Charles Mingus

On the turntable tonight .....

Stumbled across this in an antique mall where my longtime local record store (now closed), keeps a booth.

From 1966 on the Fantasy Records label. 'Right Now,' a live recording from one of the greatest names in jazz history, bassist, Charles Mingus. 

Friday Evening Vinyl Finds

Friday evening, strolled into a record store, not expecting to find much but within a few minutes, stumbled across these .....

All from the 1960's with the cover photos and art that I love. All meeting my requirements for album covers (and vinyl too) in good condition. I generally won't even consider the purchase if the cover is looking chewed up and tattered. 

It was one of those record buying excursions where I walked out of the shop, feeling like I had found treasure. None had price tags attached so I had to ask. Those moments the shop owner spends researching the titles on Discogs, always frightens me. Especially when it involves vinyl from the 1960's. The resulting asking price was very much less than I was expecting.

The finds? Well, it was like .... Here's a stack of randomly placed records, I wonder if there's anything eye catching, to take home?

These moments of discovery are always exciting for me. 

Glen Campbell's recording if 'Wichita Lineman' has been a longtime favorite of mine. Though it's not on this record, it was exciting to find a recording with another great, old classic 60's pop tune, 'By the Time I Get to Phoenix.' It was all over the radio back then.

Chico Hamilton

'The Dealer' by Chico Hamilton. From 1966 on the Impulse! Records label.

I saw it described as, Post-Bop. It certainly sounds different to my ears than most jazz from those years. That's not meant to diminish it. I enjoyed it very much. 

There are rewards to looking up. I spotted it up high on the wall in the record store. With eyes drawn to the image on the album cover, took a photo and headed for home to listen to a few quick samples, sent a message to the store owners, inquiring about the asking price, debated with my inner voices for two days while trying to decide if I was willing to pay that price .....

.... And eventually the voice saying, 'go for it,' like it usually does, won out!! 

And now I'm going through the same process with another record. A radical departure from what I generally post about here. 'Molotov Solution' by Modern Action. Punk-rock from 2010. Again, drawn in by the album cover art.

Captured image as seen in "the wild" of my local record store.

I have nothing in my collection that could be considered, 'Punk Rock.' I've been wanting to change that status. This sounds and feels like a good place to start.

You may chuckle but when Tom Petty's first record was released, 45 years ago, I remember thinking of it as punk. I must have heard someone on the radio or in a magazine, call it that. 

Looking back, I had so much to learn. Still do. 

Kenny Wheeler

Kenny Wheeler and the John Dankworth Orchestra - 'Windmill Tilter: The Story of Don Quixote.' Just arrived on my doorstep a few days ago. A 2021 reissue of a 1969 album. On 180-gram black vinyl.

 

Kenny Wheeler is a jazz trumpeter. In places I hear this sound or tone that I've come to associate in my thoughts with movies from the 1960's that have underlying themes or feelings of loneliness. It's a sound that I love.

The audio quality is incredibly good!! And the cover art is what initially caused me to seek out song samples.

Brother Jack McDuff

I guess I don't need to type out the title. It's right there for all to see, in big, bold lettering on the album cover. 

A vinyl find from 1963 on Prestige Records. Brother Jack McDuff is a jazz organist. One of those record labels that I trust for quality. 

You just never know what you're going to find on a visit to the record store and I love stumbling across previously unknown vinyl from sixty years ago.

Reading the back cover liner notes, feels like I'm in a history class. That's the way it is with records from half a century ago. I'm fascinated with the designs of so many of these older recordings.

Vinyl Finds Today

I've been attempting to increase my coolness factor (that may be a lost cause, I may be stuck in nerdsville), by updating my 1960's and 80's vinyl holdings. 

Towards that goal, I drove down I-5 a few miles to an antique mall in downtown Albany, Oregon, where I found and took home (after a stop for fish & chips):

• The Mothers of Invention - Freak Out! (1966)
• Dexy's Midnight Runners - Searching For the Young Soul Rebels (1980)
• The English Beat - I Just Can't Stop It (1980)

It's only taken fifty-plus unexplainable years but I've recently become a fan of Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention and this record was a recent addition to my mental 'holy grail' list for badly wanted records at an acceptable price. I had to stretch the limits of what is acceptable but .... What if tomorrow turns out to be my last day on earth? Then at least I'll have listened to and seen this spinning on my turntable. That's unless I burst tonight from the fish & chips.

I've been a fan since the mid-1980's of the band, General Public, with Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger, after viewing on MTV, their video for the song, 'Tenderness.' 

