text:
100s of new titles added daily!
We're Turning 20!
Sign In
New Arrivals
Coming Soon
About Us
Chicago Store
Help & Information
Gift Certificates
Sell Your Records & CDs
Click (
) to filter by category
All Products
Funky 45's
Funky Compilations
Hip Hop
New Grooves
Neo Soul
Deep Funk
Global Grooves
Now Sound
Sound Library
Out Sound
Dusty Groove Label
DVDs & Videos
Dusty Groove Swag
Bags & Such
Turntables & Supplies
Used Items
Used CDs
Used LPs
Used 12-inch
Used 7-inch
Special Offers
Just Reduced
New CDs under $9
Used CDs under $6
LPs under $6
Bulk Vinyl Records
New Arrivals
Coming Soon
Chicago Store
Our Label
Help & Information
Gifts & Gift Certificates
Chicago's Best Record Stores
Sell Used Records & CDs
All Categories
— All
All inventory
New arrivals
Last two days
1st time in stock
Just Reduced
Under $9
Under $6
Any year
Any format
New & Used
Used Only
New Only
In Stock
Out of Stock
Coming Soon
Filter these results
Ample Soul
Sort by
Date added
Price lowest
Price highest
Possible matches: 2
Jimmy Raney
Jimmy Raney Visits Paris Vol 1 ... CD
, 1954. Used ...
Add to Cart
A classic French session from one of the greatest American jazz guitarists of the 50s – the legendary Jimmy Raney, a player who mixed his hard-edge tone with a magically fluid groove! Jimmy's playing here on some great single-note lines – alongside a set of players that include Bobby White on drums, Red Mitchell on bass, and Sonny Clark on piano – coming together in a relaxed, intimate format – one that lets Jimmy's guitar get
space to stretch out on the set. Titles include "Once In A While", "Body &
", "Stella By Starlight", and "You Go To My Head", along with alternate takes.
(Out of print.)
Chris Hazleton's Boogaloo 7
Alright Now!/
Stop Mr Ice Cream Man ... 7-inch
, 2015. New Copy ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
Add to
Watch List
Hammond funk and percussive boogaloo – the second 45 we've been lucky enough to hear from Chris Hazleton's Boogaloo 7 – even better than their first! "Alright Now!" kicks off with an organ groove with a thick tone, but comes like a cool breeze – leading the way for funky drums and hand percussion to set the groove – and with
room for solos by the excellent players. "Stop Mr Ice Cream Man" is as rich of a treat as you'd expect given the title, again with some really fine solos.
7-inch, Vinyl record
Partial matches: 304
Makossa ... LP
, 1973. New Copy (reissue)...
Add to Cart
A killer album of Afro Funk – with a very unusual origin! In the wake of Manu Dibango's big hit (and some kind of failure to register the copyright), many many versions of "
Makossa" were recorded and released, some good, some bad. This album is a good ex
of that situation – kind of a quickie project issued by Mainstream Records to cash in on the hit – but it's also an amazing bit of lost funk, and a record that's lasted for years in the hearts of beatheads! The group's a studio combo headed by Richard Fritz – and includes funky drummer Paul Humphrey, organist Charles Kynard, and guitarist David T Walker – all players we can trust to keep things groovy. The record does include a version of "
Makossa" that's pretty great – but even better is the breakbeat classic "House Of The Rising Funk", apparently the same version of the track that was issued on a 45 under the name The Chubukos. Other nice ones include "Kissing My Love", "Hot Mud", "Get It", "Hot Doggin", and "Let Me Do My Thing".
LP, Vinyl record album
Apollo ... LP
, 1979. Near Mint- ...
Add to Cart
We always think that it's unusual that after years and years of success in the early 70s with strong single solo artists, Motown really seemed to bank its hope for the 80s on a group
sound that was part funk, part dancefloor, and part harmony
. Fortunately, the label did a pretty good job with that sound – and Apollo are a strong ex
of the label's strength at the time. Gene Page, Wade Marcus, and others handled the arrangements – and tracks include "Astro Disco", "Apollo", "Never Learn", "Happiness", and "Space Cannibals".
LP, Vinyl record album
Archie Whitewater
Archie Whitewater ... CD
, 1970. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
A damn legendary record from the last years of Chess Records – and for good reason, too! Archie Whitewater were a group that was years ahead of its time – a rock combo, but one with real genre-crossing sensibilities that made them perfect for the experimental styles at the Cadet/
Concept side of Chess – the same slice of the musical universe that gave us Rotary Connection and important productions from Charles Stepney! The sound here has some surprisingly
ful elements at times – especially the instrumentation, which features some great break moments that get nice and funky, and strands of
ful jazz and blues that really make the music way different than most other groups we can think of – or maybe a bit like a rare elite who shared such visionary territory with Archie Whitewater, such as Shades Of Joy on their first Fontana record. The keyboards and sax lines are as great as the drums – and the vocals have a melancholy undercurrent that's a really refreshing change from some of the overly-postured modes you'd get from other groups in 1970. Titles include the sublime s
cut "Cross Country" – but there's loads of other nice ones with the same stripped-down "Dusty Fingers" sort of groove – and other titles include "Life Is A River", "Home Again", "Lament For The Walking Dead", "Seacoast", "Country To the City", "Friends & Neighbors", and "Mist Of The Early Morning".
Attica Blues/
Shinichi Osawa
Oh La La La ... CD
Toys Factory (Japan)
, 1998. Used ...
Add to Cart
A wonderful bit of funkiness from Attica Blues and Shinichi Osawa from Mondo Grosso! The CD's a 7 track e.p. – with 6 mixes of the heavenly
cut "Oh La La La", a remake of Tina Marie's classic, done with heavy hip hop beats, great warm instrumental s
s, and excellent female vocals, sung in English. The CD also contains the excellent track "What Are You Gonna Do Now", another great
ful groover with vocals by Roba El-essawy. Great stuff, and packaged in a cool gatefold cover!
(Out of print.)
Roy Ayers
Fever ... CD
Brother (UK)
, 1979. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
A great little album by Roy Ayers – one that features none of his hits, which means lots of fresh material – and which has great ex
s of both sides of Roy's talents at the time! The dancefloor side of Roy kicks in with "Love Will Bring Us Back Together", an extremely catchy groover that's very much in the mode of "Running Away", with plenty of choppy funky riffs, and a good
base at the core. Even better, though, is the mellow spacey side of Roy – which shows up wonderfully in the cuts "Is It Too Late To Try" and "If You Love Me" – two overlooked gems that float along in a perfect blend of jazz and modern
, with great breathy vocals and vibes, very much in the spirit of stuff on the You Send Me album. Other cuts include "I Wanna Feel It", "Leo", "Take Me Out To The Ball Game", and "Simple & Sweet" – all nice too!
Roy Ayers
He's Coming ... CD
, 1971. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
One of the rarest and greatest Roy Ayers albums of all time – the sly, funky and spiritual masterpiece He's Coming from 1971 – really the beginning of the funk years from Roy Ayers Ubiquity! This one's a totally solid mix of
ful jazz, jazzy
and righteous funk – and it's straight up wonderful all the way through – with a groove that's hugely influential to say the least! Includes the amazing track "We Live In Brooklyn Baby", which has a slow s
bassline in the intro that's just incredible – plus groovy cuts like the spiritual funk classic "He's a Superstar", "He's Coming", and "Sweet Tears". The lineup includes Sonny Fortune on soprano sax and flute and Billy Cobham drums and percussion, and the record's co-arranged by Harry Whitaker, who's also on keys and vocals – with other tracks include "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother", "Ain't Got Time", "I Don't Know How To Love Him", "Sweet Butterfly Of Love" and "Fire Weaver". Amazing stuff, really a beautiful encapsulation of Roy Ayers in peak form!
Baby Huey
Baby Huey Story – The Living Legend ... LP
, Early 70s. Near Mint- Gatefold ...
Add to Cart
Fantastic! The lost link in the Chicago
scene of the 60s was Baby Huey – and he was a pretty darn big link too, if you've ever seen him in pictures! Weighing in at about 300 pounds, Baby Huey was sort of a rockin'
star who played clubs on both sides of the city, to audiences of all types – working in a party-styled blend of funk, rock, and
that was one of the most powerful grooves going down in the Windy City at the time! Huey sadly passed away at a very young age, leaving only this full album as his legacy – a great batch of hard-hitting
tracks that are among some of the funkiest work ever recorded for the legendary Curtom label! The set includes Huey's classic version of "Mighty, Mighty", a club favorite from the live shows – plus the excellent Curtis Mayfield tune "Hard Times", famous as an oft-used s
track! Other titles include "A Change Is Going To Come", "California Dreamin", "Running", and "Mama Get Yourself Together".
LP, Vinyl record album
(Original pressing. Cover has light sticker remnants on front, and a center split on the bottom seam.)
Badder Than Evil/
Barbara Mason/
New Birth
Gordon's War ... LP
, 1973. Very Good ...
Add to Cart
The Buddah
stable came out in full force for this soundtrack, including Harvy Fuqua, The New Birth, Barbara Mason, and Horace Ott – as well as the little known group Badder Than Evil! They play on the great instrumental track "Hot Wheels", which is the chase theme in the film, and a great s
track! Also includes "Super Shine #9", sung by Sister Goose & the Ducklings, which is a very groovy, goofy,
ful number – plus the tracks "Child Of Tomorrow", "Harlem Dreams", "Child Of Tomorrow", and "Come On & Dream Some Paradise".
LP, Vinyl record album
(Original pressing. Cover has a cutout hole.)
Ray Barretto
Hard Hands ... LP
, 1972. New Copy (reissue)...
Add to Cart
Killer stuff all around! This album's a monster – one of Ray's greatest, with the same sort of Latin
groove heard famously on his classic Acid LP. The record has Ray cutting across many genres – blending Latin,
, jazz, and a slight bit of funk – all into a set of grooves that never stops pleasing, and which will make you start digging through the Latin racks like mad, just to find another LP this great! Titles include "Hard Hands", "Abidjan", "Got to Have You", "New York
", and the fantastic track "Love Beads", which has a cool rolling piano line that sounds like a great De La
. It's a great track, and makes the entire album worth the price!
LP, Vinyl record album
Richard Berry
Yama Yama! – The Modern Recordings 1954 to 1956 ... CD
Ace (UK)
, Mid 50s. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
Raunchy R&B from the great (and vastly underrated) Richard Berry! Berry was a key singer in the west coast scene of the 50s – with a style, sound, and raw sense of power that makes him as important a pre-
figure as Johnny Guitar Watson and Larry Williams! The set's got 28 cuts in all – all from Richard's hard raw
years in LA – and work is a great ex
of the strong solo acts that were part of the second-generation R&B underground after the first wave of hard rockers in the early 50s. The CD's packed with great notes on Berry's career at the time, and features work recorded for the Flair and RPM labels – with The Dreamers, Etta James, The Cadets, and Rickey & Jennell. Titles include "Daddy Daddy", "The Big Break", "Wait For Me", "Rockin Man", "Look Out Miss James", "Hey Henry", "Yama Yama Pretty Mama", and "Get Out Of The Car", one of the fiercest date-rape songs we've ever heard!
City Life ... LP
, 1975. Very Good Gatefold ...
Add to Cart
A fantastic album from this legendary jazz funk combo – a bit smoother than their first, but that's the great thing about it! The record has the band getting even tighter than before – coming up with an amazing jazz-inflected funk groove that still leaves us breathless after all these years – and which is the perfect fusion of jazz and
that was going down with the best groups in the mid 70s. The best ex
of this sound can be heard on the massive cut "Rock Creek Park" – which begins with a wonderful bass on the intro, a killer moogy keyboard bit, and a super-catchy chorus that goes "doin' it in the park," which you should recognize in about 30 seconds! The rest of the album is great too – and titles include the classic s
track "Love So Fine" – plus "Happy Music", "Hash and Eggs", "Thankful Bout Yourself", and "All I Ask".
LP, Vinyl record album
(Original pressing.)
