Federal/Dub Store (Japan), 1977.
CD ...
About June 1, 2024
Warm and mellow soul from Janet Silvera – a set that's a bit lovers rock, but with touches of American mainstream soul of the late 70s – especially the more laidback, easygoing styles! Familiar hits are mixed with originals in a nice way, and at a few spots, there's even some slight ...
(Reggae CD)
Raven/Freestyle (UK), 1988. (reissue)
A rare bit of UK soul from Rick Clarke – a sweet little set that's got a nicely lean feel – part of that 80s UK style of R&B that really seemed to set the scene for the coming years that would give the world artists like Omar and Soul II Soul! The groove here definitely echoes some ...
(Soul LP)
Antilles/Everland (Austria), 1976. (reissue)
A really unique project from guitarist Osamu Kitajima – a player you might know from his smoother fusion sets at the end of the 70s – but who works here in a very trippy blend of Japanese instrumentation and electric jazz! Kitajima handles a heck of a lot of strings – both ...
(Jazz LP)
Davis/Everland (Austria), Late 1950s. (reissue)
About as sexy as you can get for party records at the time – a naughty cover, and titles that include "My Pussy Belongs To Daddy", "Tony's Got Hot Nuts", "My Right Hand Man", "The Swelling Of The Organ & The Coming Of The Bride", and "I'll Keep ...
(Vocalists LP)
Davis/Everland (Austria), Late 1950s.
About as sexy as you can get for party records at the time – a naughty cover, and titles that include "My Pussy Belongs To Daddy", "Tony's Got Hot Nuts", "My Right Hand Man", "The Swelling Of The Organ & The Coming Of The Bride", and "I'll Keep ...
(Vocalists CD)
Discom/Everland (Austria),
Discom/Everland (Austria),
Discom/Everland (Austria),
Everland (Austria), Late 1970s/Early 1980s.
Super Sonic Jazz (Netherlands), 3LPs
British Progressive Jazz (UK), Late 1960s/Early 1970s.
The title gets it right – as the set features some of the coolest, hippest British jazz of the late 60s and early 70s – served up here in a special package that features nine never-issued tracks! The work here is all by giants who really helped open doors and let British jazz musicians ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Legend/On High (Canada), 1973. (reissue)
Includes the excellent funk track "Damn Somebody Stole My Pants" – and the album features lots of great keyboard work from Dwight Dickerson!
(Jazz LP)
Ultraaani (Finland), 2019.
A really beautiful little record, and one that's got a sound that's every bit what you'd expect from the earthy look of its cover! The music is spare but rhythmic – and often features flute lines over percussion and other spare sonic elements – acoustic bass, other stringed instruments ...
(Jazz LP)
Jazzaggression (Finland),
Jazzaggression (Finland),
Jazzaggression (Finland),
East Wind/Universal (Japan), 1977.
CD ...
About May 29, 2024 (delayed)
The Village Vanguard seemed to be one of the greatest settings for the Great Jazz Trio – a place where the group of Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums could really stretch out in the kind of loose, open lines that made their 70s albums so great! This set's ...
(Jazz CD)
East Wind/Universal (Japan), 1980.
CD ...
About May 29, 2024 (delayed)
The second part of a great Japanese-only session recorded in 1980 – one that features a later edition of the Great Jazz Trio – with Eddie Gomez on bass and Al Foster on drums, next to piano by usual group member Hank Jones! The set's got a hipper feel than usual for the group – ...
(Jazz CD)
East Wind (Japan), 1976.
CD ...
About May 29, 2024 (delayed)
A buttery smooth set of Japanese fusion from the 70s – featuring all-star American players like Eric Gale, Steve Gadd, Ralph MacDonald, Cornell Dupree, Michael Brecker, and keyboardist Will Boulware. The strength of the set lies on the interplay between Boulware's work on Fender Rhodes and ...
(Jazz CD)
East Wind/Universal (Japan), 1978.
CD ...
About May 29, 2024 (delayed)
A great Tokyo meeting from this wonderful trio – and a great little record that even stands out from most of their others from the time! The set's got a surprising amount of original material by the members of the group – as each player contributes at least one title – and these ...
