A classic bit of avant Shepp for Impulse – recorded in the mid 60s, at the same time as the Live in San Francisco album, with the same quintet, but not issued until years later! The album is in a different vein than the San Francisco album – one that shows the band stretching out more on two long cuts – "Three For A Quarter" and "One For A Dime" – that each cover a side apiece, with the Way Ahead feel that Shepp was searching for at the time! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the better albums on the Alligator Records label from Chicago – a set by Fenton Robinson that's not far different from his earlier work on the 77/Sound Stage Seven label – which means that there's more of a southern soul vibe to the record at times than some of the more crowd-pleasing groups that Alligator was recording up north! Fenton has the tightness of a deep soul singer, but also relaxes nicely into his music – often letting his guitar speak as much as his lyrics – with help on second guitar from Mighty Joe Young! Easily one of the greatest albums from both Fenton and Alligator – with titles that include "I've Changed", "Country Girl", "Gotta Wake Up", "Texas Flood", "Checking On My Woman", and "Somebody Loan Me A Dime". CD

This is perhaps THE masterpiece of indie/alterna-/punk/whatever from the 80s. 2 LPs worth of jazzy existential punk from guys who weren't afraid to admit that they liked Steely Dan, Van Halen, Blue Oyster Cult, or CCR. This record has affected many a life. CD

Briggan Krauss on alto and baritone saxophone, Steven Bernstein on slide and Haitian trumpet, and mellophone, Tony Scherr on bass, and Kenny Wollesen on drums. CD

One of the better albums on the Alligator Records label from Chicago – a set by Fenton Robinson that's not far different from his earlier work on the 77/Sound Stage Seven label – which means that there's more of a southern soul vibe to the record at times than some of the more crowd-pleasing groups that Alligator was recording up north! Fenton has the tightness of a deep soul singer, but also relaxes nicely into his music – often letting his guitar speak as much as his lyrics – with help on second guitar from Mighty Joe Young! Easily one of the greatest albums from both Fenton and Alligator – with titles that include "I've Changed", "Country Girl", "Gotta Wake Up", "Texas Flood", "Checking On My Woman", and "Somebody Loan Me A Dime". LP, Vinyl record album

An early version of the quartet – with Paul Desmond on alto, Bob Bates on bass, and Joe Dodge on drums. Titles include "Audrey", "Jeepers Creepers", "Stompin For Mili", "A Fine Romance", and "Brother Can You Spare A Dime". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure salsa set from Ray Camacho – an artist who always seems willing to mix up styles in his music! That's definitely the case here, as Ray mixes straighter Latin modes with a few border touches – creating a hybrid of New York and Mexican modes that's pretty unique – but which also has some occasional funk and soul currents that are probably the record's strongest suit! Ray plays trumpet, and the rest of the group includes guitar, trombone, and plenty of percussion – plus sax and piano from Manuel Palafox, who also handles arrangements. Titles include a great cover of "Low Rider", dubbed "El Pachuco", the Latin funk number "Tomas Al Timbal", and a funky take on Brass Construction's "Movin On". – plus "Me Patina El Coco", "Madrecita Linda", "Dime La Verdad", "El Pachuco", "Confesion", "Testigo Fui", and "Dulce Y Amarga". CD

An early version of the quartet – with Paul Desmond on alto, Bob Bates on bass, and Joe Dodge on drums. Titles include "Audrey", "Jeepers Creepers", "Stompin For Mili", "A Fine Romance", and "Brother Can You Spare A Dime". CD

A completely random assortment of 12" records – both LPs and singles – some in good shape, some totally beat up! We make these boxes at random, and seal them tightly – and even we don't know what's in them. Keep in mind that this vinyl has been through the regular racks – and the Bargain Basement – and some of it might have defects, some may have damaged or missing covers, and the vinyl will mostly likely be a mix of 12" singles and full albums – and might, in some occasions, also include some 10" pressings from the early 50s. Think of the contents as "raw material" or "space fillers" – vinyl to be used for projects, decorations, or even things like art installations or set dressing. At less than a dime a record, the price is certainly right! Misc