Art Blakey
Mosaic (75th anniversary edition) ... LP
Blue Note
, 1961. New Copy (reissue)...
Add to Cart
An explosive session from an expanded edition of the Jazz Messengers – recorded at a key point when Art Blakey moved the group up to six members instead of five! Although bigger than the group on most Jazz Messenger Blue Notes, the sextet have an energy that's almost tighter – a sense of poise, focus, and vision that's not just driven by Blakey's drum kit alone – but by the kind of unique magic that only happens during rare groupings in classic jazz. A key part of the energy here comes from pianist Cedar Walton – who's replacing the Bobby Timmons
jazz mode with a sound that's a bit more expansive and visionary. But equally important is the three horn lineup of Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and Wayne Shorter on tenor – a two-brass frontline that's used far differently than other groups – bold one minute, but personal and sensitive the next. There's a mixture of warmth and driving energy here that's simply incredible – a prime ex
of Blakey taking things to the next level, when it would have been easy enough for him to sit on his laurels and keep doing the same thing over and over again! Includes classic readings of Cedar Walton's "Mosaic", Freddie Hubbard's "Crisis", and Curtis Fuller's "Arabia" – as well as Shorter's excellent "Children Of The Night".
LP, Vinyl record album
Terence Blanchard
Breathless ... CD
Blue Note
, 2015. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
Terence Blanchard in all his many moods – some funky, some somber, and some quite serious! The album begins with a remake of "Compared To What" – done with vocals from PJ Morton, and fueled by rhythm s
s from the original Les McCann and Eddie Harris version – but the music then shifts into work that recalls the sophistication of Blanchard's soundtrack material – some great mellower cuts that have Terence's trumpet gliding out spaciously over guitar from Charles Altra and piano and keyboards from Fabian Almazan. Morton makes a few more returns on the record – bringing things up to more
-based territory at points – and Dr Cornel West appears on one track too, as a way of furthering the righteous quality of the record. Titles include "Everglades", "See Me As I Am", "Talk To Me", "Tom & Jerry", "I Ain't Got Nothin But Time", "Cosmic Warrior", "Soldiers", "Compared To What", and "Shutting Down".
Anthony Braxton
Saxophone Improvisations – Series F (2LP version) ... LP
America (France)
, Early 70s. Near Mint- 2LP Gatefold ...
Add to Cart
Proof that Anthony Braxton on his own could generate as much excitement as a whole group of other players! The album's a key work in the tradition of Braxton's seminal For Alto session for Delmark – played on alto sax as well, and featuring Braxton in solo exploration of a variety of original compositions – all named with unique mathematical formulas, but delivered with an intensely personal sound that's anything but academic! Braxton's work on the alto here is some of the greatest of the time – an exploration of realms of the instrument hardly ever expected – and a rich journey that takes along bits of Parker, Stitt, and Konitz – but comes up with a sound that can only be described as Braxton at his purest! Surprisingly
ful throughout, and a great ex
of why we treasure solo Braxton so highly.
LP, Vinyl record album
Best Of Brick ... CD
, Mid 70s. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
Classic work from Brick – a group who went onto become surprisingly successful during the 70s with a hot Atlanta blend of funky
and uptempo club grooves. The group has a feel that would be taken up heavily a few years later by LA funk combos – particularly those on the Solar label – and their style of slicking up funky licks into a tightly compressed sound was obviously a bit hit with the kids of their generation, and hip hop s
heads in years to come. This 12 track greatest hits set includes the classic g-funk number "Dusic", plus "Music Magic", "Dazz", "Good High", "Free Happy", "We Don't Wanna Sit Down, We Wanna Get Down", and "Living From The Mind".
Good High/
Brick (with bonus tracks) ... CD
Robinsongs (UK)
, 1976/
1977. New Copy 2CD ...
Add to Cart
Two funky
classics from Brick – back to back on a single CD! First up is the album Good High – a killer debut from Brick – the start of a massive run at the end of the 70s, a time when the group was easily one of the biggest acts to come out of the up-and-coming Atlanta scene! Like some other Atlanta acts of the time, Brick had a way of fusing older funky
on a tighter modern groove – coming up with a sound that was nice and lean – perfect for these key transitional years of funk – with influences that were felt for years, in places as far away as the west coast! Case in point is the album's classic "Dazz" – one of those cuts that never gets old – nestled nicely in a lineup that also includes "Music Matic", "Here We Come", "Good High", "Brick City", and "Sister Twister". Includes two bonus tracks "Dazz (Dazz Disco mix)" & "That's What It's All About (single version)". Next up is the self-titled Brick – which has the group absolutely killing it with this self-titled second album! Brick has a feel that would be taken up heavily a few years later by LA funk combos – particularly those on the Solar label – and their style of slicking up funky licks into a tightly compressed sound was obviously a big hit with the kids of their generation. Includes the s
classic "Dusic", plus "Living From The Mind", "Happy", "Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody", "Honey Chile", Fun", "Hello" and more. This CD edition on Wounded Bird has 2 bonus tracks: "Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody (Single Version)" and "Dusic (Short Version)".
James Brown
Bring It On ... LP
Augusta Sound
, 1983. Very Good+ ...
Add to Cart
No longer recording for Polydor or TK after moving to the small Augusta Sound label – James is still sounding pretty good here, at least as good as on any of his late Polydor albums. The cut "Bring It On" is an ex
of the fast funk sound that James was hitting at the end of the 70s. Plus, there are also a couple of other nice numbers, like "You Can't Keep A Good Man Down", which has a pretty classic James/
JBs sound to it, and "Today", which is a spacey instrumental with some nice organ playing (by James, we assume). Side two feature three remakes of classics – including "The Right Time" and "For Your Precious Love" – done in a straighter
style than you'd expect.
LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a cut corner & some light wear.)
James Brown
Payback ... CD
, 1973. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
A masterpiece of funky
– and one of the greatest albums of the early 70s! It all comes together on this one – funk,
, politics, and production – and the record is still one of the clearest ex
s of James Brown's genius that you'll ever find! Recorded during the same sessions as the JBs album Damn Right I Am Somebody – Payback has the group backing James with amazing intensity, playing on and on for very long stretches, improvising jams that perfectly match the vocals, which are often as improvised as the music. The most famous ex
of this style at work is "The Payback", which begins with a simple head arrangement, then has James riffing off on politics and power, letting the band come in at just the right moment, dropping solos that are still some of the best ever recorded on a funk album. The rest of the album's equally great, and even though most tracks run close to 10 minutes, and the album's a 2LP set, most of the material stays fresher than any 3 minute funk record we've ever heard. Some tracks are separated by these cool voices that rise up as seques – and titles include "Stone To The Bone", "Mind Power", "Take Some Leave Some", and "Shoot Your Shot".
James Brown
Power (parts 1, 2, & 3) ... 7-inch
, Early 70s. Very Good ...
Add to Cart
power to run a whole generator! James is in stunning form with the JBs – and the whole thing grooves with a choppy guitar riff that you'll recognize immediately from a million 80s hip hop s
s. The whole band has "Got the Feelin!", and the track jams nicely with lots of spoken bits and nice solos!
7-inch, Vinyl record
Norman Brown
Just Between Us ... CD
, 1992. Used ...
Add to Cart
The first ever album from smoothly
ful jazz guitarist Norman Brown – produced by Norman Connors, and a really nice, tight set that stands up as a shining ex
of what smooth jazz could and should have been in the early 90s! The tight sound and the crisp, clean production is near perfect – and the performances bring genuine emotion and real
. Players include Herman Jackson and Ziggy Linsey on keys, Paulinho DaCosta on percussion, Ronnie Laws on soprano sax and Chuck Morris on drums. Titles include "Stormin'", "Just Between Us", "East Meets West", "Love's Holiday", a nice take on the Stevie Wonder classic "Too High", "Something Just For You", "Here To Stay", "Moonlight Tonight", "Sweet Taste" and "Inside".
(Out of print.)
Ray Bryant
Lonesome Traveler ... CD
Universal (Japan)
, 1966. Used ...
Add to Cart
An excellent ex
of the massive groove that Ray Bryant set up during his 60s years at Cadet – a simple
jazz trio style, but augmented with dual horn backing – which makes for a tightly stepping sound that's all-
ful, all the way! Bryant's left hand is nice and hard on the keys – pumping out a strong rhythm, even on the solos – and the record's got a clean and tight groove that really sparkles with a mix of earthiness and sophistication that's totally great. Titles include the very hip "Lonesome Traveler", plus "Cubano Chant", "Brother This N Sister That", "Gettin' Loose", and "The Blue Scimitar".
(Includes obi.)
Vernon Burch
Get Up ... CD
Chocolate City/
P-Vine (Japan)
, 1979. Used ...
Add to Cart
Bouncy, bubbly
from Vernon Burch – one of his stone dancefloor classics from the 70s, served up with a groove that never quits! Burch is one of the few who can make a clubby set sparkle with the more personal qualities of a mellower
album – and this excellent set is a great ex
of his style at the time. Production is by James Gadson, who also plays funky drums in the small backing combo – along with keyboards from Michael Thompson and guitar from Burke himself. Titles include the slightly bizarre transgender tune "Sammy Joanne (One Half Woman One Half Man)" – but other numbers are all pretty great, and include "Get Up", "Arrogant Lady", "Once Again In My Life", "Never Can Find The Way", and "For You".
(Out of print, includes obi.)
Also available
Get Up ... LP
Vernon Burch
Get Up ... LP
Chocolate City/
, 1979. Sealed ...
Add to Cart
Bouncy, bubbly
from Vernon Burch – one of his stone dancefloor classics from the 70s, served up with a groove that never quits! Burch is one of the few who can make a clubby set sparkle with the more personal qualities of a mellower
album – and this excellent set is a great ex
of his style at the time. Production is by James Gadson, who also plays funky drums in the small backing combo – along with keyboards from Michael Thompson and guitar from Burke himself. Titles include the slightly bizarre transgender tune "Sammy Joanne (One Half Woman One Half Man)" – but other numbers are all pretty great, and include "Get Up", "Arrogant Lady", "Once Again In My Life", "Never Can Find The Way", and "For You".
LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a cut corner.)
Also available
Get Up ... CD
Terry Callier
Occasional Rain ... CD
, 1972. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
Terry Callier's first album for Cadet – and the kickoff of one of the greatest three album runs that any
artist ever recorded! This one's got a different feel than the later two, as it takes songs by Terry, and structures them with these little musical "seque" tracks in between every song, done in a sparer folksy style that recalls Terry's roots in the Old Town scene in Chicago. At the time, Terry was making the transition from folk artist to
singer – and he'd been picked up by Jerry Butler and The Dells as a promising young songwriter, one of the best talents of the second generation of Chicago
stars. The record's a stripped-down affair that features a small group with Charles Stepney on harpsichord and organ, Callier on guitar, and backing vocals by Minnie Riperton, Shirley Wahls, and Kitty Haywood. The album kicks off with Terry's great little pop ditty "Ordinary Joe" – probably the catchiest song he ever wrote – then rolls into more somber titles like "Occasional Rain", "Do You Finally Need A Friend", "Golden Circle", and "Blues For Marcus". A totally unique album – and a prime ex
of the genius that was coming out of Chicago at the time!
Also available
Occasional Rain ... LP
Terry Callier
Occasional Rain ... LP
, 1972. Good ...
Add to Cart
Terry Callier's first album for Cadet – and the kickoff of one of the greatest three album runs that any
artist ever recorded! This one's got a different feel than the later two, as it takes songs by Terry, and structures them with these little musical "seque" tracks in between every song, done in a sparer folksy style that recalls Terry's roots in the Old Town scene in Chicago. At the time, Terry was making the transition from folk artist to
singer – and he'd been picked up by Jerry Butler and The Dells as a promising young songwriter, one of the best talents of the second generation of Chicago
stars. The record's a stripped-down affair that features a small group with Charles Stepney on harpsichord and organ, Callier on guitar, and backing vocals by Minnie Riperton, Shirley Wahls, and Kitty Haywood. The album kicks off with Terry's great little pop ditty "Ordinary Joe" – probably the catchiest song he ever wrote – then rolls into more somber titles like "Occasional Rain", "Do You Finally Need A Friend", "Golden Circle", and "Blues For Marcus". A totally unique album – and a prime ex
of the genius that was coming out of Chicago at the time!