(Jazz CD)
East Wind/Universal (Japan), 1978.
CD ...
About May 29, 2024 (delayed)
One of a number of late 70s milestones from the Great Jazz Trio – that sublime grouping of Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums! Like the rest of their gems from the time, the album's got this simple, subtle brilliance – a way of approaching piano trio ...
(Jazz CD)
East Wind/Universal (Japan), 1977.
CD ...
About May 29, 2024 (delayed)
A beautiful group, and one with a very unique sound – a style that draws from the early 50s experiments in Brazilian jazz by Bud Shank and Laurindo Almeida – but which also moves the approach into even more sophisticated 70s territory! The quartet features Almeida on acoustic guitar ...
(Jazz CD)
East Wind/Universal (Japan), 1976.
CD ...
About May 29, 2024 (delayed)
Gently graceful work from Art Farmer – and a wonderful example of the way he was expanding his talents in the 70s! The set's got a slow burning sensuality that seems to bring even more soul out of Farmer's work on flugelhorn than before – especially on the mellower cuts, which seem ...
(Jazz CD)
East West (Japan), 1979.
CD ...
About May 29, 2024 (delayed)
One of Andrew Hill's best records of the 70s – a soulful trio recording performed with Richard Davis on bass and Roger Blank on drums – and a real return to the glory of his 60s material! Hill's piano still has that fresh angular modern approach of his Blue Note sides – but the ...
(Jazz CD)
East Wind (Japan), 1975.
CD ...
About May 29, 2024 (delayed)
A really great session from pianist Andrew Hill – and one of his few post-Blue Note sessions to feature a horn player! The style of the set draws from a few strands of Hill's career – in that Hill is playing in some freely exploratory piano modes, yet also manages to swing soulfully ...
(Jazz CD)
East Wind (Japan), 1975.
CD ...
About May 29, 2024 (delayed)
Bop legend Al Haig gets a wonderful setting here – a beautifully-recorded trio date done for the Japanese market – with sensitive backing that really shows the development in Haig's sound and style over the years! Bassist Jamil Nasser is a wonderful choice for the group – playing ...
(Jazz CD)
East Wind (Japan), 1975.
CD ...
About May 29, 2024 (delayed)
One of the only albums we've ever seen from Japanese guitarist Yoshiaki Masuo – and an unusual record that features very small, spare groupings – either solo, or with some slight accompaniment from a set of musicians that includes Bob Mover on alto, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and David Lee ...
(Jazz CD)
East Wind (Japan), 1975.
CD ...
About May 29, 2024 (delayed)
One of the greatest sessions ever recorded by Ronnie Mathews – an excellent soul jazz pianist who's working here in a mode that's similar to that of Kenny Barron, Cedar Walton, or other 70s lyrical giants! Mathews' touch on the keys is incredible – at one moment extremely sensitive and ...
(Jazz CD)
Digitmovies (Italy), 2CDs
Digitmovies (Italy), Early 1970s.
A nice bit of funky crime work from Italy – a soundtrack to an obscure payback film from the 70s, done here with a nice mix of heavy beats, tight guitar, and some cool keyboards! The groove here is very much in the style of some of the best compilations of Italian cop soundtrack work we've ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Masayuki Takayanagi & Kaoru Abe New Direction
Real Jazz
Jinya (Japan),
Bethlehem/Solid (Japan), 1956.
CD ...
About May 29, 2024 (delayed)
One of the few sessions ever cut as a leader by LA drummer Stan Levey – as tight a set of west coast bop as you'll ever find on the Bethlehem label – recorded with a really cooking sextet that includes Conte Candoli on trumpet, Richie Kamuca on tenor, Frank Rosolino on trombone, Leroy ...
(Jazz CD)
Lawson (Japan), (reissue)
Dig This Way (Italy), (reissue)
Skye/Ebalunga (Austria), 1968. Gatefold (reissue)
The guitar genius of Gabor Szabo – set to magnificent arrangements by Gary McFarland! The set's one of the most sophisticated albums Szabo ever cut – and has a slow-building style that steps off of his Impulse years with a deeper, broader vision of music. By the time of the set, ...
