... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Lots of rare car-based singles – by Rollie Webber, The Regalls, Donnie & Diane, George Mack & The Melody Macs, Carmol Taylor, The Vibratos, and The Breakers! LP, Vinyl record album

Includes selections from Tomy Scott, Don & Jer & The Screamers, Jack & The Knights, Ronnie Ray & The Playboys, Jim Thaxter & The Travelers, Hal Fritz, Orbits, Harmony Twins, and more! LP, Vinyl record album

Includes Jimmy Witter, Brownie Johnson, Bill Lancaster, Ray King, Roy Kelly, Jimmy Wayne, and more. LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Lafayette Yarborough, Thomas Green with Tennessee Tom & His Rhythm Boys, Don Gilliland, Orville Couch & The Troublemakers, The Rim Shots/Dennis Lynn, Jimmy Hayes, Bob Calloway & The Clicks, Jimmy Walls, Jerry Jowers & Jimmy Trucks & His Derations, Jimmy Murphy, and Al Burnette. LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Lots of obscure gems here – work by Dial Tones, The Swanks, Dennis Volk, Jerry & The Casuals, Phantom Five, The Legends, Flintales, Vulcans, and other obscure groups! LP, Vinyl record album

Clean edited freestyles over "Looking At The Front Door", "Who Got Da Props", "Warm It Up Kane", and "Children's Story" – essentially remakes of the original tracks from Black Rob's perspective! 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Rare work from this southern rocker who recorded for a few short years before an injury took him out of the business – a mix of vocal and instrumental numbers, including six tracks that appear here for the first time ever! LP, Vinyl record album

Live material from Bob Dylan – mostly solo with just acoustic guitar and harmonica! Titles include "Mixed Up Confusion", "Long Song", "Ride Willie Ride", "Can't Go Home This Way/100 Miles", "Turn To The Rain & The Wind", "Long John Gone", and "I'll Keep It With Mine" LP, Vinyl record album

Featuring Raekwon, Method Man, and Superb on "Flowers". 12-inch, Vinyl record

Answer record 50 Cent's "How To Rob" by the former Onyx MC, done in full beat jacking mode. 12-inch, Vinyl record

With Cormega on "They Forced My Hand" and Cam'ron, Killa Sha, and RZA on "WWT". 12-inch, Vinyl record

Great early work from Barry White – tracks recorded before his big 70s hit years on the 20th Century label – and which really show the soulful maestro working out his new ideas! Barry sings on about half these cuts, and the others are instrumental – and all of them show that larger style of arranging that would make White such a giant force in 70s soul – modes expanded from the uptown soul styles of New York in the 60s, and some of the Chess/Cadet soulful string styles of the Richard Evans generation too – all taken into territory that's very much Barry White's own! Tracks include "Come On In Love", "Under The Influence Of Love", "Fragile Handle With Care", "All In The Run Of A Day", "Where Can I Turn To", and "Out Of The Shadows Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing two-fer – filled with rare spiritual sounds from Michael White! Spirit Dance is one of the killer albums that White cut for Impulse Records in the early 70 – a sweet set of spiritual jazz that took his instrument to a whole new level! Normally, the violin isn't an instrument we love in jazz, but White really transforms it here – playing it with a stretched-out, spiritual sound that's almost like a saxophone – really hitting a fresh sound that's mighty nice. Other instrumentation includes a nicely organic blend of piano from Ed Kelly, bass from Ray Drummond, and percussion and flutes from Baba Omson – often building in the way you'd get with a Pharoah Sanders album, but with a gentler, more personal sound. There's a bit of vocals at points from Makeda & Wanika King – and tracks include "The Tenth Pyramid", "Spirit Dance", "John Coltrane Was Here", and "Unlocking The Twelfth House". Pneuma is amazing work from violinist Michael White – one of a few that he cut for the Impulse label in the early 70s, all of which helped to completely redefine the use of his instrument in jazz! Throw away any sleepy connotations you may have about the violin, because in White's hands it's an instrument of soul and spirit – one used to unlock cosmic tones that glide effortlessly next to the session's earthy blend of piano, bass, and percussion! White shapes his sounds beautifully for the session – breaking the violin free of any staid European-bound traditions – and using the instrument as a key part of the new tradition of African American expression explored by Leroy Jenkins, Billy Bang, and others. Side one features the extended "Pneuma" suite – a long, exploratory track that sounds a bit like some of Leroy Jenkins work at the time – and side two tightens things up with some shorter, groovier numbers that often also feature vocals! Our favorite is the anthemic vocal number "Journey Of The Black Star" – a skipping, joyful ode that's really great – and other tunes include soulful tracks "The Blessing Song" and "Ebony Plaza", both of which have that warm post-Shepp Impulse glow to them! CD

