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Blues & Jazz

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Today! is Skip James’ second album, originally released in 1966. The album features James solo on all but one track, “How Long,” which includes Russ Savakus on bass. This 180-gram LP pressed at QRP includes an obi with notes by Scott Billington, a paper-wrapped jacket and (AAA) lacquers cut from the original master tapes by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab. AllMusic asserts, “wonderful vocals, superb guitar and a couple of tunes with tasty piano make this essential.”

Skip James - Today! (Bluesville Acoustic Sounds Series)  [LP]
$30.00
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180-Gram High Quality Virgin Vinyl - Limited Gatefold Edition. One of the most celebrated and emblematic LPs of Brazilian music, Todos Os Olhos was an album in which Tom Ze presented, with a lot of courage, a different way of fighting his country's military dictatorship. "This was the record that took me out of circulation," explained Tom Ze. "Until then I was played on the radio." However, he admitted that, "This album is something so joyful that I've done, that I don't even know how to explain. It was the best thing I've accomplished after years of incomprehensible lack of motivation. I noticed that my heart could stand being unpopular, and this conviction spread comfortably inside me. This record had the faculty of bringing back my internal joy. It has brought back the joy of singing, of making music, of creating, of accomplishing. It's what I'm doing." 1130 GRAM HIGH QUALITY VIRGIN VINYL LIMITED EDITION
Tom Ze - Todos os Olhos [LP]
$30.00
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Recorded in Oslo in September 1970, Afric Pepperbird was released on New Year’s Day in 1971. Half a century later, it still conveys the freshness and excitement of discoveries being made. The album signaled the arrival of four Norwegian improvisers – Jan Garbarek, Terje Rypdal, Arild Andersen and Jon Christensen – at the fledgling ECM label. It was the start of a lifelong association with each of the musicians, whose influence was soon to reach far beyond the borders of their homeland.

Jan Garbarek Quartet - Afric Pepperbird (ECM Luminessence Series) [LP]
$39.00
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In August 2023, Joe Bonamassa made his historic, first-ever appearance at the iconic Hollywood Bowl in his hometown of Los Angeles, where he was accompanied by a stellar ensemble of 40 orchestra members for a one-night-only event. Checking off another bucket list venue, Joe’s performance at the Bowl was his biggest production to date. Showcasing incredible orchestra arrangements from David Campbell, Trevor Rabin and Jeff Bova, fan-favorite songs are given new life on a much bigger scale.

Joe Bonamassa - Live At The Hollywood Bowl with Orchestra [CD/Blu-ray]
$25.00
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After putting down the saxophone, the instrument he has become synonymous with, Shabaka returns with his first full-length album under his own name. Perceive Its beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace is a moving suite of primarily instrumental music. Shabaka is found playing the flute on this album, and has enlisted key artists such as Andre 3000, Lianne La Havas, Moses Sumney, Floating Points and more to help build this all-encompassing aural landscape. CD Softpak.

Shabaka - Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace
$13.97
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Bill Frisell’s expansive double album Orchestras documents two inspired concert-hall engagements arranged by Michael Gibbs for the guitarist’s trio with bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Rudy Royston. Sweeping orchestration evoking landmark film scores and Gil Evans alike move nimbly within and around the trio’s telepathic rapport, and Frisell’s shimmering trademark tone melds gorgeously with symphonic strings and brass.

Bill Frisell - Orchestras [2 CD]
$15.01
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Bill Frisell’s expansive double album Orchestras documents two inspired concert-hall engagements arranged by Michael Gibbs for the guitarist’s trio with bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Rudy Royston. Sweeping orchestration evoking landmark film scores and Gil Evans alike move nimbly within and around the trio’s telepathic rapport, and Frisell’s shimmering trademark tone melds gorgeously with symphonic strings and brass.

Bill Frisell - Orchestras [2 LP]
$40.00
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Composer, singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Laufey continues her story with Bewitched: The Goddess Edition, an expanded version of her 2023 critically celebrated and GRAMMY-winning second album. Since the release of Bewitched, Laufey has proven how staying true to oneself can result in creating a space where people can find themselves. Bewitched has been wildly successful around the world, appearing on multiple year-end best-of lists, sparking an immediately sold-out tour and reaching No. 1 on Billboard’s Jazz charts. The Goddess Edition features four brand-new original songs including lead single "Goddess" and will be available on vinyl, cassette, and CD. The expanded package includes dark blue vinyl, an updated booklet, and a custom board game.

