Another Fun Night of Jazz Vinyl
Well, I had so much fun the night before, I decided to do it again last night. Listening to a classic jazz record, that is. My choice was John Coltrane, Coltrane, Prestige 7105. Why this record? It is one that has always slipped through the cracks for me and, honestly, I don’t think I had ever given it a really close listen until last night. The first copy I purchased of this record was a blue label pressing in mediocre condition with a not-so-great cover. I never owned an original copy until I purchased the Irving Kalus collection last year and now, I’m almost embarrassed to say, I own two mint original copies of this record as a result of the Bruce W. West Baltimore collection. Part of the reason for listening to this record was practical: Do I keep two copies, one for the city and one for the country? Or do I potentially sell one on eBay or bring it to the WFMU Record Fair in New York next month? So I had an hour last night and I put this record on the turntable and, again, it was magic.
Coltrane’s first date as a leader and it is terrific. He is just in great form, obviously put a lot of time and effort into this session, chose great songs, great arrangements and great sidemen, although, I have to admit, I had to do a Google search to see of Johnnie Splawn was a real trumpet player, or whether he was someone else playing under an assumed name. Turns out he is real and, yes, he can play. If you haven’t listened closely to this record in a while, I highly recommend it. As for me, I will be able to enjoy it in either the city or the country.
By the way, the official correct answer to yesterday’s question, the five records pictured on the back of Mating Call, was:
Miles, Prestige 7014
Fontainebleau, Prestige 7037
Informal Jazz, Prestige 7043
Tenor Madness, Prestige 7047
Clifford Brown Memorial, Prestige 7055
Congratulations to Ruolf and Joe L for combining to answer it correctly.
Violets for Your Furs! Lovely. One of the great cover photos too.
One for home and one for office, I’d say. I have a really nice original of this, it grows on you after a few listens.
Great album! This is one of the few records I prefer to start with the second side as I feel that the jarring intervals of Bakai work better mid-album than right out of the gate.
“or bring it to the WFMU Record Fair in New York next month?”-as you were saying?
Thank you for writing about my favorite jazz artist. Although I have only a few of Coltrane’s albums on vinyl, your story inspired me to find a near mint, first pressing of “Giant Steps.” While listening to this album on You Tube, I was astounded by the beauty of his playing. He creates another world: a world with more depth and meaning, that seems to possess unlimited freedom for expansion. One may detect the germ of his need to break through conventional tonal structure, to express the unlimited possibilities of his vision.
While too young to see him perform, I feel fortunate that I was able to see Reggie Workman and McCoy Tyner at “The Village Vanguard.” With all the posters and photos of Coltrane, I thought I felt his spirit in the music of his former band mates.
at the risk of annoying you with common knowledge, note that this record was issued in two colours: the yellowish one, as shown hereinabove, and a red version of same. The red one is rarer, but not necessarily more original. I keep both colour versions in my collection, as I would keep one NYC and one N.J. copy. The last case is hypothetical: I could never afford a NYC copy.
I’ve never seen the red cover in person? Which do you prefer? And I wonder why the change?
My copy is a red cover Bergenfield version and after I bought it I did some research on Popsike I saw that that both Bergenfield and W.50th copies came in the rare red cover. My hypothesis for the lineage is as such: W.50th with yellow cover>W.50th in red cover>Bergenfield in red cover>Bergenfield in yellow cover. The reasoning is that the red cover variant is so rare I would be shocked if it was printed in more than one run and since W.50th and Bergenfield copies can be found in it, it straddles the label switch over in 1958 (7105 was released in 1957 and Bergenfield label first appears in 1958 so the timeline also lends credence to this theory).
Aaron: your theory seems plausible. My red copy is a very early N.J. pressing (the rear of the cover has no adress but the G E M mark). We are still in the dark as to why red happened.
cont. the covers without adress immediately followed the NYC adress. They took off the adress without adding the N.J. adress, still using the old paper sheets with the G E M mark, as standard for the later NYC issues. Also my copy came in a rice paper inner sleeve, as common for NYC issues. I thus fully second Aaron’s reasoning.
I had a red cover at one point. The label on one side was New York. The label on the other side was New Jersey. It was totally confused.
Al: interesting info confirming Aaron’s theory. Actually playing the red copy, Red’s side A. A great record indeed!
One is tempted by rareness and it is logic therefor to have a preference for the red version, but I must concede that Trane’s striking portrait by Esmond Edwards is better highlighted on the yellow version.
Speaking of odd alternate cover versions I’ve also seen copies of 7166 Workin’ and 7168 Early Miles with this red cover variant.
I have owned a yellow label 7168 with red cover iso of green. A 7166 with a red cover is new for me.
Someone over at London Jazz Collector pointed it out, here’s a copy: http://www.popsike.com/MILES-DAVIS-Workin-with-PRESTIGE-LP/150833663781.html
I have a similar problem with Howard Rumsey’s Lighthouse All-Stars Vol.6 Connttemporary C3504 .I have a yellow copy and a blueish one.Both have the original yellow Lighthouse label and same inprints in dead wax.Wich one is the first or were they issued at the same time?
Kees.
PS
My Coltrane copy is red with the NYC addres.
Sorry,
Adress!
Aaron: indeed 7166 red cover and blue trident labels. Not very collectible, I would say. In the same vein: 7109 with a blue cover and white and black lettering (with mono sticker top in the middle) with the blue trident labels. These covers were non-laminated I presume.
My red 7168 was laminated, but a second print (it came in the shops later than the green one). I sold my red copy when I acquired an original 7025 and the Esquire. I feel though that having three copies of this album is exagerated. I like the Dean Martin covers in the early 7020 series and could do just with 7025. The 7168 design is not exciting and neither is the Esquire.
I have a red copy with NYC adress,so I always presumed this was the original.
I have a similar problem with Howard Rumsey’s Lighthouse All-Stars Vol.6.I have two copies,one has a yellow cover,the other one is blueish.Both have the original Lighthouse label and are deepgroove.The yellow one has black lettering and yellow lining on the back cover,the other one is all black.Wich one is first or were they issued at the same time?
CR 3504: the yellow front with the yellow tune box on the rear is the original. The blue print came many years later, early – mid sixties, I would say.
The yellow cover was used for the simultaneous issues in France and England on the Vogue labels.
That is what I thought,thank you.I will sell the blue one.
Geez…all you guys with multiple copies of these great albums. Share the wealth 😉