Prior to General Public, both were in the Ska band, The English Beat. I've been hoping to come across this recording on vinyl in my record digging excursions and today, there it was!

The English Beat - 'I Just Can't Stop It.' From 1980.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

From 1980. I purchased their, 'Too-Rye-Ay' album back in the early 1980's when the video for the song, 'Come On Eileen' was being played all over MTV. I never gave much attention to The Dexy's after that. I came across this while flipping through the New Wave bins. I wanted it, even if I end up not caring for the music, for the cover photograph. But from what I've read, I expect the music to be great also.

Dexy's Midnight Runners - 'Searching For the Young Soul Rebels.'

Introspection IV

Introspection IV from 1960 on the Warner Brothers record label. On vinyl.

Just stumbled across this earlier today.

How to describe this? I'm just going to steal a sentence or two from the album sleeve: "A study in the weird wanderings of the mind. Relationship of outre tales to modern music ...."

Short stories with music. Listening to the tone of the spoken word narration, I was reminded of the original, Little Shop of Horrors movie, which also came from 1960. 

The sort of oddball recording that I love having in my collection. In fact, I found this in a bin marked, "Oddities." And according to the title, there's at least three more in the series to be found. Not sure that I want all of them but one certainly ups the coolness level of my collection.

Bonus Bootlegged Dylan

'Another Self Portrait' by Bob Dylan. Volume Ten in his Bootleg series. Alternate and unreleased recordings from 1969-1971 and sessions during the making of his albums, 'Self Portrait', 'New Morning' and 'Nashville Skyline'.

I've said it many times before but I wish all my favorite musicians would follow Dylan's lead and release more of their alternate takes, demos,  unreleased takes, etc. I enjoy listening to these recordings as much as I do the finished albums. What more could a completist ask for?

Like the other volumes in the series, there's also a booklet detailing the period in time and these recordings with dozens of photographs.

A couple highlights are a cover of Eric Andersen's song, 'Thirsty Boots' and a stunning piano and violin version of 'If Not For You'. Others include the beautiful 'Copper Kettle' and 'If Dogs Run Free'.

A Random 60's Playlist

A little playlist from the 60's. Yes the 1960's. Most of these songs I would hear late at night listening to the radio while the rest of the house slept. This is where my interest in music really began. AM radio hits mostly. Soon to discover the FM dial.

• Gary Puckett and the Union Gap - Young Girl
• Otis Redding - Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay 
• Phil Ochs - Outside of a Small Circle of Friends
• Guess Who - These Eyes ….. This song is counter balanced by their song, 'Friends of Mine.' If not familiar, give it a listen sometime. 
• Rolling Stones - Ruby Tuesday
• Arthur Alexander - Anna (Go To Him) ….. The Beatles also recorded this song. I first heard it on the television program, 'Married With Children' as a song Al keeps hearing on the radio, that he loves from his youth but doesn't know the title.
• Eric Burdon and the Animals - San Francisco Nights ….. Introduced through the older brother of a friend, who was my first record collecting mentor.
• The Mindbendes - A Groovy Kind of Love
• The Foundations - Baby Now That I've Found You ….. This still gives me 'chills' that bring back the feelings of those times listening to the radio. Actually most of these songs do to a certain extent but none quite like this.
• Neil Diamond - Kentucky Woman ….. A few years later as a teenager, I took a lot of good natured grief for being a Neil Diamond fan. It wasn't thought to be cool. What the hell, I didn't care.

A Dose of The Blues

-

'The American Folk Blues Festival 1962-1969.' This is Volume three of a three part set on DVD.  Great black and white footage of various Blues musicians. Huge names in the history of The Blues playing on each others songs. Live recordings in small television studios during a European tour. I love the imagery that goes with each song. And each song is a treasure.

It seems that a different tune may stand out with each viewing. Today it was Hound Dog Taylor & Little Walter performing 'Wild About You.'

Other highlights …. Skip James performing 'All Night Long' and Koko Taylor singing 'Wang Dang Doodle.' 

There's no filler material on this set, just classic Acoustic (mostly) Blues. So if you have a couple hours …..

Gabor Szabo

Jazz from 1968. 'Dreams' by Hungarian Jazz guitarist Gabor Szabo.

Doesn't sound like anything that I've ever associated with the 1960's.

All Music Guide Review

Fred Neil

A collection from 2009 bringing together two of his albums from the 1960's. The ultimate singer/songwriter!! Classic 60's Folkie!!

You don't know the name …. How about his song, 'Everybody's Talking'? Surely you've heard that song at some place and time on some radio station in your lifetime. Someone else may have been singing it but you've heard it. It's one of those timeless classics.