LP, Vinyl record album
(Original pressing. Cover has some wear and wide tape on the spine & bottom seam. Vinyl plays with clicks and crackles.)
Also available
Occasional Rain ... CD
Larry Carlton
Strikes Twice/
Friends ... CD
, 1980/
1983. New Copy 2 CDs ...
Add to Cart
A trio of guitar classics from Larry Carlton – all brought together in a single package! On Strikes Twice, Larry Carlton looks a little cheesy on the cover, but the album's a classic set of mainstream fusion from the start of the 80s – exactly the kind of record that made Carlton one of the standouts of the time! Larry actually sings a bit on the set, but the main focus is on his guitar work – often as sharp-edged as the lightning lines on the cover image – but with a warmer,
ful undercurrent too – one that bubbles along nicely, thanks to keyboards from Greg Mathieson and Don Freeman, and cool percussion from the great Paulinho Da Costa. The best tunes here have that warmly melodic feel you'd find in some of Pat Metheny's work, although with a bit more
overall – and titles include "Springville", "Strikes Twice", "Ain't Nothin For A Heartache", "For Love Alone", "Mulberry Street", and "In My Blood". Sleepwalk is a real gem from guitarist Larry Carlton – a set that's very jazzy, but which also shows the strong focus he'd developed on his rock session work in the 70s – including some famous recordings with Steely Dan! There's a sharpness to Carlton's guitar that cuts through some of the sleepier modes of fusion players of the time – a style that's right out front, able to solo with a great sense of voice, but also no cheesier sounds as well – very appealing to fans of 70s guitar fusion, and Carlton's great blend of
ful undercurrents as well. Titles include "Sleepwalk", "Last Night", "Blues Bird", "Upper Kern", "10:00pm", and "You Gotta Get It While You Can". On Friends, Larry Carlton's got plenty of great friends on board for this sweet session – including Michael Brecker on tenor, Joe S
and Terry Trotter on Fender Rhodes, Paulinho Da Costa on percussion, and even BB King on guitar for one track! Yet the overall vibe is still very much Larry's own – that sharp approach to fusion that Carlton helped spearhead with his work in the 70s, a bit more keyboard-centric than before, but still with plenty of room for the leader to spin out warmly chromatic solos on guitar. Titles include "South Town", "Breaking Ground", "Song In The 5th Grade", "LA NY", and "Friends".
Chocolate Caliente
Bien Sabroso! ... CD
Octave (Japan)
, 1974. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
The legendary Latin trumpet of Alfred "Chocolate" Armenteros is at the forefront of this recording by his group Caliente – blowing with the bold, jazzy style that always made his horn one of the more influential trumpets in Latin music! With records like this in the 70s and 80s, Armenteros found a way to really place the instrument back in the limelight – shifting from some of the older trumpet styles of 50s Cuban and Mexican players, drawing on the best energy of Latin
players of the 60s, and fusing the whole thing onto an impeccable salsa groove in the process! Chocolate gets great help here from singer Willie Garcia – who helps strengthen the contemporary vibe of the record – and titles include the breakbeat Latin funk number called "Hot Chocolate", a s
r's dream, and a great bit of funk with some heavy drums at the beginning – plus "Mi Guajira – Inspiracion", "Nicolasa", "La Mula", "Retozon", and "Que Se Sepa".
Odia Coates
Odia Coates ... LP
United Artists
, 1975. Sealed ...
Add to Cart
A lost 70s
album with some nice moments! Odia Coates was a Paul Anka discovery in the 70s – but don't hold that against her, because the record was produced by the great Rick Hall at the legendary Fame Studios. And sure, it's got a bit of a Paul Anka pop touch to it – but there's a few nice cuts that have a good
ful groove. One of these is the excellent "You Come And You Go", which has a great s
riff at the beginning. Others are "Thief In The Night", "One Man Woman", and "Heaven & Hell". Skip the cover of "Havin My Baby", and you'll be in the clear!
LP, Vinyl record album
(Shrinkwrap is a bit shopworn. Cover has a cut corner.)
Lyn Collins
Think (About It) ... LP
, 1972. New Copy (reissue)...
Add to Cart
The funkiest album ever recorded by Lyn Collins – a stone solid set that really lives up to the legacy of her funky 45s! Like those gems, this one has Collins working with James Brown on production and the JBs in the background – creating a razor-sharp groove that's probably the closest any female singer ever came in the 70s to matching The Godfather's groove! The album's got Lyn shifting between heavy funk numbers and mellower
cuts – really pushing things to the max with an incredibly deep take on a few older favorites, plus some killer new numbers – all produced to funky perfection, with just the right sort of balance between the rough and the tight. Titles include her great version of "Think", a funky s
cut that never gets old – plus the cuts "Things Got To Get Better", "Women's Lib", "Never Gonna Give You Up", "Just Won't Do Right", "Wheels Of Life", and the funkiest version ever of "Fly Me To The Moon".
LP, Vinyl record album
Sam Cooke
Best Of Sam Cooke ... CD
, Early 60s. Used ...
Add to Cart
A stone classic – not just from Sam Cooke, but in the genre of "best of" records too! The set's overflowing with classic singles from the legendary
singers – almost the perfect record to start with if you've ever wanted to s
Sam's genius – that amazing voice, intimate sense of presentation, and undeniably mature, masculine sound that forever changed the face of
music! Every track's a winner – and titles include "Only Sixteen", "You Send Me", "Cupid", "Chain Gang", "Having A Party", "Twistin The Night Away", "Wonderful World", "Summertime", "Everybody Loves To Cha Cha", "For Sentimental Reasons", "Sad Mood", and "Bring It On Home To Me".
Rhapsody & Blues (SHMCD) ... CD
Universal (Japan)
, 1980. Used ...
Add to Cart
The Crusaders at their late 70s smooth jazz best – completely confident in the sound of their groove, and unabashedly working in a tight studio setting on longer tracks that helped forever change the sound of mainstream funky jazz! And yes, the edges are polished down from the group's earlier recordings – but in a way that only seems to deepen the
of the tunes, and give them more direction and a solidly crossover feel that actually goes past the random funky jazz of the early and mid 70s. S
, Felder, and Hooper are in fine form throughout – and as usual by this point, are working with a range of guest stars – including Will Jennings, who sings some great lead vocals on the "Street Life"-like "
Shadows" track that leads off the set. Other titles include "Elegant Evening", "Rhapsody & Blues", "Last Call", and "Sweet Gentle Love".
(SHMCD pressing.)
Miles Davis
Miles Davis In Person Friday & Saturday Nights At The Blackhawk – Complete (4CD set) ... CD
, 1961. Used 4CDs ...
Add to Cart
Originally a 2LP set, but now a 4CD package – with 14 previously unissued tracks! Legendary early live work from Miles Davis – one of the first ex
s on record of the way that Davis could really stretch out in a concert setting! The music's a bit more straight ahead than later live dates, but still pretty open and exploratory – and in addition to Davis' sparkling work on trumpet, the album also features some killer tenor lines from Hank Mobley – working here as a key part of Miles' group, and blowing with a hell of a lot of
. Rhythm is by the rock-solid trio of Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – and titles include "Neo", "So What", "Fran Dance", and "Well You Needn't".
(Out of print.)
De La
3 Feet High & Rising (2LP pressing) ... LP
Tommy Boy
, 1989. New Copy 2LP (reissue)...
Add to Cart
The mindblowing classic debut of De La
! 3 Feet High And Rising is inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly s
d and creative. It's got flat out classic songs that stand out well enough on their own, but it's also one of the greatest full length albums in hip hop history – featuring loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience. Last, but not least, 3 Feet. . .is especially fascinating given it's 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me, Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! Double vinyl reissue – making it sound a heck of a lot better than the overly-compressed original vinyl, which could never handle all the music on the album!
LP, Vinyl record album
Manu Dibango
– The Very Best Of Manu Dibango ... CD
Mercury (France)
, Late 60s/
1980s. Used ...
Add to Cart
Incredible stuff – a mind-blowing collection of work by Manu Dibango that offers some real gems that go way way past the hits! The package is divided up into different periods of Manu's career – his early recordings in France with Nino Ferrer, his
Makossa years, his time in the Ivory Coast, Jamaica, and his revival at the end of the 80s. The real treat is the work with Ferrer – highlighted here in 7 recordings from 1967 to 1969, some of Dibango's earliest tunes – cut in a go-go funky
mode that's really really great. Other sides are excellent too – with a few big hits mixed in with other numbers we missed – making for a wonderful 15 track s
r that shows that Dibango always stayed strong, no matter what the setting. Afro beats, funky sax, and lots of heavy bass all over the place – and a track list that includes "Wakafrica", "Dikalo", "
Machine", "Je Veux Etre Noir", "Hot Chicken", "Sunday Morning", "From Congo", "Wouri", "Senga Abele", "Choc N
", "
Makossa", "Big Blow", "Duala Serenade", and "Goro City".
Lou Donaldson
Mr Shing-A-Ling ... CD
Blue Note (Japan)
, 1967. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
Funky funky Lou Donaldson – and one of the first albums to feature the tight drum work of Idris Muhammad behind Lou's horn – so early, in fact, that Muhammad's listed here on the label as Leo Morris, which was his original name! The group also features Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Jimmy Ponder on guitar, and Lonnie Smith on organ – and they all wail together in a sound that bridges the gap between Lou's earlier Blue Note
jazz, and the later funky mode of his jazz funk years! Tracks include "The Humpback", "Peepin", "The Kid", and the fantastic cover of "Ode to Billie Joe" that's as much a s
cut as "Pot Belly"!
Also available
Mr Shing-A-Ling ... LP
Lou Donaldson
Mr Shing-A-Ling ... LP
Blue Note
, 1967. New Copy (reissue)...
Add to Cart
Funky funky Lou Donaldson – and one of the first albums to feature the tight drum work of Idris Muhammad behind Lou's horn – so early, in fact, that Muhammad's listed here on the label as Leo Morris, which was his original name! The group also features Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Jimmy Ponder on guitar, and Lonnie Smith on organ – and they all wail together in a sound that bridges the gap between Lou's earlier Blue Note
jazz, and the later funky mode of his jazz funk years! Tracks include "The Humpback", "Peepin", "The Kid", and the fantastic cover of "Ode to Billie Joe" that's as much a s
cut as "Pot Belly"!
LP, Vinyl record album
Also available
Mr Shing-A-Ling ... CD
Bob Dorough
Multiplication Rock ... LP
, 1973. Very Good ...
Add to Cart
Sure, it was silly stuff when we were kids – but once De La
d "Three Is The Magic Number", this record became one of the most prized in our possession! And thanks to that hip hop reintroduction, we've really fallen in love with the music again over the years – partly because the tunes are all so groovy, and partly because we've really come to know the jazz-based work of composer Bob Dorough! At the time of this set, Dorough was coming off some great work in the 60s – his own rare recordings, music for Spanky & Our Gang, and others – all of which seems to inform these math-based tunes written for Saturday morning TV. The tunes are all pretty darn catchy, and often quite jazzy – and instrumentation often features some great electric piano nestled in alongside the vocals. Dorough sings the lion's share of the work for this album – although Grady Tate sings on two numbers, and Blossom Dearie on one more. Titles include the amazing "Three Is A Magic Number" – plus "Lucky Seven Sampson", "Little Twelve Toes", "Ready Or Not Here I Come", "I Got Six", "Naughty Number Nine", "Figure Eight", and "The Four Legged Zoo".
LP, Vinyl record album
(Original pressing.)
Lee Dorsey
New Lee Dorsey – Working in the Coal Mine – Holy Cow ... LP
, 1966. Near Mint- ...