Laufey - Bewitched: The Goddess Edition [Navy 2LP]
$36.00 Video
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Night Reign is the new album from GRAMMY-winner Arooj Aftab, an ode to the night as her primary source of inspiration and a vivid reflection of the creative community she has fostered in her home of Brooklyn, New York. Featuring nine original compositions, three English-language tracks, and an array of guest artists, Night Reign is a perfumed, public garden of renewal, desire, shelter, and love guided by Aftab’s voice – its reach and intensity complementing the sun’s departure. Indie Exclusive Silver LP. Limited Edition.

Arooj Aftab - Night Reign [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Silver LP]
$30.01
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Inspired by a lifetime of listening to jazz + woodshedding, Andrew Bird on his new album Sunday Morning Put-On presents his take on the Great American Songbook. Andrew Bird Trio features Ted Poor (drums) & Alan Hampton (bass), and transcends nostalgia, pushing his limits as an improviser. Replacing saxophones with violin solos, and showcasing Andrew's signature vocal prowess, the Trio reimagines jazz standards completely live in southern California’s legendary Valentine Studios.

Andrew Bird Trio - Sunday Morning Put-On [INDIE EXCLUSIVE Limited Edition Translucent Ruby Red LP]
$25.00
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Double vinyl LP pressing. 2024 release. South African pianist, composer, philosopher, and healer Nduduzo Makhathini travels beyond any existing notion of music-making to offer his most profound vision of creative mysticism yet with uNomkhubulwane, his stunning eleventh studio album which is his third to be released on Blue Note Records following 2020's Modes of Communication: Letters From The Underworlds and 2022's In The Spirit Of Ntu. The transcendent three-movement suite-which pays homage to the Zulu Goddess uNomkhubulwane and explores Africa's tragic history of oppression-features Makhathini's trio with bassist Zwelakhe-Duma Bell le Pere on bass and drummer Francisco Mela. The music is both an offering and an invitation to humanity to cultivate ways of being that strive for freedom and balance.
Nduduzo Makhathini - Unomkhubulwane
$40.00
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Indie Exclusive - Lee Mendelson Film Productions (LMFP) is thrilled to announce the release - from recently rediscovered tapes - the complete Vince Guaraldi soundtrack to "It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown," the timeless 6th animated Peanuts® special, from writer and creator Charles Schulz, director Bill Melendez and producers Melendez and Lee Mendelson. Originally the special aired on September 27, 1969 on CBS-TV.

The album includes the original recordings that comprise the cues from the Special across twenty-six tracks, plus another 6 alternative tracks that have never been released or heard before.

Guaraldi lovingly created the soundtrack for the summer camp adventure where Charlie Brown and his gang face off against the girl’s camp lead by Peppermint Patty. The large jazz combo album also includes the best rendition of Guaraldi classic, "Love Will Come (Nova Bossa)" as well as the first use of additional percussion in Victor Feldman.

The recording features Guaraldi (piano), Monty Budwig (double bass), Jack Sperling (drums), Conti and Pete Candoli (trumpet), Frank Rosolino (trombone), Victor Feldman (percussion), Herb Ellis (guitar), Willian Hood and Peter Christlieb (woodwind), and John Scott Trotter as the orchestra leader. The soundtrack was produced by Sean and Jason Mendelson and restored and re-mastered by Vinson Hudson.

The album comes with liner notes that give a track-by-track analysis by Derrick Bang (author of "Vince Guaraldi at the Piano") and notes from Sean and Jason Mendelson, sons of Peanuts® producer Lee Mendelson. The album packaging also includes images from the special and images of historical documents from the found tapes.