An incredible document of a really crucial label during the postwar years – the important west coast indie, Black & White Records – home to an amazing array of top-shelf jazz, blues, and R&B recordings from the time! The scope of work here is fantastic – 243 tracks in all, much of it material that was only ever issued on 78rpm discs, including some in the 12" format – the longer version of the early single that Black & White often used to present longer versions of jazz recordings, with more room for solos. The focus here is on the jazz side of the label, and much of the material was recorded in LA, but some were done in New York and other cities too – including early production work by jazz giants like Leonard Feather and Norman Granz – which will give you an idea of the top-shelf quality of the sessions. The jazz recordings are a mix of vocal, bop, trad, and swing styles – and the late 40s sides often hit that spot where jazz and blues came together in jumping modes that represented early R&B – which almost makes the whole package an evolution in styles during these crucial 40s years. There's way too much to mention here, as you might guess from an 11CD set – and the package features work by Ivie Anderson, Etta Jones, Charlie Ventura, Wilbert Baranco, Erroll Garner, Joe Marsala, Jack McVea, Nat Jaffee, Red Callender, Phil Moore, Earl Spencer, Tommy Todd, Gerald Wilson, Howard McGhee, Lucky Thompson, Ernestine Anderson, Barney Bigard, the Hip Chicks, Jo Evans, Mushmouth Robinson, and many others – all presented with a very detailed booklet of notes. CD

The mighty debut album from the Average White Band – Show Your Hand – a set that was originally issued in the US as Put It Where You Want It, with a slightly different placement than their later hits! Average White Band are most clearly associated with Atlantic Records during the 70s – and that label's genius move to record white soul acts for the crossover market – but this first album was recorded for MCA, and very much in the same vein as their later work. The record's not as over the top funky as some of their best work – and perhaps shows kind of a rock style that was always lurking in the group's sound – but the roots of the later greatness are still there, and the album's got more than a few nice cuts. The best track is "Reach Out", but there's some other nice groovers like "TLC" and "Twilight Zone". CD

In case you don't get the joke, the title's a play on the fact that Atlantic Records had just been acquired by Warner Communications – now fully a major label at the end of the 70s! That fact doesn't stop the album from being a good one, though – and AWB work here with Arif Mardin on a set of tunes that still have a fair bit of the funky touches of earlier records, but which also go for a few mellower tunes too – of the sort that were becoming the group's strongest suit at the time. "She's A Dream" is a great example of this style – a nicely gliding number that still has a nice groove at the bottom – and while the set doesn't include any standout hits, it's still a great example of why AWB could pull off this sort of record a lot better than most of their contemporaries! Titles include "She's A Dream", "Warmer Communications", "Price Of The Dream", "Sweet & Sour", "One Look Over My Shoulder", "Your Love Is A Miracle", and "Same Feeling Different Song". Includes 2 bonus tracks – "McEwan's Export" and "Pick Up The Pieces" – both performed live. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

One of the many excellent albums that appeared on the jazz instruction record label of Jamey Aebersold – this one a set of trio tracks based around the work of Herbie Hancock. The set actually features a trio that has Kenny Barron doing Herbie's job on the piano, with bass by Ron Carter and drums by Billy Higgins – and in that respect, it stands almost as a Kenny Barron Tribute To Herbie album. Because of the nature of the session, Kenny's a bit more restrained and obvious in his playing – but that also gives the tunes a nice clunky groove, getting down to the real elements of the tracks. Titles include "Maiden Voyage", "Watermelon Man", "Dolphin Dance", "Cantaloupe Island", and "Toys". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing document of the New York club scene in the 70s – a book that traces the week by week evolution of disco from the ground up – with details of important releases, club changes, and more – all the stuff of history by now, but shown here in its original building blocks! The book is based around the weekly columns of Vince Aletti – essentially reviews of the big records for each week, but also filled with key historical bits too – showing the birth of now-common concepts like the 12" single, record pool, and other factors that helped shape the way we've circulated music for the past few decades. Each weekly entry features cover and label scans, and charts from the clubs as well – a fascinating look at disco from a perspective that's hardly ever represented this well! 484 pages, softcover, with black and white images throughout! Book