Add to Cart
If this is the New Lee Dorsey – we forgot all about the old one! The album's one of Lee's best early records – a killer batch of
tracks that struts out of the New Orleans scene with some amazingly jagged production from Allen Toussaint and Marshall Sehorn, very much in the best style of the Crescent City scene at the time. Lee's vocals are amazing, very pyrotechnic – and the tracks on the set are all original numbers that crackle with a uniquely earthy kind of electricity. Titles include "Working In The Coal Mine", "Ride Your Pony", and "Get Out of My Life, Woman", which has been s
d by so many people off this and other versions. Lots of other great stuff, too, like "A Little Dab a Do Ya", "Mexico", "A Mellow Good Time", "Neighbor's Daughter" and "Holy Cow".
LP, Vinyl record album
(Blue label stereo pressing. Cover has a worn top seam, and cutout hole.)
Earth Wind & Fire
All 'N All (with bonus tracks) ... CD
, 1977. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
Genius, pure genius! It was hard for Earth, Wind & Fire to go wrong at this point – and the album's a stellar blend of jazz, funk, and
, all done in that perfect style they'd hit by the mid 70s. And even though this one was a monster album, of the type that you see in everyone's record collection from the time, it's still got a freshness that we always forget about – and lots of nice twists and turns that show that the band hadn't lost their more sophisticated roots. Case in point is the wonderful "Brazilian Rhyme", a short little groover that you'll instantly recognize as a s
from the first Tribe Called Quest album. Other tracks include "Jupiter", "In The Marketplace", "Magic Mind", "Runnin", "Be Ever Wonderful", and "Serpentine Fire". Plus, the CD features bonus tracks "Would You Mind?", "Runnin (original Hollywood mix)", and "Brazilian Rhyme (live)".
El Michels Affair
Enter The 37th Chamber ... CD
Fat Beats
, 2009. Used ...
Add to Cart
Cinematic funky
instrumentals from the El Michels Affair – the loose NYC collective's long awaited full length nod to the Wu Tang Clan! The crew brings their tried and true slow rolling and dirty funk to their interpretations of classic Wu Tang tracks, with some straight up beautiful sophisticated
backdrops, too, and Leon & the crew pull it all off masterfully! The RZA's sonic stamp is too innovative and idiosyncratic for a simple live band rehash, and the group is wise to use the famous crackling s
built soundscapes to craft both an homage to the Wu Tang's best material, as well as the 70s funk,
, and cinema sounds that informed them in the first place. A few of the tracks first blew our minds as funky 45s, and this fully formed set was worth the wait – from the moody organ funk of "Can It All Be So Simple", the funky drummer rhythms of "Uzi (Pinky Ring)", the string accented moods of "Heaven And Hell", the brass band and children's chorus cover of "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" and lots more! Other tracks include "Glaciers Of Ice", "Incarcerated Scarfaces", "Bring Da Ruckus" and more. The CD version includes an unlisted bonus track.
Eramus Hall
Your Love Is My Desire ... LP
Expansion (UK)
, 1980. New Copy (reissue)...
Add to Cart
One of the last great
albums on the Westbound label! Eramus Hall have a vague P-Funk connection – and according to legend, the band were given their name by George Clinton, who had seen a building in Chicago named Eramus Hall – but the sound is a lot smoother than any of the P-Funk projects of the time, and the group's strongest point is their smooth
groove, augmented by a tight jazz funk style on the best cuts. In a way, they're sort of like a morphed version of late Parliament – with a funk sound that's nicely compressed, but still a lot more true than any of the countless other bands on the market who were aping P-Funk at the time. Highlights include the groovers "Your Love Is My Desire" and "She Shined A Light", both with nice s
moments – and other tracks include "Stuck In The Mudd", "Funk Permit", and "Think Positively".
LP, Vinyl record album
Art Farmer
Summer Knows ... CD
East Wind/
Universal (Japan)
, 1976. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
Gently graceful work from Art Farmer – and a wonderful ex
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
out of Farmer's work on flugelhorn than before – especially on the mellower cuts, which seem especially written as showcases for Art's masterful ex
s of understatement. But don't go thinking that the album's all ballads, because with a rhythm section that includes Cedar Walton, Sam Jones, and Billy Higgins, the tracks move along nicely, even when in a gentler mode. Titles include "The Summer Knows", "Ditty", "Manha Do Carnaval", and "When I Fall In Love".
Five Stairsteps
Five Stairsteps – The Complete Curtis Mayfield Years (Five Stairsteps (Windy C)/
Love's Happening) (plus bonus tracks) ... CD
Outta Sight (UK)
, Late 60s. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
A pair of killer albums from The Five Stairsteps – 1967's self-titled set for Windy C – plus '68's Love's Happening by The Five Stairsteps & Cubie – together with bonus track on this great set from Outta Sight UK! The Five Stairsteps album is a landmark batch of sweet
– recorded by the still youthful group that included a 13 year old Kenny Burke! The kids were brought together by their parents Clarence and Betty Burke, but it was Curtis Mayfield who really gave them a push – as he discovered them, produced them, and wrote some excellent songs for them during their best early years. Mayfield's sweet
style forged with The Impressions runs through most of these tracks – and although the group is young, they really do a fantastic job with the material, and infuse it with a
fulness way past their years. Titles include "Danger She's A Stranger", "World Of Fantasy", "Ooh Baby Baby", "Don't Waste Your Time", and "Behind Curtains". Love's Happening might be the best record ever by this Chicago
group! The record's got a full batch of original tracks written and produced by Mayfield – including their amazing, funk steeped version of "Don't Change Your Love", with a breakbeat that lit up the s
r culture for years! That raw drum sound is in effect on even the more delicate numbers, and the lead vocals and harmonies soar or sink deep to the
, as the groove demands. There's also some kind of tripped out touches in the production in spots, making for a nice balance of sweet
and leftfield touches. Kind of an underappreciated effort in the grand scheme of Curtis Mayfield productions, but wholly essential! Other titles include "Stay Close To Me", "New Dance Craze", "Baby, Make Me Feel So Good", and "Little Young Lover". 5 bonus singles in the set: "Ain't Gonna Rest (Til I Get You)", "You Can't See", "Change Of Pace", "Madame Mary" and "We Must Be In Love".
Flying Lotus
You're Dead! (with download) ... LP
, 2014. New Copy 2LP Gatefold ...
Add to Cart
Flying Lotus is not only very much alive on You're Dead! – he's as lively as ever – delivering his best, most diverse record to date! The Flying Lotus sound is in peak form here – glitchy beats and spacey keyboards, deftly layered s
s, and carrying boundless influences from cosmic
jazz to leftfield hip hop! An impressive guest roster from both realms participate – with appearances by Herbie Hancock (!!!), Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, frequent collaborator and stylistic sibling Thundercat, strings arranger Miguel Atwood Ferguson and others. Standout moments include the tracks "Tesla" and "Moment Of Hesitation", both with some incredible keyboards by Herbie Hancock, plus the uber-moody, Ennio Morricone-s
d "Turtles" – but the whole thing is great, and shows that the Flying Lotus phenomenon is still in ascension, circa 2014. Other cuts include "Cold Dead", "Never Catch Me" with Kendrick Lamar, "Dead Man's Tetris" with Snoop Dogg, "Turkey Dog Coma", "Stirring", "Obligatory Cadence", "The Protest" and more.
LP, Vinyl record album
Michael Franks
Sleeping Gypsy ... LP
, 1977. Very Good- ...
Add to Cart
A really brilliant little record – one of those gems that you've probably passed by so many times because it's ubiquitous, but which never fails to please over the years! Forget any pre-conceived notions you might have about Michael Franks, because at this early point in his career the man is a genre unto himself – working in a unique blend of jazz, pop, and a bit of
– always served up sparely and with a great deal of understatement, but still filled with plenty of personal spirit on the lyrics. Franks' voice is beautifully compressed into the rest of the instrumentation by Tommy LiPuma – in a style that still holds up wonderfully over the years, and which is set to Claus Ogerman arrangements that make plenty great use of keyboards from Joe S
of The Crusaders! Tunes are all originals by Franks – and there's some especially great Brazilian touches on the numbers "Antonio's Song" and "Down In Brazil". Other titles include "The Lady Wants To Know", "I Really Hope It's You", "Chain Reaction", and "In The Eye Of The Storm".
LP, Vinyl record album
Funk Inc
Hangin' Out/
Superfunk ... CD
, 1973. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
Two excellent albums from Funk Inc on one CD! Superfunk is one of the band's greatest albums – and a really tight batch of funky tunes given some stellar production by David Axelrod! The band's a bit tighter than on earlier releases – leaving behind the hard jazz-jam sound for a more together
-oriented one, heard to best effect on the album's enduring classic, "Goodbye, So Long" – a rolling funky tune that features vocals on the chorus, and an unbelievably catchy instrumental sound that you might recognize instantly from its use as a s
over the years. The rest of the record's just as great – and the band runs through The Meters' classic "Message From The Meters", Barry White's funky "I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Babe", and a great rendition of the electric jazz classic "The Hill Where The Lord Hides". Hangin Out features their organ-heavy sound vamping away on some really tight groovers – not as break-heavy as some of the tracks on their first album, but with some excellent modal riffing in a sweet jazz dance mode. The big cuts include "Smokin' At Tiffany's" and "Dirty Red", both groove classics that have a strong Prestige jazz funk sound. Other cuts include a sweet cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Give Me Your Love", plus the tracks "We Can Be Friends" and "I'll Be Around".
Motor City Madness – The Ultimate Funkadelic Compilation ... CD
Ace (UK)
, Early 70s. New Copy 2 CDs ...
Add to Cart
They certainly got the title right on this one – because it definitely is the ultimate collection of Funkadelic goodies! The 2CD set pulls together 29 tracks from the group's classic years at Westbound – and shows them starting out as a messed-up, guitar-growling rock funk act – filled with the unique crossover spirit of Detroit – then turning into a tighter, funkier
act with the power to really rock the charts! All the good funky tunes are here – and the set seems to have a special focus on tracks by the group that have been s
d strongly in recent history! Titles include "Red Hot Mama", "Funky Dollar Bill", "Hit It & Quit It", "Cosmic Slop", "Loose Booty", "Get Off Your Ass & Jam", "America Eats Its Young", "Maggot Brain", "I'll Stay", "Nappy Dugout", "I'll Bet You", "I Got A Thing You Got A Thing Everybody's Got A Thing", "A Joyful Process", "Be My Beach", "Undisco Kidd", "Biological Speculation", "Take Your Dead Ass Home", and "You Can't Miss What You Can't Measure".
Dexter Gordon & Slide Hampton
Day In Copenhagen ... CD
MPS (Germany)
, 1970. Used ...
Add to Cart
A tremendous European meeting of tenorist Dexter Gordon and trombonist Slide Hampton – brought together in this impeccable sextet session for MPS – a real standout in the label's straight jazz catalog over the years! By the time of the set, Gordon had been working heavily in Europe, especially Copenhagen – a locale where he was given
freedom to stretch out and really explore his tone and phrasing. Hampton had also kicked around the continent a fair bit too, but in a tighter format, doing arrangements for others and working in bigger groups – and it's actually his careful touch that really helps shape the sound of the set – by bringing Gordon's groove into a focus more strongly than before, and reminding us that Dex was a great group player when he wanted to be! The frontline features Gordon's tenor, Hampton's trombone, and the trumpet of Dizzy Reece – often stating the heads in a fluidly
ful way, then breaking out nicely with individual voices – very much in the best Blue Note mode. Rhythm is by the trio of Kenny Drew on piano, Art Taylor on drums, and Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass – and titles include 3 excellent originals by Hampton – "A New Thing", "My Blues", and "A Day In Vienna" – plus a wicked almost-Lee Morgan-esque take on "What's New", and versions of "Shadow Of Your Smile" and "You Don't Know What Love Is".
(Out of print.)
