One of my favorite records stores (if not favorite) in the NY area is Academy Records in Brooklyn. Take the L train under the water into Brooklyn, get out at the first stop Bedford, make a right on 6th street and you’ll run into it eventually. Big space with a lot of records, a lot of vibe, music lives in that place. I always feel like a kid walking into a candy store there. If you ever get a chance try to pass by.

Led Zeppelin: In Through the Out Door, 1979, Swan Song
Led Zeppelin: Coda, 1982, Swan Song

These are the two last releases of this legendary band that probably is one of the most influential UK bands to influence modern music (together with The Beatles and The Stones). ‘Coda’ is a post mortem work of previously recorded material that was released several year after the split of the group due to Bonham’s death (the drummer). Below is a link to a live version of ‘we’re gonna groove’, the opening track. ‘In Through the Out Door’ is still Led at its best, although soundwise they are more mature and dare I to say with the the 80’s looming at the door slightly more accessible sometimes. Still great stuff!

Les McCann & Eddie Harris: Swiss Movement, 1969, Atlantic
It’s a live recording from the Montreux Jazz festival in 69 with the beautiful opening song ‘Compared to What’. You can listen to most of the song in the YouTube link below, it’s the only song with lyrics on the record, but with so much soul and swing you just fall in love with it immediately. A Jazz record can be so much powerful as a live recording when you hear the audience digging the group and you feel the group just feeling each other; both of these characteristics are all over this record. Les plays piano mostly Hard Bop, Eddie’s Sax is all over the place. Great record and one of the better live jazzz recordings I know.

The Bar-Kays: Soulfinger, 1967, Volt
A story again: Soulfinger is the song that made me re-discover funk and soul. I was a kid watching a comedy movie Spies Like Us with Dan Akroyd and Chevy Chase. In that movie there is a scene where Soviet soldiers are having a party in a cold snowy part of the Sovietunion and drinking vodka to a funky azzzz song. That song is Soul Finger by the Bar Kays. The next record I bought was my first Funk/Soul record ever and Soulfinger was on it. Recently is was also used in another soon to be classic comedy movie Superbad. Ladies and Gentlemen, know your history!

Archie Bell & The Drells: Tighten Up, 1968, Atlantic
Archie Bell, hailing out of houston, the best thing to ever come out of Texas. Well, except for George W. Bush off course … take it easy, I’m just kidding … maybe . Tighten Up is a tune that we all probably know and have heard at some point. Other than this album Archie & Co. have not really released anything revolutionary so make use of what we have.

The Fatback Band: Let’s do it again, 1973, Perception Records
This records is their debut (I believe). It is pretty rare, this is only the second time I run into it. I love debut records of bands that become famous! That means their debut was raw, rare and real otherwise the band would not have become big. And this debut is no different.

Headhunters: Survival of the Fittest, 1975, Arista
A little history: my first Herbie Hancock record was “Head Hunters”, probably one of the most sold Jazz-Funk records ever. The group backing HH on that record persuintly released two solo albums under the name ‘Headhunters’ of which this one is the first. Here it comes, ready or not: Funk-Jazz supreme, need I say more, enjoy.

Yma Sumac: Voice of the Xtabay, 1955, Capitol
Where do I start with this one? I should probably write a lot more like that this lady has an incredible voice, was a big lounge music singer in the 50’s, was probably the only Peruvian to ever make it kinda big in the US. But no, to me she was, is and will always be the music in porn king Jackie Treehorn’s garden as the flames rose and beautiful naked women were jumping up and down on a trampoline. Classic!

Quincy Jones: Big Band Bossa Nova, 1962, Mercury Records
If I was ever looking for the definition of a boombastic jazz style then this would definitely be it. We recently posted another Quincy Jones (you’ve got it bad girl), but this one is definitely one of his classics. Off course the epical Soul Bossa Nova has something to do with it, however lets not deny the importance of Austin Powers’s dance moves to that tune. The rest of the album has a very similar feel to it with, as the title says, a big band playing clean jazz-bossa nova. Remember, this album dates to 1962, bossa nova was still not that big, and the even more epical Getz/Gilberto ‘Girl from Ipanema’ (one of my all time favorites!) was not released yet.

Lonnie Liston Smith: Expansions, 1975, Flying Dutchmen
Lonnie Liston Smith is a true Fusion musician. Unlike many of the great jazz artists from his days, who mostly made a transition from hard bop to fusion, he is a pianist/keyboardist that only stepped to the forefront and made a name for himself at the dawn of fusion. This records is one of his first releases under his name and as leader of his own group. Expansions is a fusion classic with a smooth feel to it and off course that classic break for all you old school folks.