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet mix of jazz, funk, and some tighter instrumental modes – a set that takes all the best energy of the Flying Dutchman label, and packs it into shorter tracks that have a very groovy feel! At some level, the album's a bit like the work that Tom Scott was doing for the label at the time, but with a more compact vibe – and maybe more ensemble focus than longer solos – but still a great sound overall! Scott's actually on the record, playing reeds along with the great Plas Johnson – and other players include Dennis Budimir on guitar and Emil Richards on percussion – but Ron Anthony handles the main guitar work himself. The title cut is a great remake of the naturally funky "Oh Calcutta" – and other titles include "I Am Yellow", "Ballad Of John & Yoko", and "Waltz Of The Groupies". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A heady set of work from the Detroit scene at the start of the 70s – originally issued on the Westbound label, and one of the company's few rock releases of the time – although maybe not that far overall from the freaky fuzzy sound of the early years of Funkadelic! There's a nicely swirling vibe to the music – guitars and organ cooked up nicely in the best Motor City way, with a definite soul influence in both the production and the way the vocals kind of bubble and flow out of the mix – slightly psychedelic at points, but with some roots elements at the core as well – all of which make for a mighty nice blend, and a record that definitely lives up to the Westbound legacy! Titles include "Dirty Gurty", "Lean On Me", "Black & White", "It's Not Easy", and "Everything Is Going To Be Alright". CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A landmark recording – Albert Ayler's first album for the ESP label, and a record that hit the jazz world like a bullet! Spiritual Unity sets the stage for a format that would become huge in the European avant scene of the 70s, 80s, 90s, and even today – the sax-driven power-trio, tenor against bass and drums, working freely with less rhythmic constraints than before, searching for new sounds and new modes of expression, working through changes in a style first proposed by Sonny Rollins, but taken to new intensity by the New York underground of the 60s. That sound is summed up here perfectly by Ayler, Gary Peacock, and Sunny Murray – working together with an edgey brilliance, on classic tracks that include "Ghosts: First Variation", "Ghosts: Second Variation", "The Wizard", and "Spirits". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the lesser-known John Barry scores of the 60s – penned for an equally lesser-known comedy that starred Michael Caine, Peter Sellers, Peter Cook, Tony Hancock, and Dudley Moore! The tunes have kind of a period feel with slight whimsical touches – not as mod and groovy as you might expect for the time, or for Barry – but with a strong orchestral approach overall, showing John's ability to work well in a more mainstream setting. There's a nice undercurrent of darkness at times, as on some of Barry's other orchestral work – and titles include "Morris Visits Dr Pratt", "Bournemouth Strangler", "Morris Hides As He Sees Handcart", "Montage Of Deaths", and "Yes Who Is That". LP, Vinyl record album

Count Basie goes pop, and the results are mighty nice – a hard-swinging take on familiar tunes from the 60s, but all re-tooled the jazzy Basie way! The vibe here is right up there with the best Neal Hefti moments with the group – and although the arrangements are by Billy Byers, they've got that sense of tightness that Hefti first help bring to the band – a great setting for the inventive solos, and all the cool little twists and turns that make a record like this so great. And while you might think of the setting, or the title, as some sort of sell-out on the Count's part – the album's instead a perfect way to hear what made the Basie band so great – how they could completely transform tunes like "Pretty Woman", "Bye Bye Love", "Doo Wah Diddy Diddy", "At Long Last Love", and "Go Away Little Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Treat Me Right", "Hell Is For Children", "Hit Me With Your Best Shot", "You Better Run", and "Wuthering Heights". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the boldest of Arthur Blythe's albums for Columbia Records – as the set bristles with newly creative energy right from the start, and provides a great showcase for some of the criss-crossings of styles and rhythms that were taking place on the New York scene at the time! The lineup alone announces something special – a cool combination of James Blood Ulmer on guitar, John Hicks on piano, Fred Hopkins on bass, Abdul Wadud on cello, Bob Stewart on tuba, and Steve McCall on drums – working together in some slight variations at times, often with these angular edges that are perfectly sharpened by Arthur's amazing work on alto sax. The music's never too free, but quite outside for a major label at the time – balanced out so that it's never overindulgent at all. Titles include "Bush Baby", "Miss Nancy", "My Son Ra", and "Carespin With Mamie". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

Classic early Lenny Bruce work on Fantasy – a groundbreaking set of tracks that features some great shorter snippets, plus a few of the longer, more drawn-out routines that soon became Bruce's stock in trade during the more controversial years – those live riffs that really set Lenny apart from other comedians, and which set the scene for generations to come! Titles include the 19 minute "The Palladium", plus "Our Governors", "My Trip To Miami", "Esther Costello Story", "White Collar Drunks", and "The Steve Allen Show". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the earliest albums ever from Harold Budd – an artist who'd later rise to great ambient fame in the following decade, but who's maybe at his most sophisticated here! The set has all the hallmark of the new musical experiments that Brian Eno was showcasing on his Obscure Music label – where the set first appeared – and Budd plays electric piano with a very cool set of contemporary musicians – a lineup that includes alto sax from Marion Brown, harp from Maggie Thomas, marimba from Michael Nyman and John White, and glockenspiel from Gavin Bryars. Brian Eno produced the record, and vocalizes slightly – and tracks have a long-spun, almost spiritual vibe – on titles that include "Bismallahi Rrahmani Rrahmani", "Two Songs (Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord/Butterfly Sunday)", "Madrigals Of The Rose Angel", and "Juno". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