Vince Guaraldi - It Was A Short Summer, Charlie Brown [RSD Essential 1LPxSummer Night Blue]
$32.01
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Indie Exclusive - Pickin’ On Green Day is a collection of some of the biggest and best-loved songs from the legendary East Bay punks reinterpreted through the framework of classic bluegrass instrumentation and vocal stylings. Three groups from the Pickin’ On roster – The Sidekicks, Honeywagon and Cornbread Red – provide different shades of bluegrass to Green Day’s singular songwriting. Each track showcases what one always suspects listening to the great pop-punks – that underneath the distortion and attitude are classic, enduring hooks that transcend style.

Pickin' On - Pickin' On Green Day: Bluegrass & Broken Dreams [RSD Essentials 1LPxGreen]
$30.01
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Indie Exclusive - The Jazz Rewind label is back with another first edition recording by two American jazz giants, Sonny Stitt and Red Holloway. This saxophone duo regularly performed and recorded together since 1967. Sonny Stitt sadly passed away in 1982. This Cobden’s Place set from Manchester UK, 4 March 1981 is previously unreleased on any format. They perform alongside other jazz musicians including Vinny Parker (Piano), Pete Glennon (Bass) and Ron Parry (Drums). Enjoy this first edition LP on heavyweight orange colored vinyl.

Sonny Stitt & Red Holloway  - Live at Cobden's Place 1981 [RSD Essentials 1LPxOrange ]
$28.01
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Indie Exclusive - The Jazz Rewind label brings this rare concert recording to vinyl for the first time. Part of the Las Vegas Union series of live recordings from 1963. Personnel here includes Gerry Mulligan (Baritone Saxophone), Bob Brookmeyer (Trombone), Gus Johnson (drums) and Bill Crow (bass). The musical partnership of Gerry Mulligan and Bob Brookmeyer was quite special. In 1963, Mulligan was well on his way to becoming the best known baritone-saxophonist of all time while Brookmeyer was arguably the finest valve trombonist in jazz history. Both had complementary styles, witty ideas, very fluent technique and easily identifiable sounds. Enjoy this first edition LP on heavyweight blue colored vinyl.

Gerry Mulligan Quartet - Live in Las Vegas 1963 [RSD Essentials 1LPxBlue]
$28.01
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New Blue Sun is the continuation of discovery for me. My entire career has been fueled by this and it is the only thing that keeps me honest. This album is the most honest and interesting offering I can give today. I never could have imagined in high school, when I started rapping and doing music that I would be here right now playing wind instruments. Ha. This life ride always surprises me. I’m here for it.” — Andre 3000

This deluxe 2-CD release comes in a tri-fold softpack.

Andre 3000 - New Blue Sun [2 CD]
$24.99
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Julian Lage returns with Speak To Me, his remarkable fourth release for Blue Note, which finds the guitar virtuoso broadening his sonic palette in collaboration with esteemed producer Joe Henry who enhances Lage’s trademark melodic lyricism on this wide-ranging set of compelling new originals. In addition to Lage’s longtime trio with Jorge Roeder on bass and Dave King on drums, the album also features contributions from saxophonist Levon Henry, keyboardist Patrick Warren, and Kris Davis on piano. Indie Exclusive 2 LP set on 180g bone-colored vinyl. Limited Edition.

Julian Lage - Speak To Me [Limited Edition Bone 2 LP]
$40.00
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Few musicians have embodied the romantic, and ultimately tragic, jazz figure as totally as Chesney "Chet" Baker (1929-88). Unschooled yet eloquent in his music, the Baker mystique has only reinforced one of the most haunting trumpet styles and ingenuous approaches to jazz singing. Chet is Chet Baker's classic 1959 Riverside album featuring jazz legends Bill Evans, Kenny Burrell, Herbie Mann and Pepper Adams. Cut from the original analog master tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio. 180-gram LP.

