Listening to Random Jazz Vinyl for Fun and Inspiration
Recently I’ve been pulling random records off the shelf and listening either to a side or the whole album. The impetus has been to just play records I haven’t listened to for a while or because something or someone piqued an interest. For example, as I write this the album I have on the turntable is Cannonball Adderley and the Poll Winners, Riverside 355. My impetus was purchasing a second copy to upgrade the condition, not of the record but of the cover. It turned out that the copy I owned was in pristine condition, but it could use a better cover so I went back to Spike’s Record Rack in Catskill to pick up the copy I had left behind. This 1960 album features Cannonball with Wes Montgomery, Ray Brown, Vic Feldman and Louis Hayes. As if I really needed confirmation, this is quite a great record, with great playing and a nice selection of originals, standards and the Charlie Parker composition Au Privave.
So far, my excursion deeper into the depths of my collection has only yielded positive results. It has convinced me that I could probably pull out virtually any record from my collection and be at the very least satisfied with the quality of the music. Which is saying something, because there are more than 7,000 vinyl records sitting on these shelves. I’m sure there are probably a few records that won’t make my personal grade – I am not partial to the organ, for example – but I have been aggressive about pulling those records out of the collection and moving them off the shelves. What I am going to do with those records is something to be decided, but sometime in the future you might see them in some kind of offering here at Jazz Collector or on eBay. Stay tuned.
l give you a couple of other records that ended up the turntable. The other day my friend Dan sent me a link to the Miles Davis record Blue Moods, Debut 120. He had never heard the record, nor had never heard of it. Fortunately, I had a very nice clean copy sitting right behind me on the shelves so I put it on. Interesting record with very interesting instrumentation, Miles with Britt Woodman on Trombone, Teddy Charles on Vibes, Charles Mingus on Bass and Elvin Jones on drummers. Music is terrific, but the quality of my pressing leaves a lot to be desired. It looks pristine, perhaps played once, but there is some surface noise that seems to be in the pressing, which wouldn’t be surprising, perhaps, as Debut did not have strong financial backing and the recording was back in 1955. Another great thing about these original records are the liner notes. In here, we have stories of Mingus giving Elvin a hard time. Of course, Mingus had a financial stake in Debut and thus would be concerned about the quality of the playing. And, also, he was Mingus, so he didn’t particularly need a reason to be obstreperous. And Elvin was still pretty young and just making his mark. If any of you has this record and wants to take the time to give it a listen, I’d be curious if your copy also has pressing-related surface noise, or if it’s just me.
I have all of the Curtis Counce records on Contemporary, but can’t recall ever listening to one, until last week when I put on The Curtis Counce Group, Contemporary C3526 from 1957. The personnel is Counce on bass with Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Harold Land on tenor, Carl Perkins on piano and Frank Butler on drums. Another winner. Sheldon and Land are both inspired and in their primes.
The final record in this series was a guitar record, Dick Garcia, A Message From Garcia, Dawn 1106. This one looks to be from 1956 and features a young Bill Evans on several tracks. The record is surprisingly well recorded and features some nice playing from Gene Quill on alto. Garcia plays well in the Tal Farlow mode, but not quite as creative or dexterous as Tal, but, then again, no one else was either. Anyway, I recommend all of these records and I recommend going through a similar process if you have listening time, rather than putting on one of your tried and true go-to records. Like me, I imagine you will be pleasantly surprised and perhaps find some inspiration.
I listened again to many of my lps before I recently sold them all off. It was quite fun. Though in some cases I wondered why I bought that lp in the first place.
just listened: my copy is enjoyable, not perfect but with few pressing defects. on first track, very quiet, you can hear Elvin’s brushes in the background quite clearly.
Debut was a low-fidelity label, but this one is ok for me.
Love the use of obstreperous!
dottorjazz — thanks for taking the time to listen. sounds like my copy and yours are similar. something in the pressing. great music though, right?
might have better luck with the Danish Debut pressing. Sometimes those are better (not always). Of course, the Danish issue has an alternate sleeve design that, in this case, isn’t so impressive.
I have a red vinyl Fantasy label version of Blue Moods. It’s a little crackly but not too bad. The music is pretty quite though which doesn’t help the surface noise. But most red fantasy vinyl is
pretty noisey..
I played DEB 120. My copy is a visual NM. There is some ’pitting’ though, which is audible. The surface noise is more than acceptable, with the exception of the second track on side B.
I compared the US original with the French issue of the same year (Vogue- Swing LDM 30.035). The French issue has a slightly better audio quality.
I had the 1962 re issue on Fantasy in red wax which Don mentioned hereinabove. I sold it since it was no improvement on the French issue.
This said, I spent a good time listening twice to this extraordinary music.
I don’t have “Blue Moods,” so I just spun it on Spotify. It sounds great with no surface noise. 😉
I have “Blue Moods” Debut, Danish version(1960), and Fantasy 1962 Mono. My Debut record has some ticks, but no pressing related surface noise. Danish version is good vinyl and sound quality. Fantasy version has some noise. Very unique miles album directed by charles mingus and teddy charles.
I have the fantasy 1962 debut reissue in red vinyl, sounds fine. I then grabbed my original Massey Hall, also ok pressing and sound. Debut was continued in Denmark by Westergaard in Brande, who recorded a memorable session with Brew Moore, Svinget 14, Brew Moore in Europe, with Lars Gullin among others.
Does anybody have the Red mono Fantasy and the blue stereo. I can only compare the the blue stereo with the original French issue , the blue Fantasy has a slight touch of echo ( much like the sound created on some of the Prestige Miles recordings) where the French issue has no such sound. I was interested to know if the mono issue has the same effect or it is like the French issue.
the echo/reverb might be a result of rechanneling for stereo — just a hunch.
Kristian : I need your help concerning the 30 cm Metronome issues of Prestige albums. Would you have an available source to answer the question which albums from the Prestige catalogue have been issued in Denmark under the Metronome banner. I counted 18 Prestige and one New Jazz. Can supply this info to you.
If you ask Al, you may reply directly to my mail adress
vinyl word: I have several fantasy red mono and blue stereo vinyls. Many blue vinyls are reissued from original mono vinyls. So, most of them are rechanneling for stereo with too much echo/reverb sound. Re-issued blue stereo are not good sound quality, but original blue stereo vinyls are very good quality (Vince guaraldi, “Cast Your Fate to the Wind”, “A boy named Charlie Brown”).
Hey Rudolf
I have a Swedish PhD about such exchanges in the 1950s for Sweden. Not sure about Denmark, Al can you provide Rudolfs mail adress. Will try to look something up
Kk
Hello Kristian. Waiting for yours through the kind intermittence of Al.