Jeff Beck, Blow By Blow, 1975 on Epic

Jeff Beck is a guitarists’ guitarist – constantly named by other greats as one of the greatest but not given quite the same public acclaim. This 1975 album…

Abbey Lincoln, Abbey is Blue, 1960 on Riverside

I first discovered Abbey Lincoln via Vinyl Me Please’s reissue of It’s Magic from 1958, in the VMP Classics Series. This album was a followup to that, her…

Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, 1958 on Blue Note

Fantastic late 50s “hard bop” jazz record, with Clark joined by Art Farmer (trumpet), Jackie McLean (alto sax), Paul Chambers (bass), and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Recorded…

Violent Femmes, Violent Femmes (box set), 2024 on Craft Recordings

This was one of my favorite albums of the 1980s (it came out on Slash Records in 1983), and I’ve been looking forever for a decent copy on…

Sinéad O’Connor, The Lion and the Cobra, 1987 on Chrysalis / Ensign

This was Sinéad’s debut album and is still just astonishingly great. The spoken word intro in gaelic by Enya before “Never Get Old” is Psalm 91: For He…

Traffic, Welcome to the Canteen, 1971 on United Artists

As a result of some contractual disputes, this is credited on the labels and cover directly to Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Dave Mason, Chris Wood, Rick Grech, “Reebop”…

Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington, Ella at Duke’s Place, 1966 on Verve

The album is divided between “The Pretty, The Lovely, The Tender, The Hold-Me-Close Side” and “The Finger-Snapping, Head-Shaking, Toe-Tapping, Go-For-Yourself Side.” Recorded by Val Valentin and produced by…

Art Farmer, Portrait of Art Farmer, 1958 on Stereo Records

“Stereo Records” was a jazz label made by Contemporary Records in 1958 to push records made with the new-fangled stereo technology: Stereophonic two-channel disc recording utilizing Westrex 45-45…

David Porter, Chapter 1: Back in the Day, 2022 on MIME Records

David Porter is maybe best well-known as a songwriter and producer – the staff writer at Stax records who penned “Hold On, I’m Coming” and “Soul Man” among…

Michelle Shocked, The Texas Campfire Tapes, 1986 on Mercury / Cooking Vinyl

This was the debut album for Michelle Shocked, purportedly recorded by Cooking Vinyl founder Pete Lawrence on a Sony Walkman at an unplanned performance at the Kerrville Folk…

Joe Jackson, I’m the Man, 1979 on A&M

I knew Joe Jackson’s music from the early 80s – he was pretty hard to avoid on mainstream radio at that point – but I don’t think I…

Joe Henderson, Mode for Joe, 1966 on Blue Note

This was Henderson’s fifth studio album (as a band leader), joined by: Lee Morgan (trumpet), Chris Fuller (trombone), Bobby Hutcherson (vibes), Cedar Walton (piano), Ron Carter (bass), and…

Milt Jackson, Ballads & Blues, 1956 on Atlantic

Jackson’s most well know as the vibraphonist in the Modern Jazz Quartet but he also collaborated and recorded with many other bop musicians. Here he is joined by…

Coleman Hawkins and His Orchestra, Hollywood Stampede, 1972 on Capitol

Seventies reissue – volume 5 in the Capitol Jazz Classics series – with songs taken from sessions in February and March of 1945. Players joining Hawkins on these…

Various Artists, The Endless Coloured Ways: The Songs of Nick Drake, 2023 on Chrysalis

Tribute album full of covers of Nick Drake songs, by modern artists including: Fontaines D.C., David Gray, John Parish & Aldous Harding, Ben Harper, Joe Henry & Meshell…

Depeche Mode, Some Great Reward, 1984 on Sire

I’ve not shared many Depeche Mode records here, mostly because I’m sharing new additions to my collection and I don’t find many DM records I don’t already have,…

Waylon Jennings, The Taker / Tulsa, 1971 on RCA/Victor

Love this early 70s Waylon Jennings. It’s only 30 minutes long but has great takes on some Kris Kristofferson tunes like “Lovin’ Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll…

Commodores, All the Great Hits, 1982 on Motown

Wonderful collection of Commodores songs – their second compilation of hits, with many more to follow. “Lady.” “Sail On,” “Brick House,” “Easy,” and “Three Times a Lady” are…

James Taylor, One Man Dog, 1972 on Warner Bros.

This was Taylor’s fourth studio album, with “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight.” 18 tracks means lots of short bits / interludes, some of which can feel a…

Herbie Hancock, Empyrean Isles, 1964 on Blue Note

Early jazz Herbie Hancock – this was his fourth studio LP for Blue Note, backed by Freddie Hubbard on cornet, Ron Carter on bass, and Anthony Williams on…