Gene Harris
Nexus ... LP
Blue Note
, 1976. Very Good+ ...
Add to Cart
A great little solo set from Gene Harris – and a perfect ex
of that magical time after he'd left the Three Sounds, but hadn't yet hit the more standard styles of later years – a period when Harris was really experimenting with a wide range of keyboards and sounds! The set has arranger Jerry Peters weighing in – bringing some of his own quirky touches into play with Gene's wonderful work on keyboards – which includes plenty of Fender Rhodes and moog, as well as other keys of the time too. Funky titles include "Koko & Lee Rose", "Funky Business", "Rushin Roulette", "HRD (Boogie)", and "Gettin Down Country" – and the set's got a great mellow moody
track called "Prayer 76", with a bit of a Roy Ayers feel.
LP, Vinyl record album
Too Hot To Handle ... CD
, 1976. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
A killer album of crossover
from the mid 70s – one that dropped like a bomb when it hit, and gave this UK group a number of big hits in America! Keyboardist Rod Temperton wrote all the tracks on the album – and he's got keen talent for both funky numbers and ballads. If
stations played album side specials the way that classic rock stations do, side one would be in heavy rotation – as it kicks off with the funky title cut, rolls into the hit "Boogie Nights", cuts to the s
classic "Ain't No Half Steppin" (forever made famous by Big Daddy Kane), and steps into the moody ballad "Always & Forever". It's hard to beat that lineup, but side two does a pretty good job – and includes a similar mix of titles like "Super
Sister", "All You Do Is Dial", and "Sho'nuff Must Be Love".
Too Hot To Handle (with bonus tracks) ... CD
Big Break (UK)
, 1976. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
A killer album of crossover
from the mid 70s – one that dropped like a bomb when it hit, and gave this UK group a number of big hits in America! Keyboardist Rod Temperton wrote all the tracks on the album – and he's got keen talent for both funky numbers and ballads. If
stations played album side specials the way that classic rock stations do, side one would be in heavy rotation – as it kicks off with the funky title cut, rolls into the hit "Boogie Nights", cuts to the s
classic "Ain't No Half Steppin" (forever made famous by Big Daddy Kane), and steps into the moody ballad "Always & Forever". It's hard to beat that lineup, but side two does a pretty good job – and includes a similar mix of titles like "Super
Sister", "All You Do Is Dial", and "Sho'nuff Must Be Love". CD features a good number of bonus tracks – "Turn Out The Lamplight", "Special Offer", "Slip Your Disc To This", "Boogie Nights (12" disco version)", "Ain't No Half Steppin (single version)", and "Always & Forever (single version)".
Joe Henderson
In N Out ... CD
Blue Note
, 1964. Used ...
Add to Cart
A stone killer from the early Blue Note years of tenorist Joe Henderson – a key ex
of why the label had so much faith in him right from the start, and why Henderson's horn was quite different than so many other players of the 60s! There's a sharp edge here, but there's also a
ful sense of swing – that balance that Joe had more than most of his contemporaries – and which he only continued to develop as the years went on. Echoes of "new thing" modes lie in the background of the record, but upfront things have a sharp 60s Blue Note punch – thanks in part to a great lineup that also includes Kenny Dorham on trumpet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. Henderson's tone is rough and young – but in a great way, one that's perfect for the exploratory nature of his original tunes on the set, and which matches the mood of Dorham's compositions as well. Tracks include "In N Out", "Short Story", "Brown's Town", and "Punjab".
(Out of print.)
Loleatta Holloway
Of Loleatta Holloway ... CD
Kent (UK)
, Early 70s. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
Amazing early work from Loleatta Holloway – much more deep
than her later fame in the disco years – and a really mindblowing set overall! In the years before she became the hot club queen with "Love Sensation" and other 12-inch cuts, Loleatta Holloway laid down some of the most fantastic female southern
of the early 70s – an early ex
of the growing strength of the Hotlanta scene, with a vibe that's different than more familiar modes from Memphis and Miami! The work here has wonderful arrangements, excellent production, and some really top-shelf songwriting that already shows a really sophisticated side of Holloway's talents. Tommy Stewart, Mike Terry, and Floyd Smith all had a hand in the recordings – and the CD not only features early singles for a number of labels, but also some unreleased tunes as well. 23 tracks in all – including "Cry to Me", "Part Time Lover, Full Time Fool", "Just Be True", "We Did It", "This Man's Arms", "Our Love", "The Show Must Go On", "Rainbow 71", "Merrily", "The World Don't Owe You Nothin", "Gone On That First Plane", and "Love Woke Me Up".
Cecil Holmes
ful Sound
Black Motion Picture Experience ... LP
, 1973. Very Good ...
Add to Cart
A cover record – but a great one! Unlike some of the Pickwick knock-off albums from the time, this blacksploitation effort by Cecil Holmes is top-shelf all the way – as Cecil's one of the best funky bandleaders of the early 70s. The large group on the album features funky keyboards by Pat Rebillot, plus plenty of wah wah guitar, and enough strings to make the album rank up there with the soundtrack feel of the day. Includes versions of "Superfly", "Slaughter", "Freddie's Dead", "Across 110th Street", "2001", and "Trouble Man". Some nice grooves, and a few nice s
s, too!
LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has light wear.)
Leroy Hutson
Man! ... LP
, 1974. New Copy (reissue)...
Add to Cart
A killer early album by the great Leroy Hutson! Hutson had originally been a later member of The Impressions – replacing Curtis Mayfield briefly after he'd gone solo – but he also had spent a fair bit of time noodling around the Chicago
studio scene of the late 60s and early 70s. This album is kind of a "bustin' out of the studio" album in it's presentation of Hutson's material. The record features a number of great sweet
cuts – like "Ella Weez" and "Can't Say Enough About Mom" – mixed with nice funky tracks, like "The Ghetto '74", which is a remake of "The Ghetto", a tune that Hutson wrote with Donny Hathaway. The record's a prime ex
of the genius of Chicago
in the 70s – with great arrangements that have a lot of space for Leroy's singing, yet still come down hard and nasty in parts, like some of the funkier stuff on Curtom.
LP, Vinyl record album
Walter Jackson
Speak Her Name ... LP
, 1967. Very Good ...
Add to Cart
Unbelievably beautiful work – and possibly the greatest album ever from the mighty Walter Jackson! Jackson was one of the best singers to come out of the Chicago
scene of the 60s, and his Okeh recordings are a perfect ex
of the city's sophisticated approach to Iceman
– as perfected by Walter, Jerry Butler, and (later) Garland Green. The arrangements are by Riley Hampton, and they have a cold fragile beauty that lingers somewhere between a Scott Walker album and Riley's earlier work with Lorez Alexandria – and the no-filler selection of songs is one of Jackson's best ever– a range of work that really show his deep talents, and his maturing approach to a tune – proud, powerful, and a new level of adult sophistication in
. Titles include the amazing title cut "Speak Her Name" – plus "Corner In The Sun", "My One Chance To Make It", "It's An Uphill Climb To The Bottom", and "Not You". Fantastic stuff, and one of the most powerful
records we can think of!
LP, Vinyl record album
(Original pressing. Cover has light wear.)
Jazz Crusaders
Jazz Crusaders At The Lighthouse (with bonus tracks) ... CD
Pacific Jazz
, 1962. Used ...
Add to Cart
The landmark first album to feature the Jazz Crusaders playing live at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach – the start of a great run of albums that would go onto help redefine the sound of
jazz in the 60s! Although the group was already plenty darn great on their studio sides, working at the Lighthouse seemed to allow them to open up even more – work in a slightly longer, more spacious setting than in the studio – with more room for creative solos and a sound that was often more deeply
ful overall! In fact, the Jazz Crusaders association with the club helped turn the sound of the Lighthouse away from the "cool" reputation it got from Lighthouse All-Stars albums of the 50s – and open the place up as the more righteous venue for jazz expression to come from players like Lee Morgan, Grant Green, and Elvin Jones on Blue Note! The lineup here is classic Crusaders – with plenty of searing tenor work from Wilton Felder, slidingly
ful trombone from Wayne Henderson, storming piano by Joe S
, and tight tight rhythm from Victor Gaskin on bass and Stix Hooper on drums. Tracks include some great originals, like "Congolese Sermon", "Cathy's Dilemma", and "Scandalizing", plus a great version of Jackie McLean's "Appointment in Ghana". CD also features 2 long bonus tracks – "Boopie" and "Penny Blue".
(Out of print.)
Jazz Crusaders
Uh Huh ... LP
Pacific Jazz
, 1967. Very Good- Gatefold ...
Add to Cart
Killer Jazz Crusaders material – exactly the kind of record that really had the group coming into their own in the second half of the 60s – finding a rich new groove that few other combos could match! The record captures the group at a perfect time – a point when they were breaking past the tighter shorter formula of earlier material, and moving into a slightly more spiritual conception – yet one that still had a hard swing and a deeply
ful vibe! The record's a prime ex
of the never-ending energy held by the band – near-perfect on every track, and played with a sense of creative expression that easily puts them at the top of the
jazz scene in the late 60s! Titles include "Night Theme", "Air Waves", "Uh Huh", "Watts Happening", and "Ice Water".
LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has some wear.)
JJ Johnson
JJ! (plus bonus tracks) ... CD
, 1964. Used ...
Add to Cart
A beautiful ex
of the mid-60s power of JJ Johnson – a big band session that features arrangements by JJ, Gary McFarland, and Oliver Nelson – all a very cooking mix of modernism,
, and swing! The groups are large on all numbers, but there's plenty of room for Johnson to solo out in the lead – in a tightly-blown approach to trombone that almost comes across like a trumpet, given JJ's focus on the instrument. Other horn parts back him up lightly, but never overwhelm – and titles include "So What", "Stratusphunk", "Winter's Waif", "El Camino Real", "Stolen Moments", "Train Samba", and "Bemsha Swing". CD also features 2 previously unissued bonus tracks – "Ally" and "Supplication".
(Out of print.)
Syl Johnson
Complete Mythology (6LPs & 4CDs box set) ... LP
, Late 50s/
1970s. New Copy 6LPs/4CDs ...
Add to Cart
A really really amazing package – the full story of the early years of Syl Johnson – one of the funkiest
singers to ever come from Chicago! Syl's music has become the stuff of legend over the years – initially collected in rare funky 45s and two even rarer albums – then s
d heavily, compiled frequently, and spun out to a huge global audience that Johnson never had back in the day. Yet throughout the years, things were never done properly – and certainly with any sense of history or continutiy that would unite the music – until now. The folks at Numero have really outdone themselves this time – not just by including both CD (4 of them) and LP (6 of those) versions of the music in the set – but also by coming up with one of the most attractive, uniquely packaged records we've ever seen! The box and booklet alone are completely beautiful – the latter filled with vintage photos, personal recollections by Syl, and some great Numero writing – not to mention much-needed details on the recordings within. And the LPs each come in their own jackets – two of which mimic the original Twinight albums, the other four of which create Shama, Trip, and Federal label albums of Johnson's music – records that didn't exist back in the 60s, but which look as if they've come from a time machine! The CDs come in a very cool LP-styled jacket – and the whole thing slides together as sweetly as the funky music within. None of the Hi Records material is included – just material from labels that include Twilight/
Twinight, King/
Federal, Shama, TMP/
Ting, Zachron, One-Derful, Cha Cha, Special Agent, and P-Vine – including a number of tracks never issued before. We could write for hours about how great this set is – but honestly, one look, or one listen, and you'll be hooked!
LP, Vinyl record album
Syl Johnson
Complete Twinight Singles ... LP
, New Copy 2LP Gatefold ...
