Comments on: An Introduction and A Few Things I’ve Been Watching

By: Mike J (NZ)

Mike J (NZ) — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 07:50:25 +0000

Hi Rudolf – thank you for your insight again; I was hoping you may have had the answer. I think you are probably right on the money. This may mean that there are WLP’s of Kind of Blue that exist that have the incorrect sequence on the label, but from the points you make, it doesn’t necessarily mean they should be treated as “first pressings” as such, as they are purely for promotional purposes, and therefore when they were pressed may be not be indicated by the usual “what to look for’s” for want of a better expression.

Joe L – good point you make with the matrix numbers too. Never would of thought or considered that.

By: Joe L

Joe L — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 18:49:34 +0000

Rudolf – I think you are correct, as I have a few Columbia white label promos with later matrix numbers – for example, a 2B/3B and a 2AA/2B – where there exist “regular” pressings with lower numbers. Meaning, the WLPs I have could not have pre-dated the “regular” pressings. They are still very cool and sound great, but not worth any kind of price premium, in my opinion.

By: Rudolf

Rudolf — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 11:44:31 +0000

Hello Mike J: re the promo Kind of Blue, you made a very interesting remark on the sequence of the titles on side 2.
I tend to believe that promos were given away every now and then during the active lifetime of an album, to boost sales when a dip has been reached. I therefore think that promos are not necessarily first issues. In the case you mentioned, it may very well be possible that Columbia have corrected the error on side two when launching another publicity drive amongst DJ’s.
The dreaded GSP well noted.

By: Mike J (NZ)

Mike J (NZ) — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 01:38:43 +0000

Hi JC readers,

I wondered if anyone else had been watching the following auction for a white label promo of Miles Davis’ Milestones album. Despite being pressed in seemingly large numbers, these Columbia promo pressings still seem to attract very high prices; or does the fact that it was an “Atomic” auction add weight to it? Maybe I have no idea and US$355.00 is a bargain for a Mint- copy?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MILES-DAVIS-Milestones-COLUMBIA-White-Label-Promo-6-EYE-LP-MINT-/391278451815?autorefresh=true&hash=item5b1a035c67&nma=true&si=TqKY0wBEy2J3H3Wwq%252Bls5N2Za3Q%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

I also note that there is a white label mono copy of Kind Of Blue on at the moment, and everything seems to fit the bill of “first pressing”, however one minor detail i noted was that the side 2 track listing was the correct way around, i.e. Flamenco Sketches first, followed by All Blues, where on the first pressing the label shows the track listing the wrong way around. Was this not the case with the first pressing promo copies perhaps?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MILES-DAVIS-Kind-of-Blue-Jazz-LP-Org-Columbia-White-Promo-MONO-DEEP-GROOVE-6-EYE-/181866951213?hash=item2a581d722d

The dreaded Global Shipping Program rears it’s ugly head again on this auction, perhaps that’s why nobody has hit the “Buy Now” button. US$75.00 for shipping is outrageous, that’s $120 in my currency!

By: Clifford Allen

Clifford Allen — Tue, 06 Oct 2015 15:44:13 +0000

Thanks guys.

My impression has been that most of those Italian jazz LPs from the ’60s were produced in very small runs, hence their rarity and the high cost to obtain examples. I read somewhere that jazz “wasn’t popular” in Italy at the time, hence the ‘specialty’ status of these records, but I’m not sure how true that is.

By: Russ E-S

Russ E-S — Tue, 06 Oct 2015 02:53:12 +0000

I’ll live with my SRP Nommo in the IPS jacket good enough for me…

By: Joe L

Joe L — Tue, 06 Oct 2015 01:29:41 +0000

Luciano – you are correct, that copy of Out of the Afternoon looks like a second pressing. I’m sure it sounds a treat, but it’s not a first.

By: Luciano

Luciano — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 22:54:02 +0000

I am italian and those Columbia are very rare and certainly beautiful records (fully laminated, flipbacks and thick vinyl). I was lucky to find an original copy of Bossa Nova in Ex+ conditions, quite rare this item too. Maestro Cerri still performs often here in Milan, he is 89 years old now!
About the Bullsite items in auction that copy of Roy Haynes doesn’t look the first one to me, it has the ABC NY footer on labels not the Am-Par, or I am wrong ?

By: lemmy caution

lemmy caution — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 20:24:10 +0000

Hi and welcome. I’m so glad to read more about avant-garde and experimental jazz records from the 1960s to today, as well as “spiritual jazz” and the like. Looking forward to your commentaries! Now that most original Blue Notes and such are way out of my price league, it’s interesting to look at more affordable alternatives from Strata East, self-produced labels, and the like.

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 17:04:18 +0000

I’ve never seen one either but according to the Discogs listing for “Nommo” it should have a few inserts apparently.

Anyway looking forward to your guest posts!