A glorious send off from J Dilla – with some of the most soulful productions Dilla's ever laid down! It's impossible to listen to The Shining without considering the sad circumstances surrounding its release, and all too easy to over praise, but this record is filled timelessly inventive production. A lot of the more leftfield, abstract touches that create most of the character on the Donuts LP are really on the outskirts of the sound here – a much richer, deeper, funky drum influenced batch of sounds. We're speechless. There's one more official posthumous LP in the can, and thank goodness for that. Tracks include "Geek Down", "E=MC2", "Love Jones", "Love", "Baby", "So Far To Go", "Jungle Love", "Dime Piece" , "Love Movin'" and "Won't Do". CD

A great late 80s return to form for Lou Reed – a record set in a New York that's a bit different than the gritty one of his youth, but which is captured here by Lou with that vivid sense of songwriting that always made his urban themes some of the best in rock and roll! The set's designed to be listened to straight through – like a book or a movie, Lou mentions in the notes – and the songs are set to well-crafted guitar work mostly by Reed, augmented with work from Mike Rathke – delivered in a vocal style that's found a newly-confident way of moving between singing and speech. Titles include "Dirty Blvd", "Endless Cycle", "Busload Of Faith", "Sick Of You", "Hold On Mr Waldheim", "Xmas In February", "Strawman", "Dime Store Mstery", "Romeo Had Juliette", and "The Last Great American Whale". CD

Exciting, energetic and unpretentious jazz from The Bad Plus – an indefatigable combo we dig more and more as their career rolls on – and this as strong as anything they've done in years. Whether you want to call it jazz rock, jam jazz, or whatever – it's invigorating, dare we say it, straight up fun. The trio of Reid Anderson (bass), Ethan Iverson (piano) and Dave King (drums) can stroll from complex, obtuse improvised parts to head nodding catchiness at the drop of a dime – and do! We're digging it, and hope you will, too. Includes "The Radio Tower Has A Beating Heart", "You Are", "Never Stop", "Snowball", "Bill Hickman At Home", "Super America" and more. CD

Singer Ruben Blades scored a big early moment of fame on the Siembra album by Willie Colon – and here, he works with the larger ensemble of Roberto Delgado to pay tribute to that classic record from the late 70s! The album's a live one, recorded before a very enthusiastic crowd in Puerto Rico – and the tracks are long, and maybe even have a sense of majesty that the original record never possessed – really righteous, soaring songs that show that Blades' voice hasn't dimmed at all over the years – set to instrumentation that's equally powerful as well! Titles include "Ligia Elena", "Dime", "Siembra", "El Cazanguero", "Buscando Guayaba", and "Plastico". CD

Singer Ruben Blades scored a big early moment of fame on the Siembra album by Willie Colon – and here, he works with the larger ensemble of Roberto Delgado to pay tribute to that classic record from the late 70s! The album's a live one, recorded before a very enthusiastic crowd in Puerto Rico – and the tracks are long, and maybe even have a sense of majesty that the original record never possessed – really righteous, soaring songs that show that Blades' voice hasn't dimmed at all over the years – set to instrumentation that's equally powerful as well! Titles include "Ligia Elena", "Dime", "Siembra", "El Cazanguero", "Buscando Guayaba", and "Plastico". LP, Vinyl record album

