Jimmy McGriff  “Fly Dude”  Groove Merchant Records (1972)

(36 votes, average: 3.28 out of 5)

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Connie Canuso  “Someone Painted Rudolph’s Nose a Chocolate Brown”  Applause Records

(36 votes, average: 3.56 out of 5)

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“Momma’s Twistin’ with Santa Claus”  Mark Anthony  LaBelle Records

(32 votes, average: 3.25 out of 5)

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Kool for Katz  Dick Katz  PYE Records (UK)   With drums, guitar and bass – Katz’s first sides as a leader after a decade with Ray Ellington.

(46 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)

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Captain Kangaroo  My Name Records (1977)

(35 votes, average: 2.97 out of 5)

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“Polka Dances”  National Dance Orchestra Halo Records   Courtesy of LP cover lover, MSgt Donald Patterson, Music Production Chief/Staff  Arranger, “The President’s Own”, United States Marine Band

(41 votes, average: 3.34 out of 5)

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Paul Gonzalves Quartet  “Boom-Jackie, Boom-Chick”  (1964)  Vocalion Records (UK)  One of the most expensive and toughest albums to track down.  This sells for over a grand on ebay if it shows up .  Only 500 copies were pressed .  The latin-flavored title track is a dedication to Jack Sharpe, one time jazz club owner, taxi driver and legendary London character.  Gonsalves was a good mate of Sharpe’s, and Jackie “supervised” the album. Gonsalves died in Sharpe’s flat in 1974.  Tremendous work from saxophonist Paul Gonsalves — one of his rare UK sessions from the 60s, all of which show that he had a tremendous sound that went way beyond his more famous work with Duke Ellington! The style here is tight, hip, and very grooving — work by a quartet that features Gonsalves on tenor, plus Pat Smythe on piano, Kenny Napper on bass, and Ronnie Stevenson on drums — all hitting a soulful hardbop style that’s very much like the best Tubby Hayes records from the time!  Gonsalves’ tone is incredible — with that raspy, almost flatted mode that he used with Ellington — and it really stretches out here with plenty of room for creativity, in a way that makes us wonder why nobody ever got this one issued over on our side of the Atlantic.  – Dusty Groove

(37 votes, average: 3.76 out of 5)

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James Dean on the cover.  “Memories of American Hit Films”  Leon Pops Orchestra  (Japan)

(41 votes, average: 3.88 out of 5)

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A rare Bridget Bardot cover from Iran.  A Monogram Records EP from the sixties.   Features unrelated music by Herve Vilard, The Sandpipers and the Four Tops.  This is on eBay now for $300.

(42 votes, average: 3.81 out of 5)

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The Who “Happy Jack” / “Whiskey Man” Single – Decca Records, US (1966).  Illustration by gonzo artist Ralph Steadman

(47 votes, average: 3.51 out of 5)

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