Vinyl Musings and a Plea to Help Kenny Burrell

I spent the last three weeks galivanting around Europe. Alas, no record stores or scores on this trip, not even any live jazz. But, I’m back and checking up on some of the things I missed whilst away, including an auction from the Jazz Record Center that featured Art Pepper, Modern Art, Intro 606. This was an original pressing that looked to be in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The final price was $2,225. The same auction also featured Bill Evans Trio, Portrait in Jazz, Riverside 315. This was an original pressing with the small blue and silver reels logo. The record and cover both looked to be in new, pristine condition. The final price was $1,385. Finally, this is not music I am familiar with, but I’m sure it will be of interest to Clifford and other readers: Maulawi, Strata SRI-104-74. This looks to be an original pressing in M- condition. The final price was $910.

A reader sent me a link to this article: Unearthed ‘Getz At The Gate’ Augments Legacy of Jazz Great Stan Getz. So, there’s a “new” Getz album, recorded professionally at the Village Gate in November 1961, featuring Steve Kuhn on piano, Roy Haynes on drums and John Neves on bass. You can listen to a clip of It’s All Right With Me. Good stuff. And the label is wisely issuing the album on vinyl. Everyone is in fine form, and it’s nice to hear Getz being pushed by a pretty aggressive Haynes.

We’ve often asked the somewhat existential question of what to do about sealed records. From my standpoint, I always open them because, in the end, I bought the record so I could listen to it. Tough listening to a sealed record, right? But what if you are looking to resell the record? Here’s a cool little video I received in my email from Dave at Inner Groove Records with a sealed copy of Jackie McLean, A Long Drink of the Blues, on New Jazz. Original andsealed? Check out the clip.

Our friend Japhy sent me this link: How Photography and Jazz Merged to Form the “Black is Beautiful” Movement. Like Japhy, I was not familiar with the name Kwame Brathwaite, but I certainly have album covers with his photos. I’ll be in Los Angeles next month, so I will try to check out this exhibit.

Received a noticed that the 45^thannual Jazz Record Collectors’ Bash will take place June 21-22 at the Hilton Garden Inn in beautiful Edison, N.J. If I can make it, I will. If I can’t, I’d love to publish a report from someone who can.

We end on a sad but perhaps hopeful note. It has to do with Kenny Burrell. The following notice came in the email, with a link to a GoFundMe campaign. A follow-up notice came through from the Jazz Foundation vouching for the validity of the notice.

“My name is Katherine Burrell. I am raising funds for my husband, Kenny Burrell. He is a legendary jazz guitarist who has contributed much to the world of music. Following his 85th birthday concert at Royce Hall, he suffered an accident that led to a two year medical leave. He is still in recovery, on sabbatical, and writing his autobiography, as well as two other books. I am taking care of Kenny at home as his sole caregiver.  His medical expenses—that is, the supplies required for his care— exceed our monthly income. Additionally, we were both victims of identity theft and bank fraud, and the bank has refused to return a majority of the stolen funds, which totaled more than $60,000. (Some  of the funds they returned were actually payments I made to creditors, which they returned in error, and which I had to repay). In the process of mismanaging our claim, the bank returned payments I made to creditors as far back as 9 months, seriously impacting our credit scores. We no longer qualify to rent an apartment or open lines of credit and/or loans. This is based on multiple factors—we must earn three times the amount of the rent; our credit scores; our current revolving debts. We are also currently in litigation with our HOA, which has been costly, such that I have spent almost all of our savings. We are facing possible foreclosure and homelessness if the HOA wins a judgment against us. If we are unable to pay the judgment, they have the right to foreclose on our property. I am fearful of homelessness for Kenny’s sake, and terrified of how I will care for him if left without a home. We will have to move out of our apartment in the next 1-2 weeks for demolition, which will include mold remediation, lead abatement, and major construction. None of this will be covered by insurance, and the HOA may be successful in passing all of the costs to us. I can’t maintain Kenny’s health and safety in that kind of environment. I am concerned that when that occurs with only 24 hours notice, I will have no place to relocate nor the funds to do so. It is my fervent, heartfelt desire to continue to care for Kenny as he deserves given who he is and all that he has given to the world through his music, and the beautiful spirit from which it emanated. It saddens and embarrasses me to desperately need and request help, but it is necessary at this point. If anyone is willing to help us at this time, I would deeply appreciate it, and I will do my best to pay you back in the future. Thank you, and God bless you.”

Here’s the link to Support Kenny Burrell. The sad part is obvious. The hopeful part is that the campaign has already exceeded its goal by nearly $50,000 in just five days.