A mad little album put together by producer Joe Cain – and featuring the Ideas group of trumpeter Cabrerita! Cabby's got a sound that's pretty full-on – often blowing for all he's worth, and really taking things over the top of the tunes. The album's got one 6 minute descarga number that really has him jamming with the percussion and piano of the group, and even the shorter tracks on the album have a pretty uptempo and lively feel. Juan Coronel sings on a number of tunes, and titles include "A La Loma De Belen", "Soy El Loco", "Sobre Salsa", and "Dime Si O No". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic 70s salsa jammer from Willie Colon – working here with his one of his greatest vocalists – the young Ruben Blades, back before he'd crossed over to super-huge success! The album really marks a departure for Willie – moving past the bad boy style of earlier records, that kind of "tough guy in the hood" look – into a mode that was more open to other Latin scenes, and which marked an even greater rise to Latin stardom – really warm, open-handed, and a push forward with a new level of power and maturity. Titles include "Dime", "Plastico", "Buscando Guyaba", "Maria Lionza", "Ojos", and "Siembra". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little back to basics effort from the Fania All Stars – one that shakes off some of the electric and clubby influences that were creeping in during their years at Columbia, and returns the group to a mostly salsa groove! The sound here is bold and bright throughout – traditional at one level, but colored with modern inflections and a deepening sense of sophistication that may well make it one of the group's most cohesive records ever! Members of the ensemble include Roberto Roena, Johnny Pacheco, Luie Ramirez, and Papo Lucca – and vocals are by Celia Cruz, Adalberto Santiago, Ruben Blades, Santos Colon, Hector Lavoe, and Cheo Feliciano. Titles include "Dinamita", "Dime", "Ublabadu", "Cuando Despiertes", "La Borinquena", and "Encantigo". LP, Vinyl record album

A glorious send off from J Dilla – with some of the most soulful productions Dilla's ever laid down – and appearances by Common, D'Angelo, Pharoahe Monch, Madlib, MED, Black Thought and others! It's impossible to listen to The Shining without considering the sad circumstances surrounding its release, and all too easy to over praise, but this record is filled timelessly inventive production – and passionate rhymes from the honored guests. A lot of the more leftfield, abstract touches that create most of the character on the Donuts LP are really on the outskirts of the sound here – a much richer, deeper, funky drum influenced batch of sounds. We're speechless. There's one more official posthumous LP in the can, and thank goodness for that. Tracks include in-your-f**kin' face intro "Geek Down" with Busta Rhymes, "E=MC2" feat Common, "Love Jones", "Love" feat Pharoahe Monch, "Baby" feat Madlib & Guilty Simpson, "So Far To Go" feat Common & D'Angelo (come back D', the world needs you), "Jungle Love" feat MED & Guilty Simpson, "Dime Piece (Remix)" feat Dwele, "Love Movin'" feat Black Thought and "Won't Do". LP, Vinyl record album

A great concept album from Skid Row Joe! Titles include "Wino", "Daddy & The Wine", "She Burnt The Little Roadside Tavern Down", "One Dime For Wine", and "Bottle Bottle". LP, Vinyl record album

A warm little live set from Andy Bey – quite possibly one of the most personal and unassuming albums of his recent comeback career! The set's a trio one, recorded at the end of the 90s – and it features Andy on both vocals and piano, plus Peter Washington on bass, and either Kenny Washington or Vito Lesczak on drums. There's an upfront, righteous quality to most tunes here – a style that reminds us a lot of Nina Simone's best live work in a similarly stripped-down setting – and although all tunes are standards, Andy really takes off with them wonderfully – bringing a whole new sense of spirit and meaning that we wouldn't expect! Titles include "All The Things You Are", "Hey Love", "Ain't Necessarily So", "I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart", "On Second Thought", "Brother Can You Spare A Dime", and "Someone To Watch Over Me". CD

A sweet bit of funky jazz vocals from Oscar Brown Jr – recorded during his early 70s stay at Atlantic Records, in a style that's very different than his early work! The tracks are all still original numbers by Oscar – penned with that clever bad-rapping approach to the lyrics that always earned him a huge audience in the cognoscenti. The feel is a bit more electric than before, with Richard Tee on electric piano, Cornell Dupree on guitar, and percussion by Ralph MacDonald. A few cuts have female backing vocals, and titles include "Gang Bang", "Feel the Fire", "Dime Away from a Hot Dog", and "Young Man". CD