Add to Cart
All the incredible Syl Johnson cuts released as Twinight 45s back in the day – nicely assembled as an excellent 2LP compilation by the gentlemen of The Numero Group! If you have yet to take a dip into the Syl Johnson oeuvre, let us just say this is gritty, powerful vintage Chicago
of the finest caliber, and would be a terrific first step into his kingdom. All cut over a 4 year period, written and produced by the man himself. Simply a stellar batch of one time overlooked, now justifiably revered Twinight gems – including the the s
classic "Different Strokes," strident
gems "Is It Because I'm Black" and "Concrete Reservation" and many more – including "Going To The Shack", "Ode To
Man", "Sorry 'Bout That!", "Come On Sock It To Me", "Take Me Back", "Let Them Hang High", "Thank You Baby", "We Do It Together", "Kiss By Kiss", "Everybody Needs Love", "Same Kind Of Thing", "I'll Take Those Skinny Legs" and more. 29 tracks in all!
LP, Vinyl record album
Syl Johnson
Dresses Too Short ... LP
, 1969. New Copy (reissue)...
Add to Cart
The funkiest album that Syl Johnson ever recorded – filled with short, tight cuts that play more like a stack of funky 45s than the standard
album of the time! The record draws from the great run of singles that Syl cut for Twinight Records at the end of the 60s – some of the hardest
coming out of Chicago at the time, with a gritty feel that's right up there with some of James Brown's best late 60s work – or even better, some of the other obscure acts working in the American underground at the time. A few tunes are familiar from their popularity as classic 45s – but the album's got lots more wonderful numbers that are lesser-known – and all of them are great! Titles include the classic Syl Johnson s
cut "Different Strokes" – plus "Dresses Too Short", "I Can Take Care of Business", "
Drippin", "Sorry Bout Dat", "Same Kind Of Thing", and "Come On Sock It To Me".
LP, Vinyl record album
(Beautiful reissue – with great vinyl, and a very heavy cover!)
Kimiko Kasai
Thanks Dear ... CD
Sony (Japan)
, 1974. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
A great set of straight jazz vocals from Kimiko Kasai – a singer who could sometimes work in
-based modes, but who steps out here in a wonderful batch of classic-styled jazz tunes! The album's directed by Oliver Nelson, but the backing is by a small combo that features Joe S
on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums – a great group who move in subtle,
ful ways that make the record one of Kimiko's best in this format! Titles include "For Once In My Life", "Moody's Mood For Love", "Get Out Of Town", "Too Close For Comfort", "Mistreated Blues", and "Sometimes I'm Happy".
Herman Kelly & Life
Percussion Explosion! ... LP
, Late 70s. New Copy (reissue)...
Add to Cart
The percussion-heavy
gem from Herman Kelly & Life – recorded in both Brazil & Miami – and awash with killer drum work all the way through! The album's a key part of the Miami sound especially – and really shows the way that city's 70s funk scene used congas heavily – really filling up the middle of a cut with even more energy than usual! The album's best known for the classic s
cut "Dance to the Drummer's Beat" – which is offered up here in a nice extended version, with a long percussion break that makes it even tastier than usual – and the record's also got a few other uptempo cuts like "Who's the Funky DJ?" and "Do The Handbone" – plus the tracks "Time After Time", "A Refreshing Love", and "Share Your Love".
LP, Vinyl record album
Also available
Percussion Explosion! (with bonus track) ... CD
Herman Kelly & Life
Percussion Explosion! (with bonus track) ... CD
Ultra Vybe (Japan)
, 1978. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
The percussion-heavy
gem from Herman Kelly & Life – recorded in both Brazil & Miami – and awash with killer drum work all the way through! The album's a key part of the Miami sound especially – and really shows the way that city's 70s funk scene used congas heavily – really filling up the middle of a cut with even more energy than usual! The album's best known for the classic s
cut "Dance to the Drummer's Beat" – which is offered up here in a nice extended version, with a long percussion break that makes it even tastier than usual – and the record's also got a few other uptempo cuts like "Who's the Funky DJ?" and "Do The Handbone" – plus the tracks "Time After Time", "A Refreshing Love", and "Share Your Love". Also features the bonus track "Who's The Funky DJ (7 inch version)".
Also available
Percussion Explosion! ... LP
Masabumi Kikuchi
East Wind ... CD
East Wind/
Universal (Japan)
, 1974. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
A brilliant set from Japanese pianist Masabumi Kikuchi – two long, leaping, loping tracks that almost feel like some of McCoy Tyner's best work! Kikuchi plays acoustic piano, and the group's a quartet with Terumasu Hino on trumpet, Koshuke Mine on tenor, Eric Gravatt on drums, and Juni Booth playing some really wonderful bass. Booth's bass leads the tracks with a
ful quality that you don't always hear on Kikuchi's other work – really giving the record a strongly-rooted vibe, while the musicians are still free to really open up and explore. The album's tracks, "East Wind" and "Green Dance", are both excellent ex
s of the
ful freedoms allowed in the Japanese scene of the 70s – side-long numbers that are different both from contemporary performances on both the US and European scenes of the period.
Ben E King
I Had A Love ... CD
Atlantic (UK)
, 1976. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
A great one from Ben E King's "Supernatural" comeback years in the mid 70s – recorded at Sigma Sound with a really stellar approach on both the groovers and the mellow tunes! Ben's really letting his vocals open up on the set – going for that richness that was sometimes held back in the more uptown arrangements of the 60s, but which really flowers here in a fuller, richer, smooth
mode. Arrangements are by Norman Harris, Bert De Coteaux, Ron Kersey, and Ron Baker – and the album's a great ex
of how the Sigma approach could take a great singer and make them even better! Titles include the Sam Dees tracks "I Betcha Didn't Know That", "Standing In The Wings Of Heartache", "No Danger Ahead", and "Tower Of Strength" – plus a great cover of Ashford & Simpson's "I Had A Love", and the cuts "Smooth Sailing", "We Got Love", and "Everybody Plays The Fool".
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Natural Black Inventions: Root Strata ... LP
, 1971. Very Good+ ...
Add to Cart
A totally amazing album – and one of the clearest ex
s of Roland Kirk's genius approach to reeds! The set's essentially solo, and features Kirk playing without any tape tricks or overdubbing – but still at a level that has multiple saxophones layered on top of one another – thanks to his creative approach to playing more than one instrument at once, and groundbreaking use of circular breathing! The record has these fantastic throbbing pulsating reed lines –with one horn blowing rhythm, and one playing an adventurous solo – and both being blown live a the same time, in a style that's still very
ful and swinging overall – and amazingly done without any sense of overindulgence. Tracks include "Black Root", "Raped Voices", "Day Dream", and "Something For Trane That Trane Could Have Said".
LP, Vinyl record album
Kool & The Gang
Music Is The Message ... LP
, Early 70s. New Copy (reissue)...
Add to Cart
A pivotal album in the career of Kool & The Gang! This album has the band operating at the top of their early 70s funky powers – and it also shows them dabbling a bit with electronics, which would become a big part of their sound a few albums later. The best ex
of this is the totally cool "Electric Frog (parts 1 & 2)", which has this amazing bubbling moogy riff that goes in and out of the song. Other tracks are more straight-ahead funky – and they're all great! Titles include "Music Is The Message", "Love The Life You Live (parts 1 & 2)", "Funky Granny", and the righteous "
Vibrations". Also features the super-dope mellow "Blowin With The Wind", a stripped-down number that's dominated by a trumpet solo, and proof that the group could operate just as well at a mellow level as they could at a hard funky one!
LP, Vinyl record album
Kool & The Gang
Open Sesame ... LP
, 1976. Very Good Gatefold ...
Add to Cart
A magic carpet ride of funky
from Kool & The Gang – classic Open Sesame from '76 – one that took the group to a higher level! It's not as rawly funky as some of the group's earlier albums, but they do still bring it, just with a cooler spirtual vibe that we never expected – one that opens up their sound even further! The best ex
of this is the great cut "Little Children", a very righteous jazzy
number that's been s
d to great use, and one that introduced a great mellow sound for the group. Other cuts include the dancefloor classic "Open Sesame", "Whisper Softly", "L-O-V-E", and "Sunshine".
LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has light wear and some marker.)
Also available
Open Sesame (plus bonus tracks) ... CD
Kool & The Gang
Open Sesame (plus bonus tracks) ... CD
Big Break (UK)
, 1976. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
A magic carpet ride of funky
from Kool & The Gang – classic Open Sesame from '76 – one that took the group to a higher level! It's not as rawly funky as some of the group's earlier albums, but they do still bring it, just with a cooler spirtual vibe that we never expected – one that opens up their sound even further! The best ex
of this is the great cut "Little Children", a very righteous jazzy
number that's been s
d to great use, and one that introduced a great mellow sound for the group. Other cuts include the dancefloor classic "Open Sesame", "Whisper Softly", "L-O-V-E", and "Sunshine". This remastered edition from Big Break UK includes 3 bonus tracks: "Open Sesame (Groove With The Genie) – Part 2 (Single Version)", "Super Bad (Single Version)" and "Open Sesame (Groove With The Genie) (Promotional 12" – Special Disco Version)".
Also available
Open Sesame ... LP
Harold Mabern
Lookin On The Bright Side ... CD
DIW (Japan)
, 1993. Used ...
Add to Cart
A bright, positive set from pianist Harold Mabern – one that's overflowing with
and spirit – and a perfect ex
of his strengths during the 90s stretch when his career really took off again! The trio's got a well-balanced approach to rhythm – bold basslines from Christian McBride, whose youthful tones seem to warm up Mabern's music more than ever – and tight drums from Jack DeJohnette, who knows nicely that less is more – and never tries to overwhelm the interplay between Harold and Christian! Titles include "Big Time Cooper", "Moment's Notice", "Look On The Bright Side", "Our Waltz", and "Too Late Fall Back Baby" – a number you might remember from Mabern's Strata East years, sounding mighty nice here, too!
(Out of print.)
Junior Mance
Junior Mance Trio At The Village Vanguard ... LP
, 1961. Near Mint- ...
Add to Cart
A firey little trio session from Junior Mance – one that features tracks taken at a pace that's even more uptempo than usual, and which really pushes his skills on the keys! The speed of the set is by no means a detriment to Mance's
ful playing – and if anything, the record stands as one of his most compelling from the period – not just a batch of
jazz styles that were soon becoming cliches, but a vibrant ex
of the full range of Mance's talents, caught in a very spontaneous setting. Trio members include Larry Gales on bass and Ben Riley on drums – and titles include "Smokey Blues", "Bingo Domingo", "Looptown", "Letter From Home", and "Girl Of My Dreams".
LP, Vinyl record album
(80s Japanese pressing, including the insert.)
Henry Mancini
Cop Show Themes/
Vocalion (UK)
, 1975/
1976. Used ...
Add to Cart
Funky soundtrack-styled work by Henry Mancini – compiling the mid 70s Cop Show Themes and Symphonic
LPs – together in single set! Cop Show Themes is easily ne of the funkiest albums ever from Mancini – a brilliant reworking of hit 70s cop show themes, put together with a really jazzy groove! The group's a big one – filled with hip players who include Clare Fischer on organ, Artie Kane on electric piano and harpsichord, Don Menza on tenor, Lee Ritenour on guitar – all instruments that are used strongly to help kick things nicely on the set, with a vibe that's right up there with the best funky 70s soundtracks. Harvey Mason is on drums, bringing up the bottom a bit more than usual for Mancini – and the choice of material really makes the record cook – with tracks that include "Kojak", "SWAT", "Police Woman", "Rockford Files", "Hawaii Five O", "Streets Of San Francisco", "Bumper's Theme", and "Baretta's Theme". Symphonic
is just as great – a mixture of tight large arrangements with a smooth funky edge, similar to some of his best soundtrack work at the time! The rhythm section is great – again with Harvey Mason on drums, plus Joe S
on keyboards, and guitar by David T Walker and Dennis Budimir – and the album also features some cool solos on instruments like African finger piano and piccolo trumpet. The whole thing bounces along with a majestic approach that's very full and complicated – yet also tight and funky! Lots of nice groovy tunes – and titles include "Sun Goddess", "Symphonic
", "
Saga", "African Symphony", "Slow Hot Wind", and "Satin
Live In New Orleans/
Live In Los Angeles ... CD
Robinsongs (UK)
, 1981/
1986. New Copy 2CD ...
Add to Cart
A pair of classic live albums from Frankie Beverly & Maze – Live In New Orleans from 1981, and Live In Los Angeles from 1986 – originally 2LP sets, perfectly paired here as a 2CD set! First up is Live New Orleans, in which the band grooves wonderfully before a crowd going mad in the Crescent City! The songs retain all the charm of the studio renditions – and are stretched out a bit more in the live setting, with some really nice interplay with the crowd. The set is heavy with early Maze classics – including "Southern Girl", "Look At California", "Before I Let Go". "We Need Love To Love", "The Look In Your Eyes" the big s
track "Joy & Pain" and more. Live In Los Angeles was issued a half decade later cut during the 80s – and is even more proof that the Maze style of
music was not only thriving, but succeeding strongly outside the studio, regardless of air play and album sales! The general groove is very similar to the band's classic work from the late 70s – with tight modern
grooves, all graced by the magnificent vocals of Frankie Beverly, one of the generations best singers! Includes the cuts "Happy Feelins", "We Are One", "Back In Stride", "Freedom", "I Wanna Be With You", "When You Love Someone", and "Running Away".