The genius of Betty Carter knows no bounds – and this album's a perfect illustration of that fact! The record is one of the few that Betty released on her own label – working in near obscurity at a time when she really wanted to break from the BS of the bigger companies, and the staid approach they were using towards vocal jazz. This set is one of Betty's most freewheeling – performed with trio lineups that include players like Onaje Alan Gumbs, Buster Williams, and Louis Hayes – really stretching things out past the simple "piano trio meets standards with singer" that you might hear on other records. The best illustration of the style is the amazing track "Sounds" – a 7 minute workout that has the trio and Betty cutting loose, taking jazz vocals a million miles past Ella or Billie or any other singer. Most other tracks are originals – and beautiful ones too – and titles include "What Is It", "I Can't Help It", "We Tried", "Happy", and "Tight". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

An unusual Beach Boys offshoot project – a soundtrack that features work by a group led by Mike Love with Charles Lloyd on sax and flute, Ron Altbach on piano, Dave Robinson on bass and vocals, Mike Kowalski on drums and percussion, Ed Carter on guitar and bass, Wells Kelly on bass, and Gary Griffin on synthesizers and electric piano – with some songs written by Brian Wilson too! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

With Sidney Bechet, Earl Hines, Ed Hall, Cliff Jackson, James P Johnson, Gene Krupa, Hot Lips Page, Pee Wee Russell, Willie Smith, Jess Stacy, and George Wettling. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful solo piano improvisations – similar to Chick's work in an earlier mode for ECM! LP, Vinyl record album

A great little record by Bobby – recorded hot on the heels of his big hit recording of "If I Were A Carpenter", and with a surprising respect for Tim Hardin and a lot of the other young songwriters of the post-folk years. Keep in mind that Darin was really feeling his mortality at this point, and although it's easy to say that he's becoming a fake folkie, his approach to the material is very sincere – so much so that we're always surprised at how much we like this one. Titles include "Bes Friends", "Darling Be Home Soon", "Hello Sunshine", "Lady Fingers", "Whatever Happened To Happy", and Hardin's "Black Sheep Boy" and "The Lady Came From Baltimore". LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff from Bobby Darin – maybe one of our favorite Atlantic albums from the singer, and a set that really follows up the strongly jazzy vibe of his Love Swings classic! Arrangements are by Torrie Zito and Bobby Scott – both talents who were really coming into their own at the time, and who help give Darin a mature setting that goes way beyond the pop sounds of his earliest years – backings that are rich in feeling, but also swinging too, even on the ballad numbers – which creates a great flow in Bobby's vocals! Titles include "It's You Or No One", "All Or Nothing At All", "I'll Be Around", "How About Me", "All I Do Is Cry", and "Only One Little Item". LP, Vinyl record album

The Shadow Of Your Smile has Bobby working partially in that more adult 60s mode that was influenced strongly by changes in soundtrack styles – especially that 60s trend towards letting some serious younger songwriters pen important tunes for the titles. There's also a few older tracks as well, and these dominate on side two, but these are nicely folded into the contemporary ones in sound and spirit – arranged by Shorty Rogers and Richard Wess with a lightly easygoing approach. Titles include "The Shadow Of Your Smile", "I Will Wait For You", "The Sweetheart Tree", "Cute", "After You've Gone", "Liza", "What's New Pussycat", and the Darin original "Rainin". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant early work by Miles Davis – some of his first truly important sessions to appear under his own name – originally issued as singles or 10" LP recordings by Blue Note, and brought together here in a full length set that would help to define the early years of his career! This is work before Miles was able to stretch out on longer sessions for Prestige, but the material already showcases his unique contribution to jazz – shorter tracks that are perhaps more boppish, than you might expect from some of Miles' other 50s work – but in a way that still allows for many moments of lyrical beauty, and that brilliantly cool sound of his which forever changed the sound of jazz trumpet. The set features work from an assortment of players who vary from track to track – including Jimmy Heath on tenor, Jackie McLean on alto, JJ Johnson on trombone, Horace Silver on piano, and Art Blakey on drums. Titles on this second volume include "Weirdo", "Donna", "Ray's Idea (alt)", "Take Off", "Would'n You", "The Leap", "Lazy Suzan", and "Tempus Fugit (alt)". LP, Vinyl record album

2 classic Miles/Coltrane albums are compiled here on a nice double LP set with good extra notes on the sessions. Miles and Trane are backed by the classic Red Garland/Paul Chambers/Philly Joe Jones rhythm section, and the set appears to include a few more tracks than the original LPs (although we're not sure). Titles include "Diane", "The Theme", "Ahmad's Blues", "Four", and "Half Nelson". LP, Vinyl record album