A sweet bit of funky jazz vocals from Oscar Brown Jr – recorded during his early 70s stay at Atlantic Records, in a style that's very different than his early work! The tracks are all still original numbers by Oscar – penned with that clever bad-rapping approach to the lyrics that always earned him a huge audience in the cognoscenti. The feel is a bit more electric than before, with Richard Tee on electric piano, Cornell Dupree on guitar, and percussion by Ralph MacDonald. A few cuts have female backing vocals, and titles include "Gang Bang", "Feel the Fire", "Dime Away from a Hot Dog", and "Young Man". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic 70s salsa jammer from Willie Colon – working here with his one of his greatest vocalists – the young Ruben Blades, back before he'd crossed over to super-huge success! The album really marks a departure for Willie – moving past the bad boy style of earlier records, that kind of "tough guy in the hood" look – into a mode that was more open to other Latin scenes, and which marked an even greater rise to Latin stardom – really warm, open-handed, and a push forward with a new level of power and maturity. Titles include "Dime", "Plastico", "Buscando Guyaba", "Maria Lionza", "Ojos", and "Siembra". CD

Jimmie's always been one of the overlooked greats of the arranging business – and he's got a hip style that we'd compare to that of Jack Nietzsche, another excellent LA arranger from the same generation. This set gives Jimmie some great material to work with – as it not only includes spy material like "From Russia With Love" and "The James Bond Theme", but plenty of other groovy tunes, like "Flipper", "Gunhawk", "Dime With A Halo", and "Love Is A Ticklish Affair", all put together with some very swinging whimsey! LP, Vinyl record album

Jack Walrath is a surprisingly compelling trumpeter who always grabs us in different ways – soulful one minute, experimental the next – always with an approach that's quite unique! On this special little set, he begins by just blowing a mouthpiece – using a tone that's really striking – then moving into some warmer lines on trumpet and flugelhorn with sensitive phrasing at points, and bolder notes at others! The group's a quintet, and features Larry Coryell on guitar, Benny Green on piano, Anthony Cox on bass, and Ronnie Burrage on drums – and titles include "Clear Out Of This World", "So Long Eric", "Stardust", "Wake Up & Wash It Off", "Come Sunday", and "Brother Can You Spare A Dime". CD

... CD

With Kei Akagi on keyboards, Tommy Brechtlein on drums, Mino Cinelu on percussion, Anthony Jackson on bass guitar, Jose Renato on vocals, and Harvey Swartz on acoustic bass. LP, Vinyl record album

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 Hideaway", "The Winds of Heaven", and "Working On A Grooving Thing". Also includes the excellent "Wedding Bell Blues" – one of the greatest songs of all time! LP, Vinyl record album

The cover to this one has The 5th Dimension sporting some heavy-duty outfits – and the album's got an equally bold sound to match! The group's still in very familiar territory here – working under the direction of Bones Howe – but they're also completely confident in their bag – stepping out with a solid, punched-up approach to pop – one that draws strongly from the soulful harmonies of the quintet, yet which also has some pointedly personal moments as well. As before, the choice of songs is easily one of the best aspects of the record – and the group do a great cover of "Viva Tirado", plus "What Does It Take To Wind Your Love", "Love's Lines, Angles, & Rhymes", "Time & Love", "Guess Who", and "He's A Runner". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few key pairings of Noah Howard and Frank Wright – and a great session that stands perfectly next to those recordings made by the pair under Wright's name! The record bristles with the best energy of the BYG and America sides from the time – but possibly goes even beyond those with a sense of cohesion and soulfulness that is especially gripping. The pairing of Howard's alto and Wright's tenor is one of those few avant matches made in heaven, and they work together wonderfully in freely exploratory territory that recalls the best of the ESP scene of the 60s. The group's a quartet – with Bobby Few on piano and Art Taylor on drums – and tracks include the Howard originals "Space Dimension", "Viva Black", "Song For Poets", and "Blues For Thelma" – plus a shorter version of Wright's classic "Church Number Nine", recorded with Muhammad Ali on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent early work from Roland Kirk – not as groundbreaking as later sessions, but still filled with fire and imagination, and proof that the famous blind player was a genius even at an early age! Kirk plays alto, tenor, and soprano – and on all tracks, he plays them in his unique "3-in-1" style, in which he's actually blowing all horns at the same time! The result is an incredible sound, unlike anyone else we can think of – and it's an amazingly raw tone that still swings very hard. Players include Jimmy Madison on piano, Carl Pruitt on bass, and Hank Duncan on drums – a really rootsy quartet that helps Roland hit a really gutbuckety sound on the record. Titles include "Triple Threat", "Slow Groove", "Roland's Theme", "Easy Living", "The Nearness Of You", and "A La Carte". CD

