Sarah Vaughan – Live At The Berlin Philharmonie 1969 – 2LP 180g Mono Version
"This is an absolutely mesmerizing Vaughan performance of 20 smartly chosen and sequenced tunes — some standards in 1969 and some then new and now standards — intimately mic'd that puts her startlingly and transparently in front of you between the speakers. ,,, the credits (read) cut by Kevin Gray using the original master tapes, lacquers processed at QRP and pressed in Germany on 180-gram vinyl. And that's how it sounds! Highly recommended." — Music = 10/11; Sound = 9/11 — Michael Fremer
Scolohofo – Oh! (Tone Poet Series) Blue Note 180G 2LP Vinyl
ScoLoHoFo — the supergroup made up of guitarist John Scofield, saxophonist Joe Lovano, bassist Dave Holland, and drummer Al Foster — first played together as a band in 1999, but the musicians’ associations stretched back decades. Scofield, Holland, and Foster were all alumni of Miles Davis’ groups and they appeared together on Joe Henderson’s 1993 Miles tribute So Near, So Far. Scofield’s acclaimed early-90s quartet featured Lovano as heard on a series of excellent Blue Note albums including Time On My Hands and Meant To Be.
Shakey Jake – Mouth Harp Blues – Analogue Productions 45RPM 180g Vinyl
The late James Harris earned the moniker "Shakey Jake" due to his proficiency at dice, but he was equally adept at the blues game. The Arkansas-born, Chicago-based singer and harmonica blower traveled to Rudy Van Gelder's New Jersey studio in November 1960 to record Mouth Harp Blues.. Jake brought along Jimmie Lee Robinson, the brilliant, fast-fingered guitarist best known for his work with Little Walter's band. Also making tasty contributions to the session was Robert Banks, the New York R&B and gospel studio organist who, in this case, ably appointed himself as a two-fisted blues piano stylist. Among the 10 selections is the distinctively loping "Easy Baby," a tune also associated with Jake's nephew Magic Sam.
Shoji Yokouchi Trio Yuri Tashiro Greensleeves
This is the LA & OC Audio Society version released in an edition of 500 copies on red vinyl. Cover has unique sticker identifying limited edition.
Upon his death in 1996, many within the jazz community heaped fulsome praise on Shoji Yokouchi. To this day, he remains one of Japan's finest jazz guitarists; a dexterous and inventive guitarist capable of playing immaculate, blues-inspired solos on both electric and acoustic guitars. Proof of his skills is provided by this reissue of Greensleeves, an album he recorded in 1978 alongside his regular "Trio" and organist Yuri Tashiro. Musically, the album offers an attractive blend of jazz-funk, "trad" and fusion tracks laden with impeccable solos from both Yokouchi and Tashiro. The best combination of the two players' styles can be found on "Misty", a fine blend of undulating fairground organ flourishes and evocative Spanish guitar.