This week I indulge myself with a show for my very own birthday. In the past I’ve played tracks recorded on Feb. 4, including Miles Davis Milestones. But two years in, I’ve dipped into that well too often. So this year, the focus is on the year I was born, 1953. As I say on the Podcast, it was a very good year for jazz and boys from Queens. Also a great chance to focus on 10-inch records from the collection. Featured artists include Miles Davis, Horace Silver, Percy Heath, Max Roach, Art Blakey, Curley Russell, Dizzy Gillespie, Billie Holiday, Oscar Peterson, Charlie Shavers, Ray Brown, Herb Ellis, Gerry Mulligan, Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond, Joe Dodge, Ron Crotty, Jay Jay Johnson, Jimmy Heath, Gil Coggins, Tadd Dameron, Clifford Brown, Lou Donaldson, Gigi Gryce, Charlie Parker, Red Garland, Roy Haynes, Chet Baker, Russ Freeman, Carson Smith, Larry Bunker, Shelly Manne, Art Pepper, Bob Cooper, Jummy Giuffre, Bob Enevoldsen, Marty Paich, Curtis Counce, Phil Woods, Jon Eardley, George Syran, Teddy Kotick, Nick Stabulas.

This week’s podcast: More vocals and instrumentals from the Great American Songbook. Featured artists include Dinah Washington, Ben Webster, Annie Ross, Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz, Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, Barney Kessell, Herb Ellis, Rosemary Clooney, Zoot Sims, Scott Hamilton, Ray Charles, Betty Carter, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, Philly Joe Jones, Sonny Rollins, Paul Desmond Jim Hall, Sonny Criss, Ella Fitzgerald, and many more.Featured songs include Makin’Whoopee, I Was Going All Right, Diane, I’ve Got a Crush on You, Cry Me a River, I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face, For All We Know, and more.

This week’s theme: More jazz vocals and instrumentals from the Great American Songbook. Artists include Lous Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Brown, Herb Ellis, Oscar Peterson, Buddy Rich, Paul Desmond, Jim Hall, Tal Farlow, Eddie Costa, Vinnie Burke, John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Jimmy Garrison, Sarah Vaughan, Roy Haynes, Thad Jones, Ronnell Bright, Richard Davis, Bill Evans, Scott LaFaro, Paul Motion, Zoot Sims, Rosemary Clooney, Scott Hamilton, Dave McKenna, Warren Vache, and many more.

Then there was this weird Donald Byrd record:

Donald Byrd, Byrd’s Word, Savoy MG 12032. This was a sealed record. The seller is careful to say that it is “new sealed,” and doesn’t claim that it is original, which is nice, although he does say that he has reached his own conclusion but does not wish to share it. Experienced collectors will conclude that this is not a first pressing because of the way the cover sits with the white border, as well as the fact that they probably were not using shrink wrap when this record was first issued. To the community’s credit, there was not a bidding war for this record, just a single bidder at $89.99, who is probably very pleased to have a sealed copy of this record regardless of its provenance and, IMHO, will probably never even open it. Then, again . . . . on eBay I once purchased a sealed copy of Herb Ellis Meets Jimmy Giuffre on Verve. I was 100% sure this was an MGM pressing based on the listing and the picture. One hundred percent. I bought it for like $20. I got it, opened it and, tada, it was an original trumpeter logo pressing. So, I guess, even when you are sure you know, you don’t always know.