around each other beautifully! The pair get some very light rhythmic accompaniment from Connie Kay on drums, and either Percy Heath or Gene Wright on bass – on titles that include "That Old Feeling", "Easy Living", "Blues For Fun", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", and "When Joanna Loved Me". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "All Through The Night" and "Rude Old Man". CD
(1990 pressing.)
93
Peter Erskine —
Sweet Soul ... CD Novus/BMG (Japan), 1991. Used ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
With Joe Lovano on tenor sax, Randy Brecker on trumpet, and John Scofield on guitar! CD
(Out of print, includes obi.)
94
Nelson Goncalves —
Romantico ... CD BMG (Brazil), 1963. Used ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
... CD
(1998 remastered edition.)
95
Tom Harrell —
Labyrinth ... CD BMG, 1996. Used ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
Features Tom Harrell on trumpet and flugelhorn, Don Braden and Joe Lovano on tenor saxophone Gary Smulyan on bass clarinet, Rob Botti on oboe, Steve Turre on trombone, Kenny Werner on piano, Larry Grenadier on bass, and Billy Hart on drums. CD
96
Coleman Hawkins —
Body & Soul ... CD Bluebird/BMG, Late 30s/1940s/Early 50s. Used ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
With 19 tracks including "Fine Dinner", "She's Funny That Way", "Say It Isn't So", "Sheik Of Araby", "Angel Face", "Body & Soul", "Bouncing With Bean", and "Bean Stalks Again". CD
2 early albums by Brazilian singer Angela Maria – both of them with a similar theme. Maria sings songs of the world, interpreting Latin material from a variety of sources – working with heavy orchestral backings that are augmented by percussion work, and recorded in a very cool echoey way to emphasize the drama of the material. Titles include "Tabu", "Vivere", "Eu Nao Disse", "Ate Breve", "Seus Olhos", "O Blihete", "Foi Deus", "Rio, Meu Amor", "O Arlequim De Toledo", "Amor De Carnaval", and "Cha Cha Cha Da Moca". 24 tracks in all. CD