Gwen McCrae
Melody Of Life (with bonus tracks) ... CD
Big Break (UK)
, 1979. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
An underground gem from Gwen McCrae – and the record that first set the tone for her dancefloor classics for Atlantic in the 80s! The album has Gwen shaking off some of the southern
of her roots – stretching the genre out to hit notes that are much more in tune with modern
of the time – a warmly sophisticated approach that uses Gwen's vocals to best effect on a variety of adult themes, but which also kicks in some great midtempo and mellow grooves on the set. A perfect ex
of this is the album's sublime stepper "All This Love I'm Givin" – a track that works perfectly on the dancefloor, yet which also has a heck of a lot of deep
too – and the rest of the album follows in a similarly sublime sort of groove. Other titles include "I Can Only Think Of You", "I Found A Love", "Maybe I'll Find Somebody New", "The Melody Of Life", and "The Joy". CD features bonus tracks – "The Joy (single version)" and "All This Love That I'm Givin (single version)"
Ronnie McNeir
Love's Comin' Down (with bonus tracks) ... CD
Expansion (UK)
, 1976. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
One of the greatest lost treasures on Motown – the rare third album from Ronnie McNeir, an artist who did plenty for the label back in the 70s, but only managed to ever get this one record released! The set's a gem – arguably his best record ever – and that's saying a lot, given the strength of his RCA and Prodigal sets. And like those records, this one's a sweet
spectacular – written, arranged, produced, and performed by Ronnie – with the tight, warm, all-together quality that makes him an equal to Leon Ware back in the day – and which makes this record almost a great counterpart to Ware's Musical Massage set for Motown – another one-off album that's become the stuff of legend! The songs are amazing – totally fresh and deeply personal, but never in a cloying or commercial way – perfectly balanced on top of some gently grooving rhythms, spare keyboards, and
ful undercurrents that are a perfect ex
of the maturity that Detroit
was hitting in the 70s. A young Ray Parker Jr plays lead guitar, but most other instruments are by Ronnie – and titles include "My Love Is Coming Down", "Funky Situation", "Selling My Heart To The Junkman", "Say You Will", "Goodbye After Sunday", and "It Won't Be Long". And while the core record alone would be enough to celebrate, Expansion's also done and dug out another 7 bonus tracks from the Motown vault of the 70s – material that Ronnie recorded for other albums that never materialized, every bit as great as the main stuff here! The discovery of this material is incredible – and makes for an overstuffed CD that's sure to get McNeir's name back out there again. Bonus tracks include "Start Over As Your Man", "Betcha I'll Prove", "Dream Come True", "For Those Who Don't Believe", "Just You Babe", and "I Can't See Myself Without You".
Blind Willie McTell
Atlanta Twelve String ... LP
, 1949. New Copy (reissue)...
Add to Cart
A 70s album, but one that features very early sides from Atlantic Records – raw acoustic blues from Willie McTell, recorded on a 12 string guitar down in Atlanta! The album's not just a great ex
of McTell at his best – witty vocals, and really sharp lines on the acoustic guitar – but also a key illustration of the Atlantic approach right at the start – an ability to find the best setting for the best talents – and really let them open up in a spontaneous,
-drenched style! Titles include "You Got To Die", "Kill It Kid", "The Razor Ball", "Broke Down Engine Blues", "Dying Crapshooter's Blues", "Blues Around Midnight", "Pearly Gates", and "Soon This Morning".
LP, Vinyl record album
Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66
Stillness ... LP
Jazz (UK)
, 1970. New Copy Gatefold (reissue)...
Add to Cart
A real classic from Sergio Mendes – probably most famous for its funky bits! The record pushes past the formula of the earlier Brasil 66 albums, and goes for a more sophisticated approach that adds in some sweet electric moments, more complicated grooves, and an overall sound that's even hipper than the group's early pop for A&M. The album features an excellent version of "For What It's Worth" that has a tight drumbreak which has been s
d often, as well as a great version of Caetano Veloso's "Lost in the Paradise" which is a good translation of the song to an American idiom! Other tracks include "Viramundo", "Stillness", "Chelsea Morning", and "Sometimes In Winter". A real gem – and one of the group's most overlooked albums!
LP, Vinyl record album
MF Grimm & Drasar Monumental
Good Morning Vietnam 3 – The Phoenix Program ... LP
Vendetta Records
, 2015. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
The final entry in the Good Morning Vietnam trilogy from veteran underground rhymer/
writer MF Grimm and producer Drasar Monumental – perhaps the rawest and hardest hitting of the three! The smart, dexterous rhymes are laced with wartime imagery and backed by thematic s
s throughout, always walking the fineline between hypnotic heaviness and sensory overload. It's a delicate balance – and they make it work strongly once again on this closing entry in the series –always with enough jazzy funk and cracking
in the beats to keep your heads nodding, even in the heaviest moments. Includes "Birth Of Violence", "Rhymes Against Humanity", "Songs Of The Winter Soldier", "Economics", "One Bullet Away, Two Steps From Home", "Dust To Dust", "Family Birthday", "Harmonics", "Chain Letter", "For Those That Want To Label Us", "Glaciers Of Icex", "Hand Up To Heaven, Feet Firm In Hell" and more.
LP, Vinyl record album
(Limited to 500 copies.)
Universal Love (with bonus tracks) ... CD
Philadelphia International/
Big Break (UK)
, 1975. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
Killer stuff from this legendary Philly
instrumental combo – with funky
horns, unstoppable dancefloor ready rhythms and those
-stirring strings – and right up there with their best ever! Bobby Martin arranged almost every track – and the record's a great ex
of the kind of lean and mean Philly groove that he had going at the time, a sound that was hard to beat, and hard to copy without sounding silly and overblown. Top shelf
instrumentals from Philly International in the mid 70s – what more could we ask for? Includes classics like "K-Jee", "MFSB", "TLC" and "Let's Go Disco" – plus the equally great "Sexy", "Love Has No Time Or Place" and "My Mood". This great BBR CD includes 4 bonus tracks – single versions of "Sexy", "TLC", "Let's Go Disco" and "K-Jee".
Mighty Clouds Of Joy
Kickin ... CD
Safety Zone
, 1975. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
Kickin it is – as the album's way more than just the typical gospel you might expect – and is a perfect ex
of the way the Mighty Clouds Of Joy helped cross the bridge between secular and spiritual sounds in the 70s! The record has a groove that most other mainstream
acts could ever hope for – served up by stellar southern producer David Crawford, and arrangements from Mike Terry – on an album that almost grooves enough for the clubs, and brings in lots of new energy to the male gospel quintet format! These guys are hardly your grandfather's gospel group – and instead get downright slinky and sexy with the way they approach the music – almost giving Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes a run for their money, on excellent cuts that include "Mighty High", "Leanin", "I Got The Music In Me", "Millionaire", "Touch My
", and "Everything Is Love".
Blue Mitchell
Graffiti Blues ... LP
, 1973. Very Good Gatefold ...
Add to Cart
One of Blue Mitchell's hippest funky sets of the 70s – an unusual little record that mixes a bit of funky harmonica with his own
ful trumpet! The approach definitely echoes a bit of the "blues" in the title – but the groove is much more straightforward and funky – that hard-edged approach that shows up on the best electric Mainstream sessions of the time, with a bad-stepping bottom that moves along nicely throughout! Harmonica's handled by Don Bailey, and other players include Joe S
on keyboards, Herman Riley on tenor, Freddie Robinson on guitar, and Ray Pounds on drums. Cuts are all nice and long, quite open overall, and almost more relaxed than some of Blue's other Mainstream sessions – and titles include "Graffiti Blues", "Yeah Ya Right", "Express", "Asso Kam", and "Dorado".
LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a cut corner.)
Prince Phillip Mitchell
Top Of The Line ... LP
, 1979. Very Good ...
Add to Cart
A classic set of smooth 70s
from an under-recognized genius! Phillip Mitchell is a bit like his Atlantic Records contemporary Sam Dees – in that he wrote a lot of material for other singers, recorded a handful of singles, and worked mostly in the southern scene – but he also had a sophisticated, modern style that sounded a lot more like work coming out of New York, Philly, or Chicago. This lost album for Atlantic is a great ex
of that fact – as it was recorded at Muscle Shoals, but also features some Philly elements too – creating a great mix of modes that's wonderfully unique! There's a feel here that's just like some of the best work from Leroy Hutson, Johnny Bristol, or Leon Ware at the same time – a majestic, mature approach to
that's simply tremendous. Titles include "In Between Lovers", "Top Of The Line", "I'm So Happy", "Let's Get Wet", "Paying The Price", and "If It Ain't Love It'll Go Away".
LP, Vinyl record album
Rudy Ray Moore & The
Rebellion Orchestra
Dolemite (limited gatefold reissue) ... LP
Generation International/
, 1975. Near Mint- Gatefold ...
Add to Cart
Quite possibly THE mother of all funky soundtracks – the legendary score to Rudy Ray Moore's classic first Dolemite film! The record's been referenced for years, and all the hype is totally right – because the whole thing's overflowing with funky tracks both vocal and instrumental – cut with a sound that's as gritty and badass as the movie itself! The
Rebellion Orchestra provided the wicked instrumental grooves for the set – and vocalists include Mary Love and Ben Taylor – and the pacing of the whole record almost makes it come across like a mini-movie in sound! You'll find enough s
s on here to cut a lifetime's worth of hip hop LPs, and the funky tracks will have you coming back to the record again and again! Tracks include "The Queen", "The Rumble", "Mayor Get Away", "The Jive Jungle", "Creeper", and "Ghetto Expressions". Plus, this CD reissue is even more beautiful than the original vinyl – with a booklet chock full of notes and vintage photos – and 6 bonus tracks that include "Dolemite (with narration)", "Flatland (film version)", "Human Tornado", "Miss Wonderful", "Dolemite Radio Spot (version 1)", "Dolemite Radio Spot (version 2)", and "Human Tornado Radio Spot".
LP, Vinyl record album
(Blue label pressing.)
Idris Muhammad
Power Of
, 1974. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
An incredible record from funky drummer Idris Muhammad! Idris is probably known for his funky break work on Blue Note and Prestige records sessions of the late 60s and early 70s – but by the time of this 1974 album, he was really expanding his style, hitting a laidback groove that went way beyond the simple drum break, into a world of complicated fills and riffs that forever changed the face of funk. The best ex
of this is the album's standout groove – the massive cut "Loran's Dance", which has a mellow jazzy vibe that you'll recognize from its popular use as a s
cut over the years (by the Beastie Boys, DJ Shadow, and others.) All cuts are long and mellow, and other titles include "Power Of
", "Saddest Thing" and "Piece of Mind".
Also available
Power Of Soul ... LP
Idris Muhammad
Power Of
, 1974. New Copy (reissue)...