Chet Baker - Chet [LP]
$30.00
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Following the success of his vocal debut Chet Baker Sings in 1954, Pacific Jazz brought the rising star trumpeter back into the studio for the sequel Chet Baker Sings and Plays which showcased both sides of Baker's artistry on a set of standards including his timeless rendition of "Let's Get Lost." This mono Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe tip-on jacket.
Chet Baker - Chet Baker Sings & Plays (Blue Note Tone Poet) [LP]
$39.00
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Bass player Ron Carter’s debut album Where? features Eric Dolphy (clarinet, sax, flute) and Mal Waldron (piano). The album was originally released in 1961 having been recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studios in New Jersey. This new edition of the album is released as part of the Original Jazz Classics Series and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at RTI with all-analog mastering from the original tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and presented in a Tip-On Jacket.
Ron Carter, Mal Waldron, Eric Dolphy - Where? [Original Jazz Classics Series LP]
$39.00
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Originally released in 1963, “Caravan” was Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers' first album for Riverside Records. Featured in addition to Blakey are Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Curtis Fuller (trombone), Wayne Shorter (sax), Cedar Walton (piano) and Reggie Workman (bass). This new edition is released as part of the Original Jazz Classics Series and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at RTI with all-analog mastering from the original tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and presented in a Tip-On Jacket.
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Caravan [Original Jazz Classics Series LP]
$39.00
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“Know What I Mean?” was originally released in 1960 as a collaboration between jazz saxophonist Cannonball Adderley and legendary pianist Bill Evans, along with the rhythm section of the Modern Jazz Quartet, Percy Heath (bass) and Connie Kay (drums). This new edition of the album is released as part of the OJC Series and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at RTI with (AAA) lacquers cut from the original master tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio. It is presented in a Tip-On Jacket.
Cannonball Adderley with Bill Evans - Know What I Mean? (Original Jazz Classics Series) [LP]
$39.00
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Originally released on Milestone in 1969, the hard-bop cult classic Power to the People finds legendary saxophone virtuoso Joe Henderson soaring in the intersection of thematic development and ecstatically pure sound, joined by a titanic rhythm section featuring Mike Lawrence, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Jack DeJohnette. This Jazz Dispensary reissue was mastered from the original analog tapes by Kevin Gray, pressed on 180-gram vinyl at RTI, and comes packaged in a gatefold tip-on jacket.
Joe Henderson - Power To The People [Jazz Dispensary Top Shelf Series LP]
$30.00
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Limited Direct Metal Mastered 180gm vinyl LP pressing of this classic album. Wax Time.
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Moanin' [Import]
$21.01
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Jazz vocalist Helen Humes’ second album on Contemporary Records, “Songs I Like to Sing!” was released in 1961 and is conducted by Marty Paich. Backed by musicians including Art Pepper (sax), Leroy Vinnegar (bass), Shelly Manne (drums), Barney Kessel (guitar) and Andre Previn (piano). This new edition released as part of the Acoustic Sounds Series, features (AAA) Lacquers cut from a 1/4" flat tape copy of the original master tape by Bernie Grundman and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at QRP.
Helen Humes - Songs I Like To Sing! [Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds Series LP]
$30.00
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Recorded in 1960, Art Pepper’s 5th album release on Contemporary Records, “Intensity”, was released in 1963. A collection of 7 jazz standards the album features Dolo Coker (piano) along with Jimmy Bond (bass), and Frank Butler (drums). This new edition, released as part of the Acoustic Sounds Series, features (AAA) lacquers cut from the original master tapes by Bernie Grundman and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at QRP, and presented in a tip-on jacket.
Art Pepper Quintet - Intensity [Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds Series LP]
$30.00
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Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers' Hard Drive is a classic album from the hard bop era. The seven track collection was recorded in New York City in October of 1957 and released on the Bethlehem label in December of that same year. It finds drummer/leader Blakey flanked by the likes of Bill Hardman (trumpet), Johnny Griffin (tenor saxophone), Junior Mance/Sam Dockery (piano) and Spanky DeBrest (bass). Remastered 96 kHz/24 bit audio pressed on 180 gram vinyl LP at Precision Record Pressing in Canada.
Art Blakey  & Jazz Messengers - Hard Drive [Remastered]
$28.00
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Recorded live at The Renaissance in Hollywood, CA on Oct 14 1960, Ben Webster at the Renaissance was released on Contemporary Records. Featuring with Saxophonist Webster are Jim Hall (guitar), Jimmy Rowles (piano), Red Mitchell (bass), and Frank Butler (drums). This new edition, released as part of the Acoustic Sounds Series, features (AAA) lacquers cut from the original master tapes by Bernie Grundman and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at QRP, and presented in a tip-on jacket.
Ben Webster - At The Renaissance  [Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds Series LP]
$30.00
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A never-before-released studio album vinyl by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's Hackensack, New Jersey studio on March 8, 1959, and featuring the legendary drummer-whose centennial is being celebrated this year-along with trumpeter Lee Morgan, tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, pianist Bobby Timmons, and bassist Jymie Merritt. The 6-song set includes 2 previously unissued compositions: "Quick Trick" and "Jimerick."

