Not Now Vinyl, CD & Tape 97 Items

Piaf is a legend who lived a life straight from a Hollywood movie, enduring hardships and acclaim in equal measure, her music is testament to a spectacular life. Never has an artist embodied the material they performed as much as Edith Piaf; enjoy her legacy in this definitive 2LP set.

Paul Chambers came to New York in the latter part of 1955 and since then has devoted the majority of his time to working with Miles Davis. Miles the perfectionist, did well in choosing Paul as his regular bassist. Paul's exciting bowed and pizzicato solos and his solid rhythmic line helped spark Miles' quintet to the lofty heights it achieved in clubs and on records. Paul too has benefitted greatly from his association with Miles. No musician with any degree of sensitivity can work night after night behind the "Great Man" without absorbing some of his profound musical wisdom and the results of Paul's exposure to Miles can be heard in his music. He is a complete musician now with a deep and expansive conception that, combined with his always brilliant technical prowess marks him as the bass player to watch, or rather the bass player to listen to.

Few would argue with Frank Sinatra’s pole position in popular music. From the dark days of World War II to the fall of the Berlin Wall, Sinatra’s voice has always been there as the soundtrack to our lives. Such was his pre-eminence as icon and actor,
that Sinatra’s status as a pop star is often overlooked. That omission is rectified here, with the release of The Singles Collection - 42 tracks bookending a decade of Sinatra hits, covering the period 1953-1962. Enjoy this magnificent compilation including "Three Coins In The Fountain", "Sentimental Journey" and "Young At Heart".

Special Collector's Gatefold Edition

There is little doubt that John Lee Hooker was one of the most commercially successful blues artists that ever lived. He rose above his contemporaries with worldwide hit records and a particularly long series of albums, and a career that lasted for over sixty years. He was always prolific and attracted other artists to collaborate with him without ever losing his own highly distinctive style. One of the real and lasting strengths of "That's My Story" as an album is in its immediacy. Orrin Keepnews knew just how to use studio microphone placement to make the listener feel right in the middle of the session. Nothing extraneous is used to move John Lee away from you, making it evident that the producer's original intention with the album has certainly been fulfilled. No wonder that this laid-back work, so quickly recorded, has stood the test of time as one of John Lee Hooker's most revered records.

It takes one to know one. Which is why jazz drummers have always been ready to join the queue when assessing Art Blakey's influence, not only in the field of percussion but in the shaping of his chosen genre. Max Roach described him as "An original - the only drummer whose time I recognise immediately. When I first met him on 52nd Street in 1944, he already had the polyrhythmic thing down. He was doing it before anybody else." Thelonious Monk Jr concurred: "When I became a drummer, I learned how to swing from Art Blakey. What he did with the hi-hat and his roll got pressed into my soul. He had a primal approach to drums." All of which warmed the ears of Blakey, who admitted that his aim was to be one of the greatest drummers in the world- an ambition which he undoubtedly achieved.

Few debut singles have made such an impact, or left such a mark, as the Zombies’ 1964 She’s Not There. Hard to believe that the group had only been together a year when they came to record this timeless classic. Long after its release, many fans believe the Zombies’ album recorded at Abbey Road worthy of comparison to Sgt. Pepper… Released in April 1968, Odessey & Oracle was largely ignored on its release – though today original copies sell for £500. Odessey & Oracle is widely hailed as one of the key albums of the late 60s - and was ranked No.80 in the Rolling Stone poll for the Greatest Albums Of All Time.

A significant moment in the early career of Nina Simone came when she was invited to perform not just at a Town Hall, but the New York City Town Hall, one of the most prestigious venues in America. It happened on the night of 15 September 1959, when the young singer and pianist performed a selection of ballads, standards and traditional songs that perfectly suited her own musical tastes and talents. As a rising star and proud representative of African-American culture, Nina showed audiences and critics alike, her prowess as a commanding and gifted performer.

Keyboardist, bandleader and composer Dave Brubeck is the man the New York Times credited with 'helping make jazz popular again in the Fifties and Sixties. He did not always please the critics (but) the oppositional push and- pull between his piano and Paul Desmond's alto saxophone make the Brubeck Quartet's best work still sound original.' In Britain, the Daily Telegraph called Brubeck 'one of the most famous jazz musicians of the 20th century', adding that 'his recording of "Take Five" remains one of the few jazz records instantly recognised by members of the general public.' But, as fans know, there was more to Dave Brubeck's music than one composition or album. Dave Brubeck left a legacy of material that outlives the time and place it first came into being.

Del Shannon did not fit the typical teen-idol mould other pop singers of the early Sixties were shoehorned into. Although he certainly had the required good looks, his songs had a brooding intensity to them, with recurring themes of loss and rejection that didn't sit well with the typical pop-star image of the time. In many respects he was similar to the UK's John Leyton and did a lot to pave the way for the British Invasion and the huge expansion to the boundaries of what could be considered pop music.

America's Italian immigrants have had a disproportionate effect on the country's culture, and especially music. The likes of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Perry Como and Al Martino lit up the airwaves with their cultured crooning and are still revered in the current century. Mario Lanza is another name to rank up there with the greats. His story ended in 1959 at the age of only 38 yet, for one golden postwar decade, his was the name on everyone's lips. He was also one of Hollywood's biggest stars, and from the moment he burst onto the screen in That Midnight Kiss in 1949 through to his last film, Lanza's good looks and exuberant personality made him a big-screen natural.