There's plenty of rare feelings going on here – of the best sort of funky 70s type, with a groove that's totally great all the way through! Rick Mason and group bring plenty of jazz instrumentation to the record – some especially nice Fender Rhodes, trumpet, and guitar – but the vibe is more funky soul overall, even though the instruments often take the lead – in a tight, sharp mode that's maybe inspired by the best early material from Kool & The Gang, yet there's a grittier indie vibe too – one that comes across especially well in the unusual way the group can change up the rhythms and spirit of a song within a single tune! Rick Mason himself handles the lead vocals and bass, and also arranged the set – and titles include "Dope", "Metamorphosis Funk", "Song To God", "Funk Ain't Being Funky", "Rare Feelings", and "I Dream Of Love". CD

One of the most ambitious albums ever from Rob Mazurek – and a set that really continues the legacy of community building and world healing that's become such an important part of his music! Rob's a player who was great at the start – a hell of a trumpeter, and a great experimentalist with electronics – but in recent years, he's matured to become a real messenger for the farther, future reaches of jazz – with an energy that makes a collaborative project like this come off in a way that might never have occurred in the hands of any other musician! Mazurek is at the head – director, composer, arranger, and instrumentalist too – and the large lineup is filled with heavyweights from the Chicago scene that Rob helped shape over the past few decades – plus others as well – players who include Damon Locks on voice and electronics, Nicole Mitchell on flutes, Tomeka Reid on cello, Joel Ross on vibes, Jaimi Branch on trumpet, Jeff Parker on guitar, Ingebrigit Haker Flate on bass, and Chad Taylor, John Herndon, and Mikel Patrick Avery on a variety of drums and percussion. There's a richness here that tops other Exploding Star Orchestra performances – and more of a focus, too – so that the whole thing comes together as even more than the sum of its mighty parts, as one of the best International Anthem releases to date. Titles include "Galaxy 1000", "Parable Of Inclusion", "Autumn Pleiades", "Minerals Bionic Stereo", "Dimensional Stardust", "Abstract Dark Energy", and "The Careening Prism Within". CD