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Just Coolin' [LP]
$28.00
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Released in 1963 on the Contemporary Records label, “The Cry!” Is a free jazz album by saxophonists Prince Lasha and Sonny Simmons. Also featured are Gary Peacock and Mark Proctor (bass), and Gene Stone (drums). This new edition, released as part of the Acoustic Sounds Series, features (AAA) lacquers cut from the original master tapes by Bernie Grundman and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at QRP, and presented in a tip-on jacket.
Prince Lasha Quintet - The Cry! [Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds Series LP]
$30.00
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High-definition premium 180 gram vinyl pressing of this classic Jazz album. Although this album marks Thelonious Monk's sole recording as a member of Art Blakey's celebrated Jazz Messengers, the pianist and drummer were very close friends who understood each other well on both a personal and musical level. In fact, Blakey was present on both Monk's first and last studio sessions, spanning a period of 24 years from the 1947 quintet and trio recordings to the last sets taped in London in 1971, when Blakey and Monk were touring with the group called the "Giants of Jazz" (which also included Sonny Stitt, Dizzy Gillespie, Kai Winding and Al McKibbon). in fact, all of these recordings (the 1947 sessions debuting the very personal musical conception of Thelonious Monk, this amazing 1957 session with the Messengers made during the zenith of Monk's career and the 1971 London session) are true masterpieces in their own right. Art Blakey's presence on all of these recordings was not purely accidental as he and Monk shared a common artistic feeling. Blakey never made a secret of his admiration for Monk both as a pianist and as a composer. With the exception of Johnny Griffin's "Purple Shades", all of the compositions on this album are classic Thelonious Monk tunes. "I always record some of my songs over again", explained Monk during a 1965 interview with Les Tomkins, "but it's not going to be the same because I don't think of playing it the same way as I thought of playing it before. And then it might be with a different instrumentation. Like, some things I might play with the tenor now had alto before. I have to think differently of voicing the tenor, so that automatically eliminates the alto sound. That's why I think there's no harm in doing things over- because these songs are supposed to live." the addition of the trumpet here is a departure from Monk's typical classic quartet format, and all of the musicians featured here are different as well, making this music sound completely fresh. Wax Time Records. 2010.
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Art Blakeys Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk
$20.01
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Bringing together trumpeter Howard McGhee and saxophonist Teddy Edwards, “Together Again!!!!” was originally released on Contemporary Records in 1961. In addition to Edwards and McGhee, the album features Phineas Newborn Jr. (piano), Ray Brown (bass), and Ed Thigpen (drums). This new edition, released as part of the Acoustic Sounds Series, features (AAA) lacquers cut from the original master tapes by Bernie Grundman and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at QRP, and presented in a tip-on jacket.
Teddy Edwards & Howard McGhee - Together Again!!!! [Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds Series LP]
$30.00
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Recorded in 1961 and released by Contemporary Records the same year, “Maggie's Back in Town!!” Is the second album released on the label by jazz trumpeter Howard McGhee. Also featured are the players Phineas Newborn Jr, Leroy Vinnegar and Shelly Manne. This new edition, released as part of the Acoustic Sounds Series, features (AAA) lacquers cut from the original master tapes by Bernie Grundman and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at QRP, and presented in a tip-on jacket.