(Jazz LP)
Red (Italy), 1983. (reissue)
LP ...
About June 5, 2024
The time is always right for Woody Shaw – as just about every album from the trumpeter's a gem, and this set's no exception to that rule! The set's an overlooked live date from the early 80s – one that features four long songs, just the sort of extended numbers that demonstrate Woody's ...
(Jazz LP)
Village Thing/Wiseraven (UK), 1970. (reissue)
LP ...
About June 5, 2024
A really weird little set from The Sun Also Rises – a British folksy duo who sound like they might have been raised in the village from The Wicker Man! The songs are spare, but somewhat eerie – a blend of Anne Hemmingway's odd vocals and gentle guitar, dulcimer, glockenspiel, and ...
(Rock LP)
Wah Wah (UK), 2024.
A really cosmic album from UK artist Jamie Finlay – one that swirls together spiritual fusion and soulful vocals, all at a level that takes us back to the 70s work of Lonnie Liston Smith! The style and instrumentation are a bit more contemporary, but there's a definite depth here that easily ...
(Neo Soul LP)
Arista/BGO (UK), 1981.
Gino Vannelli still going strong well into the 80s – hitting this sweet blend of soul, rock, and crossover vibes – all in a style he virtually invented for himself in the 70s! The long perm look may have kept Gino out of crates in later years, but there's a top-quality feel to the ...
(Soul CD)
Trio/Lawson (Japan), 1977. (reissue)
A well-titled album from Japanese pianist Ryo Fukui – one that's got a warm sense of flow that takes it well past conventional piano trio work! The group here features Fukui on piano, Satoshi Denpo on bass, and Yoshinori Fukui on drums – all working together beautifully as a unit ...
(Jazz LP)
Nadja/Lawson (Japan), 1976. (reissue)
Lyrical magic from pianist Ryo Fukui – a lost gem from the Japanese scene of the 70s, and a beautifully flowing album throughout! Fukui's got a wide-open touch to the piano that we totally love – and is easily one of the best of his contemporaries on the Japanese trio scene of the time ...
(Jazz LP)
P-Vine (Japan), 2024. 2LP
A stunning jazz set from the LA scene – and one that's got even more spiritual, forward-flowing energy than some of the studio sessions recorded by Terrace Martin! The performance continues Martin's strong move into jazz over the past decade plus – with lots of alto solos from the ...
(Jazz LP)
Som Livre/Far Out (UK), 1975. Gatefold (reissue)
One of the sweetest electric records to come from 70s Brazil – the fabulous first effort from the Azymuth trio, and work that's hardly been matched again! Although the group here have plenty of the warm keyboard touches of their more famous later work, they're also moving in territory that's ...
(Brazil LP)
Spotlite/Jazz In Britain (UK), Late 1970s/Early 1980s.
House Of The Fox/Charly (UK), 1970. (reissue)
A fantastic funky gem from the start of the 70s – an album recorded during a period when Maceo Parker left James Brown's band for a few years – and struck out on his own with a fiery little combo that was every bit as funky as the Fred Wesley & The JBs! The record captures the ...
(Soul LP)
House Of The Fox/Charly (UK), 1970.
A fantastic funky gem from the start of the 70s – an album recorded during a period when Maceo Parker left James Brown's band for a few years – and struck out on his own with a fiery little combo that was every bit as funky as the Fred Wesley & The JBs! The record captures the ...
(Soul CD)
BYG/Actuel (UK), 1969. (reissue)
A the time they were taking Paris by storm, the Art Ensemble recorded this brilliant message to folks everywhere – one of their best early albums, and a landmark in Chicago avant garde jazz! The record features the group at their best – playing very tightly, but also with a sense of ...
(Jazz LP)
BYG/Actuel (UK), 1969.