John William Coltrane is today recognised as one of the most influential figures in the history of jazz. Yet when he first appeared in the ranks of Dizzy Gillespie's orchestra at the end of the 1940s, no-one would have predicted this diffident young man in his early twenties would, within a decade, become an iconic musician dedicated to taking music into hitherto undreamt-of dimensions. This album captures John Coltrane at the peak of his solo career, though of course, there was more significant music to come.

When stars collide, sparks will fly. At least that's the theory. Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington accepted the invitation to record together with dignity and polite courtesy. While keen to see what this pairing might produce artistically speaking, it was certainly an historic occasion. As the red light went on and the tapes rolled, Duke on piano and Louis on trumpet and vocals, backed by the Armstrong All-Stars began to play. As Ellington hits the keys on a riff that sounds suspiciously like C Jam Blues and Satchmo sings cheerfully 'Baby, take me down to Duke's Place!' the champions are ready to exchange ideas rather than blows. Perhaps unsurprisingly Louis soon emerged from this unique musical gathering as the natural born leader. But all the source material was firmly Ellingtonian. Both men had enjoyed extraordinary careers and were world renowned figures when the idea of bringing them together was first proposed.

There is little about Cliff Richard that hasn't already been said. He has remained in the music business and the spotlight for more than half a century, garnering both praise and criticism as he notched upwards of 250 million global record sales. Such a career spans generations, and while some have witnessed his journey from the get-go, other, younger listeners might not be so familiar with Sir Cliff's rock'n'roll roots!

As the tracks on this collection prove, Nelson was a cut above all the other 'teen idols' who attempted to fill the gap left when Elvis disappeared into the army. His records are both varied and inventive, and it all began in 1957 when Ricky, still a teenager, enjoyed his first hit with "A Teenager's Romance". Enjoy this compilation including "Hello Mary Lou", "Poor Little Fool", "Stood Up" and many more!

Chesney Henry Baker Jr was more than just a trumpet player. He was so many things to so many people. To some, a Bix Beiderbecke for the post-bebop generation, forever creating lyrical phrases that sometimes jumped for joy, or opting for a melancholy beauty, so sad you could almost hear the tears falling. To others he was a flawed Hollywood hero, a face that set him apart from the usual run of 52nd Street icons; a From Here To Eternity Montgomery Clift or James Dean in headhung frustration in Rebel Without A Cause. Released in 1959 the Chet album proved to be one of the trumpet star s last offerings before heading back to Europe for what would become know as the Milano sessions.

A solar flare of cosmic sounds heralded the rising star Sun Ra when the pianist, composer and band leader first shone over the musical landscape in the 1950s and 1960s. He caused quite a stir with innovative albums that introduced electronics, special effects and unusual arrangements into a jazz world that sometimes slid into comfortable conservatism, despite its radical roots. This comprehensive collection of the best recordings from the formative stages of his career, enables the listener to hear with fresh ears the legendary Mr. Ra’s unique contribution.

All he was buyin’ was rags’n’old iron….’ When Nina Simone waltzes into a song that exudes such bitter-sweet poignancy, her extraordinary singing voice sends chills down the spine and grips the imagination in a way few others can. The Oscar Brown Jnr. composition Rags And Old Iron was a perfect vehicle for Simone, and its inclusion on this 1961 solo album demonstrated her admiration for Brown’s work as a lyricist, as well as his roles as a singer and activist. It is one of a selection of superb performances that helped establish Nina’s reputation as a singer and pianist whose appeal would extend well beyond the realms of jazz and soul. Of course, these musical genres were the cornerstones of her work but, ultimately, she transcended categorisation. Simone was a woman of substance, a powerful personality and a singularly captivating artist.

The Newport Jazz Festival at Rhode Island was first established in 1954 and quickly became one of the main summer happenings in America’s jazz calendar. It became the place to be - a showcase for jazz performers, established stars and innovators alike… Nina Simone was booked to play the opening night at the seventh edition of the festival on 30 June 1960. However, it wasn’t the best of times to appear there - it was the year when the hooligans made their way to Rhode Island to gatecrash the festival. These tussles caused the cancellation of several performances. But whatever the circumstances, Nina Simone was confident that she could make an impact. At the conclusion of Simone’s set, the crowd rose to its feet and offered the kind of ovation that would only be surpassed when she returned to the festival again in 1966, causing an audience of 15,000 to stand and cheer.

Chuck Berry created a body of work that stands today as not only the first but arguably the best in rock’n’roll. He was something of a child prodigy and gave his first public performance while still at school. His first release on the Chess label was in July 1955. Featured here are his greatest hits such as "School Day", "Sweet Little Sixteen", "Johnny B. Goode" and many more.

Charismatic showman Richard blazed a trail with his sequined jackets and frenetic pounding of the piano keys.
His breakthrough track, "Tutti Frutti", would not only make him a star and kick off an influential career that would span over half a century, but was one of the templates for what we now know as popular music. Indeed, as People magazine proclaimed
"There could not have been a Michael Jackson if there had not been a Little Richard" .Enjoy this 3LP set including "Long Tall Sally", "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Tutti Frutti"

Roy Orbison was a rare solo hitmaker in the group-dominated Sixties, using the experience gained following in the footsteps of Elvis at Sun Records to register UK and US chart-toppers. His music will surely be enjoyed for many years to come, and this fantastic collection, covering the story from Sun to his Sixties heyday, gives you many good reasons why. Enjoy this excellent 2LP set including "Only The Lonely", "Running Scared", "Crying" and many more.

Muddy Waters was the greatest blues musician ever, and the most influential. He invented electric blues, inspired
the Rolling Stones and created the template for the rock’n’roll band and its wild lifestyle. Enjoy his Chess singles
here on our superb 2LP set.

includes full Bags & Trane album!

180gram vinyl