Howard McGhee - Maggie's Back In Town!! [Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds Series LP]
$30.00
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Hampton Hawes, “For Real!” was recorded in 1958 but not released on the Contemporary Records label until 1961. Featuring Hawes (piano) alongside Harold Land (tenor sax), Scott LaFaro (bass) and Frank Butler (drums) the album incudes a mixture of both jazz standards and originals. This new edition, released as part of the Acoustic Sounds Series, features (AAA) lacquers cut from the original master tapes by Bernie Grundman and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at QRP, and presented in a tip-on jacket.
Hampton Hawes - For Real! [Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds Series LP]
$30.00
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Harold Land’s hard bop album “The Fox” was originally released in 1960, with Contemporary Records reissuing it in ‘69. Featuring Harold Land (tenor sax), Dupree Bolton (trumpet), Elmo Hope (piano), Herbie Lewis (bass), Frank Butler (drums) it was produced by David Axelrod. This new edition, released as part of the Acoustic Sounds Series, features (AAA) lacquers cut from the original analog tapes by Bernie Grundman and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at QRP, and presented in a tip-on jacket.
Harold Land - The Fox [Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds Series LP]
$30.00
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Recorded live at the Black Hawk, San Francisco in September 1959, “At The Blackhawk, Vol 1” is the first of 4 volumes released in 1960. Featuring six cuts, Manne (drums), is joined by Joe Gordon (trumpet), Richie Kamuca (tenor sax), Victor Feldman (piano) and Monty Budwig (bass). This new edition of the album is released as part of the Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds series on 180-gram vinyl pressed at QRP with (AAA) lacquers cut from the original tapes by Bernie Grundman and is presented in a tip-on jacket.
Shelly Manne & His Men - At The Black Hawk, Vol. 1 [Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds Series LP]
$30.00
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Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing. A true masterpiece by Wes Montgomery in a quartet format with Tommy Flanagan on piano. Wax Time.
Wes Montgomery - Incredible Jazz Guitar [Import]
$21.01
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Acoustic Sounds and Contemporary Records present this new reissue of Art Pepper’s 1960 album “Smack Up”. Recorded by legendary engineer Roy DuNann the album also features Jack Sheldon (trumpet), Pete Jolly (piano), Jimmy Bond (bass), and Frank Butler (drums). This new edition is pressed on 180-gram vinyl pressed at QRP with (AAA) lacquers cut from the original tapes by Bernie Grundman and is presented in a tip-on jacket.
Art Pepper Quintet - Smack Up: Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds Series [LP]
$30.00
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Includes 1 Bonus Track! Limited Edition in Solid Orange Colored Vinyl. 180 gram. New Collection Of Colored Classic LPs. Limited Edition. Direct Metal Mastering.
Dave Brubeck - Time Out (Bonus Track) [Colored Vinyl] [Limited Edition] [180 Gram] (Org)
$23.01
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What Do We Do Now is the fifth solo studio LP recorded by J Mascis since 1996. This is obviously not a very aggressive release schedule, but when you figure in the live albums, guest spots, and records done with his various other bands (Dinosaur Jr., The Fog, Heavy Blanket, Witch, Sweet Apple, and so on), well, to paraphrase Lou Reed, “J's week beats your year.”