A the time they were taking Paris by storm, the Art Ensemble recorded this brilliant message to folks everywhere – one of their best early albums, and a landmark in Chicago avant garde jazz! The record features the group at their best – playing very tightly, but also with a sense of ...
(Jazz CD)
Polydor/Secret (UK), 2CDs
Soul Jazz (UK), Early 1980s.
The resurgence of one of the most groundbreaking periods in recent groove history – the almost-forgotten post-punk years in England, a time of incredible musical convergence! In the heady days of the early 80s – a time when much music was being lost under a gloss of big hair, tinny ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Soul Jazz (UK), Early 1980s. 2LP
The resurgence of one of the most groundbreaking periods in recent groove history – the almost-forgotten post-punk years in England, a time of incredible musical convergence! In the heady days of the early 80s – a time when much music was being lost under a gloss of big hair, tinny ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
NxWorries (Anderson Paak & Knxwledge)
Why Lawd
Stones Throw, 2024.
A great collaboration between Anderson.Paak and Knxwledge – and a long overdue follow-up to their great album Yes Lawd too! Anderson's vocals are always great, but they seem to have a special sort of crackle here – just the right sort of crisp Cali vibe to balance with the warmth in ...
(Neo Soul LP)
NxWorries (Anderson Paak & Knxwledge)
Why Lawd
Stones Throw, 2024.
A great collaboration between Anderson.Paak and Knxwledge – and a long overdue follow-up to their great album Yes Lawd too! Anderson's vocals are always great, but they seem to have a special sort of crackle here – just the right sort of crisp Cali vibe to balance with the warmth in ...
(Neo Soul CD)
Stones Throw, 2024.
A great collaboration between Anderson.Paak and Knxwledge – and a long overdue follow-up to their great album Yes Lawd too! Anderson's vocals are always great, but they seem to have a special sort of crackle here – just the right sort of crisp Cali vibe to balance with the warmth in ...
(Neo Soul LP)
Areito/Mr Bongo (UK), 1977. (reissue)
A late 70s groover from Cuban trombonist Juan Pablo Torres – a wild mix of Latin, funk, soul, and jazz – a style that's quite unique, and which has made Torres' albums some of the most sought-after Havana grooves of the time! Drums snap hard on some of the best numbers – ...
(Latin LP)
Areito/Mr Bongo (UK), 1977.
A late 70s groover from Cuban trombonist Juan Pablo Torres – a wild mix of Latin, funk, soul, and jazz – a style that's quite unique, and which has made Torres' albums some of the most sought-after Havana grooves of the time! Drums snap hard on some of the best numbers – ...
(Latin CD)
Joint International/Weekend (Germany), 1981. (reissue)
A dozen jams in all, including "Playing It Cool", "Playing It Right Dub", "Trust & Believe", "By Night Dub", "Not Good For Us", "Be What You Want To Be" and "Still Need You Dub".
(Reggae LP)
Irma (Italy), 2013. 2LP
A great return to form for the LTJ Experience – exactly the kind of tight grooves and soulful sounds that made Luca Trevisi such a standout in earlier years of the Italian club scene! The style here is really back to basics – somewhere between the spareness of the post-disco years and ...
(New Grooves LP)
Transition/Blue Note, 1956. (reissue)
A great session – and one of the few lost ones on the legendary Transition label! The album was originally recorded in Boston in 1956, and it features a group led by bassist Doug Watkins, with Donald Byrd on trumpet, Hank Mobley on tenor, and Art Taylor on drums – really a Blue Note ...
(Jazz LP)
Tamla/Elemental, 1973. (reissue)
Fantastic solo work from Smokey Robinson – recorded a few years before his monumental Quiet Storm album, but with a very similar high level of quality! Willie Hutch co-produced the album with Smokey, and working with arrangements by Hutch and Gene Page, they transform Smokey's sound into a ...
(Soul LP)
Horizon/Verve, 1977. (reissue)
Bassist Charlie Haden in a really wonderful mode – stepping out here in a set of spare duets, each with a different hip player on each of the album's four long tracks – a masterful setting not just for his own work as an improviser, but also for the collaborative spirit that's always ...