60s jazz meets Japanese bamboo flute – all in a session with a great mix of groovy and exotic touches! The record's a unique meeting of jazz and folkloric elements – done in a style that's a bit like some of the late 60s sessions of this nature on MPS, but a fair bit groovier overall – as the tracks are shorter and more focused, and often have a nice sort of bounce at the bottom. Flute is by Minoru Muraoka, and arrangements are by Takashi Ikeda and Kozaburo Yamaki, conducting their New Dimension and New Emotion groups respectively. Bits of sitar bring in an even groovier sound to the record – and the flute itself has some oddly off-kilter notes that further trip out the tunes. Titles include "Soul Bamboo", "Take Five", "The Positive & The Negative", "Call Me", "Do You Know The Way To San Jose", and "Scarborough Fair". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing early work from Ricardo Ray – material that's got a lot more fire than some of his better-known sides from the 70s! The album's a stone cooker all the way through – played by a tight young group with lots of descarga energy in their blood, and some of the pre-Latin Soul styles that were creeping around the New York scene – that cool combo sound that Joe Cuba was getting with his own group. Bobby Cruz is already with Ray at this point, and he does a great job on the vocal numbers on the album – but the real treat is Ricardo's group – who play with a hard jazzy intensity on the best tracks. These include the descarga "Here Comes Richie Ray", the jazz mambo "Jango", the jazz descarga "Theme", and the storming "Mi Guaguanco". Other cuts include "Summer Love", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", and "El Montuno De Hoy". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing early work from Ricardo Ray – material that's got a lot more fire than some of his better-known sides from the 70s! The album's a stone cooker all the way through – played by a tight young group with lots of descarga energy in their blood, and some of the pre-Latin Soul styles that were creeping around the New York scene – that cool combo sound that Joe Cuba was getting with his own group. Bobby Cruz is already with Ray at this point, and he does a great job on the vocal numbers on the album – but the real treat is Ricardo's group – who play with a hard jazzy intensity on the best tracks. These include the descarga "Here Comes Richie Ray", the jazz mambo "Jango", the jazz descarga "Theme", and the storming "Mi Guaguanco". Other cuts include "Summer Love", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", and "El Montuno De Hoy". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A legendary Jamaican group finally get their time in the spotlight – as Sound Dimension backed up plenty of artists in the glory days of Studio One – singers who include Alton Ellis, The Heptones, Horace Andy, and dozens of others – while also getting the chance to cut some killer instrumental work on their own! The lineup is the stuff of legends – Ernest Ranglin on guitar, Jackie Mittoo on Hammond, Cedric Brooks on reeds, and Vin Gordon on trombone – plus other musicians who really help keep things soulful throughout, and make the music here a blinding set of instrumentals from the late ska years into early reggae rhythms! Titles include "Soul Shake", "The Thing", "Holy Moses", "Hail Don D", "Full Up", "Love Land", "Bitter Blood", "Baby Face", and "Man Pon Spot". LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant work from Jimi Tenor and his Kabu Kabu group – an incredibly righteous set that's easily the best we've heard so far from the soulful ensemble! In addition to the spiritual jazz vibe of before, the group's also picked up some influences from African soul and jazz too – not just standard Afro Funk, but also some Ethiopian and Egyptian elements too – folded into Tenor's music like some mad meeting between Sun Ra, Fela Kuti, and Mulatu! Jimi's at the lead, handling tenor, flute, and a host of weird instruments – and the ensemble is heavy on percussion and horns, including some great trumpet work from Jukka Eskola of the Five Corners Quintet. Despite the monochromatic cover image, the album's got a really rich sound – a deeply soulful, deeply spiritual vibe that's totally wonderful – served up on titles that include "Grind", "Mogadishu Ave", "Mega Roots", "Aligned Planets", "Mystery Spot", "Floating Orange", "Fast Legs", "Higher Styx", and "Magical World". CD

An overlooked later album from McCoy Tyner – and a set that not only has frequent partner Gary Bartz on alto sax, but also features some excellent violin from the enigmatic John Blake! The album's a quintet date – with John Lee on bass and Willy Fletcher on drums – and the mix of alto, piano, and violin is very haunting – and often rises with a spiritual quality that recalls some of the best energy of the post-Coltrane years, wrapped up here in a package that has some of the more mature touches of the early 80s jazz generation. McCoy's still very much in the forefront on piano – and gets a few contemplative modes in alongside the more searching, modal moments – on titles that include "Understanding", "Uncle Bubba", "One For Dea", and "Precious One". CD

Very cool music from UK experimentalist Lori Vambe – an artist who works here on two very percussive albums that were issued on his own label back in the 80s, but with a style that's really unlike anything else we can think of! The music has a bit more punch than the "dreamtime" title might make you expect – but it's also not all drums, either – as instead Vambe has a way of using a variety of other instruments, including the stringed instrument on the cover, in a way that pulsates rhythmically with the percussion – all with a spare and haunting sound that's maybe a bit like some sort of post-punk expansion on the early ideas of Moondog! The set features the two full albums Drumgita Solo and Drumland Dreamland – the latter of which has a slightly fuller instrumental palette – and titles include "Un Minuto (Two)", "Going Home Boogie (One)", "Strumelody", "Drumsong (Three)", "Ydolemurd", and "Hum Drum Dring (Two)". CD

Very groovy! Japanese flute meets funky big band arrangements – on cuts that include "Sound Of Silence", "Hey Jude", "Fool On The Hill", "Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay", and "Sunny". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from The Funky Lowlives, Lacarno & Burns, Sepia, Mark De Clive Lowe, MB, Minimal Boy, Streetlife Originals, Loungechic Productions, Ben Mitchell, Sepia, Columba Carina, and more. CD

With Jan Hammer on keyboards, Steve Gadd on drums, Anthony Jackson on bass, Mingo Lewis on percussion, and Victor Godsey on 2nd keyboards. LP, Vinyl record album