What Do We Do Now began to come together during the waning days of the Pandemic. Utilizing his own Bisquiteen Studio, J started working on writing a series of tunes on acoustic with a different dynamic than the stuff he creates for Dino. “When I'm writing for the band,” he says, “I'm always trying to think of doing things Lou and Murph would fit into. For myself, I'm thinking more about what I can do with just an acoustic guitar, even for the leads. Of course, this time, I added full drums and electric leads, although the rhythm parts are still all acoustic. Usually, I try to do the solo stuff more simply so I can play it by myself, but I really wanted to add the drums. Once that started, everything else just fell into place. So it ended up sounding a lot more like a band record. I dunno why I did that exactly, but it's just what happened.”

Two guest musicians are playing this time out; Western Mass local Ken Mauri (of the B52s) plays piano on several tracks. Since J himself has some experience with keys, when asked why he needed a hired gun, he says, “Ken is great, and he plays all the keys. I tried playing some keyboards on the first Fog album, but I'm really only comfortable playing the white notes, so it's kind of limiting. [laughs] Nowadays, I could just turn the pitch on a mini Mellotron to play different sounds, but black keys just seem hard. For whatever reason, I just like banging on the white ones. Seems like it's harder to figure out how to stretch your fingers around the other ones.”

Mauri has no such qualms and plays all the keys very damn well. He sounds especially great on “I Can't Find You,” where he is Jack Nitzsche to J's Neil Young, creating one of the album's loveliest tunes. The other guest musician, Matthew “Doc” Dunn, is also prominent on this track. Dunn's steel guitar manages to both widen and soften the musical edges of the music, giving it a full classicist profile. Dunn is an Ontario-based polymath who J met through Matt Valentine. After J played on Doc's great 2022 Sub Pop single, “Your Feel,” he figured it was time for payback. Both Dunn and Mauri add beautifully to the songs here, helping to transform them from acoustic sketches into full-blown post-core power ballads.

What Do We Do Now is the finest set of solo tunes J has yet penned, and the way they're presented is just about perfect. Asked if he would be touring to support the album, J says he'll be doing some weekend dates, but he probably won't be putting a band together. And I'm sure these songs will sound great solo and acoustic, but the arrangements on this album are truly great and put a cool, different spin on Mascis' instantly recognizable approach to making music.

So, what do we do now? Not sure. But apparently, what J does is to make one of his most killer records ever. Hats off to him.

–Byron Coley

J Mascis - What Do We Do Now [Clear Purple LP]
$25.00 Video
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Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing including bonus track. On June 25 and July 1, 1959, Dave Brubeck recorded Time Out, which became such a huge success that even the musicians were taken by surprise. The formation took the challenge of experimenting with musical forms foreign to jazz. Most of them were composed by Brubeck himself, as can be seen on Time Out. One of the catchiest melodies on that album, however, "Take Five" was a Paul Desmond composition. It would become the quartet's most celebrated tune. Countdown -Time in Outer Space is yet another item in the series of trying new forms. It was culled from a series of 1961 sessions which also yielded material for other albums, such as Further Time Out. The front cover features the painting Orange and Black Wall by Franz Kline. In Australia the album appeared on the Coronet label. It was dedicated to Lt. Col. John H. Glenn, a now retired United States Marine Corps pilot, astronaut, and United States senator, who was a combat aviator in the Marine Corps, and member of the Mercury Seven: the elite U.S. military test pilots selected by NASA to operate the experimental Mercury spacecraft -they became the first American astronauts. The only alternate take of one of the tunes of our album ("Waltz Limp"), originally appeared on a Columbia compilation LP of various artists titled The Giants of Jazz (CS 8770).
Dave Brubeck - Countdown Time In Outer Space (Bonus Track) [180 Gram]
$20.01
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Acclaimed vibraphonist Joel Ross returns with the release of his remarkable album nublues, a collection of ballads and blues as seen through the lens of one of the most creative modern jazz groups featuring Immanuel Wilkins, Jeremy Corren, Kanoa Mendenhall, and Jeremy Dutton, as well as special guest Gabrielle Garo. The band moves seamlessly across the blues-imbued musical terrain of this 10-track set which includes 7 new Ross originals and pieces by John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk.

Joel Ross - nublues [2LP]
$38.01
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Available on vinyl for the first time since its original release 50 years ago, the downtempo-funk extravaganza People & Love is a crate-digger's treasure chest, filled with soul-jazz grooves and mesmerizing vibraphone textures laid down by Johnny Lytle, who was touted as "the greatest vibes player in the world" by the big band legend Lionel Hampton. The album was mastered from the original analog tapes by Kevin Gray, pressed on 180-gram vinyl at RTI, and comes packaged in a tip-on jacket.
Johnny Lytle - People & Love [LP]
$30.00
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New Blue Sun is the continuation of discovery for me. My entire career has been fueled by this and it is the only thing that keeps me honest. This album is the most honest and interesting offering I can give today. I never could have imagined in high school, when I started rapping and doing music that I would be here right now playing wind instruments. Ha. This life ride always surprises me. I’m here for it.” — Andre 3000

This limited edition 3-LP vinyl is pressed on 180g black vinyl with fold out poster, printed inner sleeves and note from the artist.

Andre 3000 - New Blue Sun [Limited Edition 3LP]
$84.00

        
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