(Jazz LP)
Motown/Elemental, 1970. (reissue)
One of the last albums the Four Tops ever issued on Motown – but also one of the best, and a set that really has the group taking off in a strong new direction for the 70s! Frank Wilson's at the production helm, and the set has all these cool little twists and turns that work perfectly with ...
(Soul LP)
Pacific Jazz, 1961.
A fantastic lost set from the 60s – one of the most hard-hitting jazz albums ever recorded by the Pacific Jazz label, and a unique session that's co-led by trumpeter Kenny Dorham and alto genius Jackie McLean! Dorham left our planet all too soon, and in his final years he was really ...
(Jazz LP)
Janus/Partisan, 1972. (reissue)
The fantastic first album by one of the most unique funk groups of all time! A key part of the crumbling British colonial network that produced some excellent music in the postwar years, Cymande was comprised mostly of West Indians who'd emigrated to England in the 60s, eventually meeting up ...
(Soul LP)
Impulse, 1968. (reissue)
Early work by Alice Coltrane – somewhat under the shadow of her late husband, as you'd guess from the use of his name on the front cover – but really stepping out here with a voice of her own! The Monastic Trio of the set features Alice on harp and piano – alongside bass from ...
(Jazz LP)
Dal Segno/Mo Jazz (UK), Late 1960s. (reissue)
A wickedly cool small combo set from the 60s – featuring reedman John Lemon, who blows both tenor and flute, plus a bit of alto as well – in a combo with Jimmy Scott on organ, Ernest McLean on guitar, and Bobby Brooks on drums! The set's got a great soul jazz vibe – like a ...
(Jazz LP)
Salsoul/BMG (UK), Late 1970s/Early 1980s. 2LP
Vibes, strings, keyboards, and vocals – the heavenly sound of the Salsoul Orchestra, one of the greatest disco outfits of the 70s! At the time, the group were ubiquitous on the dancefloor scene – but the amazing thing to our ears is how great these tunes still sound after all these ...
(Soul LP)
Fiction/Rhino, 1983. (reissue)
An early full length set from The Cure, and one that brings together a whole host of tracks that were previously released as singles! The package also includes the b-sides of some of the singles, which makes it more than just some sort of hits collection – nicely deeper, given the range of ...
(Rock LP)
Stones Throw, 2003. 2LP (reissue)
The long lost Charizma tapes are unearthed and see the light of day! We're real suckers around here for the salad days of the early 90s, before "underground" became a tag line for savvy promoters and music industry folks, and just meant an emcee straight spitting creative rhymes over ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Aquarii, 2024.
You might know keyboardist Joe Armon Jones for his groundbreaking work on the London jazz scene – and for this special EP, he celebrates a different side of his city's music – the huge influence of Jamaican music and the legacy of dub! The tracks here are played by a core group of jazz ...
(Jazz LP)
Third World/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), 1977. (reissue)
A really great 70s album from The Ethiopians – done in a strong roots style that's given lots of great production touches from Niney The Observer! There's great use of percussion at the bottom of most cuts – and the set begins with a cut that's less reggae than most, which really sets ...
(Reggae LP)
Limetree/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), 1972. 2LP
A double-sized set of live Bill Evans material from the early 70s – a great amount of material that showcases a time when Evans had an especially fluid, open touch on the keys of the piano! The group here features the great trio with Eddie Gomez on bass and Marty Morell on drums – and ...
(Jazz LP)
Blue Note, 2024. 2LP
A trio outing from pianist Nduduzo Makhathini, and one that both shows off a more intimate side of his music, and does a great job of linking his sound back to the older years of the South African jazz scene! The trio features Zwelakhe Duma Bell Le Pere on bass and Francisco Mela on drums – ...
(Jazz LP)
Blue Note, 2024.
A trio outing from pianist Nduduzo Makhathini, and one that both shows off a more intimate side of his music, and does a great job of linking his sound back to the older years of the South African jazz scene! The trio features Zwelakhe Duma Bell Le Pere on bass and Francisco Mela on drums – ...
(Jazz CD)