Add to Cart
An incredible record from funky drummer Idris Muhammad! Idris is probably known for his funky break work on Blue Note and Prestige records sessions of the late 60s and early 70s – but by the time of this 1974 album, he was really expanding his style, hitting a laidback groove that went way beyond the simple drum break, into a world of complicated fills and riffs that forever changed the face of funk. The best ex
of this is the album's standout groove – the massive cut "Loran's Dance", which has a mellow jazzy vibe that you'll recognize from its popular use as a s
cut over the years (by the Beastie Boys, DJ Shadow, and others.) All cuts are long and mellow, and other titles include "Power Of
", "Saddest Thing" and "Piece of Mind".
LP, Vinyl record album
Also available
Power Of Soul ... CD
David Murray
Murray's Steps ... LP
Black Saint (Italy)
, 1983. Near Mint- ...
Add to Cart
One of the greatest gifts of the
Note label was the way that it could take sessions with avant-oriented players, and make them turn out straighter jazz material – but with a really nice edge! This session's a perfect ex
of that legacy – as it features David Murray at the head of a great group that includes Butch Morris on cornet, Bobby Bradford on trumpet, Henry Threadgill on alto and flute, Craig Harris on trombone, Curtis Clark on piano, Wilber Morris on bass, and Steve McCall on drums – all players who can usually improvise pretty freely, but who here work in a straighter, swinging mode that's totally great! There's still plenty of sharp edges in the record – odd twists and turns that really keep things offbeat, even though straight – and titles are extended Murray compositions that include "Sing Song", "Flowers For Albert", and "Murray's Steps".
LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a light crease on one corner.)
Nice (US pressing) ... LP
, 1969. Very Good+ ...
Add to Cart
Keyboard master Keith Emerson's first real album length masterpiece, the self-titled third album by his Brit psychedelic art rock/
unit the Nice! Emerson leads bassist Lee Jackson and drummer Brian Davison on a suite of fine studio tracks including "Azrael Revisted", "Hang On To A Dream", "Diary Of An Empty Day" and "For Ex
" plus "Rondo '69" and "She Belongs To Me" recorded live at the Fillmore.
LP, Vinyl record album
(Pink label Immediate pressing. Cover has a small cutout hole.)
Janko Nilovic
Janko Nilovic Vol 1 (Pop Impressions/
Super America/
Impressions) (3CD set) ... CD
Montparnasse 2000/
Underdog (France)
, Mid 70s. New Copy 3 CDs ...
Add to Cart
A trio of rare records from Janko Nilovic – all packaged together in one box set! First up is Pop Impressions – hardly pop at all – save, perhaps, for the fact that it's been s
d by a number of hip hoppers over the years – because the set's one of the greatest ever from the legendary Janko Nilovic – a real masterpiece of complex grooves and offbeat instrumentation! The album goes way past the usual sound library funk – as Janko brings in so many different sounds and styles throughout – using flute, tympani, oboe, 12 string guitar, and other unusual instruments with a very freewheeling set of grooves! The whole thing's great – a true tribute to the master at his best – and titles include "Atoma", "Trumpet Sketches", "Sacha Pacha", "Essai Pop Art", "Blow Down", "Psycho Sound", and "Ballet Dans L'Espace". Next is Super America – not a record from America, but instead one of the standout gems from the legendary Montparnasse 2000 sound library series in the 70s – filled with funky grooves from the madman Janko Nilovic! The set's got Nilovic really working at his best – still quite jazzy at the core, but bringing in all these cool little twists and turns – including trumpet with wah wah effects, Fender Rhodes lines, and even some moog and wordless vocals – all used in a great blend of electric and acoustic elements to make for some very offbeat grooves! Very different from more straightforward sound library work – with titles that include "Gipsy Rock", "Samba Amigo", "Machine Gun", "Super America", "Mister Woua Woua", and "Blue Baby". And last is
Impressions – one of the funkiest records ever cut by studio jazz genius Janko Nilovic! This set definitely earns the "
" in the title – as Janko blends his usual mad mix of studio sounds with some heavier 70s elements – including a fair bit of fuzzy guitar, funky beats, and some nice horn fills. About half the tracks on the album benefit from this sort of approach – kind of across between blacksploitation soundtrack scoring and the tighter instrumental moods of work by The Duke of Burlington. The other half is more in Janko's usual bag – nicely groovy jazz numbers, some with a slinky 70s edge! Titles include "Hippocampus", "Open Country", "Crazy Enterprise", "Drug Song", "
Impressions", "Man Of Genius", "Push Push", and "Family Tree".
Hollywood Party Tonight (with bonus tracks) ... CD
Big Break (UK)
, 1978. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
A Hollywood Party, recorded in New Jersey – with a groove that's every bit as tight as any of Odyssey's best records, but with a slightly jazzier vibe as well! The set's a great ex
of the way the trio pushed the 70s
game further – taking the early 70s RCA AM radio style, and moving it forward with some elements from the club generation – but all at a level that was never throwaway disco either! The record's got a really rich feel from the start – and uses some great jazzy session players to flesh out the group's vocals in a wonderful way. Arrangements are by Sandy Linzer, who co-produced with Charlie Calello – and although there's some obvious disco fullness here, the main focus is on midtempo tunes that glide along in a slightly mellow way – almost like work by Side Effect from the time. Titles include "Lucky Star", "Single Again", "I Dare Ya", "Comin Back For More", "Hey Bill", and "What Time Does The Balloon Go Up". CD features bonus tracks – "Single Again/
What Time Does The Balloon Go Up (single version)" and "Lucky Star (single rmx)".
Pete Rock & CL Smooth
ed Out EP (clear vinyl pressing) ... LP
Get On Down
, 1991. New Copy (reissue)...
Add to Cart
The first EP by Pete Rock & CL Smooth – and one of the greatest debut EPs in hip hop history! The material is as stunning as ever, really showing the Pete & CL were in near peak form right outta gate – settting up the framework Pete Rock's signature jazz and
mastery for years to come, perfectly suited to CL's brilliant, though laidback MC skills. Includes "Good Life" (plus the Group Home remix), "Mecca & The
Brother", "Go With The Flow", "The Creator" and "All
ed Out".
LP, Vinyl record album
Pete Rock & CL Smooth
Main Ingredient (clear vinyl pressing) ... LP
Get On Down
, 1994. New Copy 2LP (reissue)...
Add to Cart
One of most essential hip hop albums of the 90s – arguably among the best ever! The Main Ingredient is a great title for the album, as this one finds Pete & CL working with the core essenses of their timeless hip hop sound. Pete Rock's
and funk s
enriched sound at it's very best, and CL Smooth's rhymes in peak form as well. Absolute greatness! Titles include "In The House", "Carmel City", "I Get Physical", "Sun Won't Come Out", "I Got A Love", "Escape", "The Main Ingredient", "Worldwide", "All The Places", "Tell Me", "Take You There", "Searching", "Check It Out", "In The Flesh", "It's On You", and "Get On The Mic".
LP, Vinyl record album
(2LP clear vinyl pressing.)
Accept No Substitutes ... LP
, 1976. Very Good+ Gatefold ...
Add to Cart
Quite possibly the funkiest album ever from Pleasure – and that's saying a heck of a lot! The album grooves from the very first note – and moves through some of the group's tightest, most rock-solid numbers – all of which use their trademark blend of funky and
, but which somehow seem to hit even more perfect territory than previous albums! And yes, those records are great, but usually have a few standout cuts – while this one works together perfectly – leading us in right away, then holding us rapt through some wonderful cuts that never let up – massive energy that few other funky combos could match, produced to perfection by the legendary Wayne Henderson. Titles include the wicked s
cut "I'm Mad", the bouncy "Pleasure For Your Pleasure", the spacey "Ghettos Of The Mind", the bumping "Let's Dance", and the tracks "Jammin With Pleasure", "Theme For The Moonchild", "2 For 1", "We Have So Much", and "The Love Of My Life".
LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover looks great, save for a name in pen.)
Tom Prehn
Axiom 1 & 2 (LP sleeve edition) ... CD
Corbett vs. Dempsey
, 1963. New Copy Gatefold ...
Add to Cart
One of the rarest free jazz albums of the European 60s scene – a set that was originally intended for release by Sonet Records, pressed up in test records for the musicians, then denied release because they felt that they'd already moved past the performance! Yet in the space of over 50 years, the music still sounds remarkably fresh – an early, striking, and stunning ex
of the way that the European avant jazz scene was not only overtaking the American one, but also providing the kind of energy that would be a key inspiration for artists like Albert Ayler or Cecil Taylor! Pianist Tom Prehn offers up a lot of the latter here – boundless piano lines that leap forward into space with a frenzied, yet tuneful approach – followed by tremendous tenor from Frits Krogh, a player we don't know at all – but who blows powerfully and
fully, at a level that maybe even prefaces some of John Coltrane's more outside material to come. The rest of the group features Poul Ehlers on bass and Finn Slumstrup on drums – and the album features the full "Axiom (parts 1 & 2)" performance from the Sonet album – plus a more contemplative number titled "Percussive Anticipations", recorded by the same group in 1966, and appearing here for the first time ever!
(Beautiful package – with a heavy Japanese-style paper sleeve!)
Minnie Riperton
Adventures In Paradise ... LP
, 1975. Very Good+ ...
Add to Cart
Maybe our favorite-ever album from Minnie Riperton during the 70s – a sweet, smooth jazzy gem that really makes some of the best use of her vocals! There's a sophistication here that's a great 70s counterpart to Minnie's earlier work with Charles Stepney – served up here in a very different style, but one that really sets Riperton apart from any of her contemporaries – in a unique blend of
, jazz, and much deeper spirits – all handled with the sense of pride and style you'd expect from Minnie's image on the cover! All tracks were co-written by Riperton and Richard Rudolph – and a few get some great help from Leon Ware too. Titles include the massive track "Baby, This Love I Have" – a slow funk number that's be s
d many times over the years – plus the spacey tunes "Minnie's Lament", "Inside My Love", and "Alone In Brewster Bay", remade from Minnie's first LP – and the titles "Simple Things", "Feeling That Your Feeling's Right", and "Don't Let Anyone Bring You Down".
LP, Vinyl record album
(Orange label Epic pressing, including the printed inner sleeve.)
Lee Ritenour
Feel The Night ... CD
Elektra (Japan)
, 1979. New Copy ...
Add to Cart
Sweet electric fusion from Lee Ritenour – a key album from a time when he was still very much at the top of his game! Although tight overall, the album's never too commercial to be cloying – and Lee's approach here is a great ex
of the way that mainstream 70s fusion managed to balance all its best elements nicely – from
ful rhythms on the bottom, to sharp-edged solos on the top, to some of the smoother studio glue that holds the whole thing together in the middle! Ritenour plays a range of different guitars – and other players include Don and Dave Grusin on keyboards, plus keys from David Foster as well – plus saxes from Ernie Watts, piano from Joe S
, and drums from Steve Gadd. Patti Austin sings a bit on the set, but the album's a mostly-instrumental affair overall – and titles include "Feel The Night", "Market Place", "Wicked Wine", "French Roast", and "Midnight Lady".
Pete Rodriguez
I Like It Like That (A Mi Me Gusta Asi) ... LP
, Late 60s. New Copy (reissue)...
Add to Cart
A fantastic little album of Latin
– a perfect ex
of why Pete was known as the "King Of The Boogaloo" during the 60s! The group's having a non-stop party on the album – breaking it hard with heavy piano lines, rumbling bass underneath the grooves, tight timbales, and some shouted lyrics in English that are always very catchy. The title cut, "I Like It Like That", is the sort of groover that you'll be singing for years – even after hearing it only once – and the album's filled with other great cuts, like "Pete's Madness", "Micaela", "Si Quires Bailar", "Soiy El Rey" and "3 and 1".
LP, Vinyl record album
Special Requests & Suggestions
Dusty Groove is a registered trademark — read more.
Terms of Use
Security & Privacy
About Us
Contact Us
© 1996-2016, Dusty Groove, Inc.