Thirteenth Floor Elevators

Groovy, hip and far out 1960's Psychedelic Rock.

Stumbled across the four disc/album box set in my local record store. The Monday/Tuesday evening store guy told me that he had his eyes on it for some time. Well you should have snapped it up, I thought. I felt a little badly for taking something he may have wanted but I'm over it now. Music collecting can be ruthless at times.

He informed me that the individual vinyls are difficult to find.

Safe As Milk

A recent (three days ago) vinyl find. A reissue of the original from 1967 yet new sounds to my ears. Psychedelic and Blues Rock. Captain Beefheart was Don Van Vliet.

It boggles my mind to think these sounds were made over half a century ago.

Ry Cooder was a guitar player for Captain Beefheart. But this sounds nothing like modern day Ry Cooder. Nor 1970's Ry Cooder.

I wouldn't say the music sounds "Safe As Milk."

I've developed a liking in the past two or three years for 1960's Psychedelic Rock and I think of these records from that era as being treasured and valuable historical documents. It would be wrong to let any sounds fade away.

Village Green

Attempting to get enormously cooler by filling in the gaps. From 1968."The Village Green Preservation Society" by The Kinks. Another classic that's been missing from my collection until a few days ago. This is the 50th Anniversary Edition with tons of bonus tracks. No top-40 radio hits back then, instead just a lot of great songs.

Highlight for me ..... The song, "Animal Farm."

Terry Callier

One of those previously unknown (to my ears) records that I stumbled across recently while thumbing through the vinyl bins of my local record store. The cover art caught my attention. The songs were recorded in 1965. The record wasn't released until 1968. What I visualize when I think 60's Folk Music. Folk Music as it sounds best .... An acoustic guitar, bass and a beautiful voice. Great classic songs and tones that should not be obscure, overlooked, lost or forgotten.

From All Music Guide: "New Folk Sound is for the most part stark and simple, possessed of a subtle grace which spotlights his remarkably moving vocals to excellent effect."

This is history!! I marvel at the thought that this is music recorded over half a century ago yet if I close my eyes, this vinyl offering sounds as if he's standing only a few feet away. That's a magical feeling!

Sunday Morning Listening to Bert Jansch

The older I get the more I appreciate recordings from half a century ago. It's historical documentation!!

From 1966 and on vinyl. Covering traditional English folk tunes with incredible acoustic guitar playing by Jansch and John Renbourn. The only additional thing that could be asked for ..... liner notes explaining the origins of these songs.

And following up with more Bert Jansch on vinyl ..... His 1971 "Rosemary Lane" record!!! Found this many years ago in a used record store in Portland with a $2.00 sticker on it. A knowledgable person would be crazy to pass that up.

Playing Roulette

A 2016 Record Store Day find. On ten-inch vinyl. Recorded in 1960. Part of my striving to be a John Coltrane completist though the actual music sure doesn't disappoint. He certainly was prolific in his relatively short time making music.

1960's AM Radio Hits Playlist

Very little causes a sense of aching (as in something I miss badly) nostalgia for me like memories of times spent listening to AM-radio hits from the later half of the 1960's. A time when radio was king!! Memories of anxiously waiting by your radio because you knew that one of your favorite songs would be playing soon. Just when I was reaching the age where I began to notice that there was more to the world around me besides sports ..... like music. Oh and girls also.

• The Turtles - You Showed Me
• The Troggs - Love Is All Around
• Small Faces - Itchycoo Park
• The Delfonics - La La Means I Love You
• The Foundations - Baby Now That I've Found You
• Gary Puckett and The Union Gap - Young Girl
• Eric Burdon and The Animals - San Francisco Nights
• The Moody Blues - Nights In White Satin
• The Guess Who - These Eyes
• The Box Tops - Cry Like a Baby
• Manfred Mann - The Mighty Quinn
• The Seekers - Georgy Girl

I've likely noted most of these songs here previously but they deserve repeated listenings. From a genuinely unique time in music. Makes me wish that at least a few people still wrote music like this.

Listening To Bob!!

Can't believe that I've done it but I've opened my wallet for the six disc, deluxe edition. I'm justifying it as an early 60th birthday present. Fascinating sounds for me!! Plus extensive liner and song notes and a 120 page hardcover book with rare photographs. It'll take a few days or weeks to get through it all.

After seeing this 12th Volume in the Bootleg series, you wonder if there's anything left in the Bob Dylan catalogue/vaults to release? It's amazing the amount of time that went into all the various takes on the songs on his records and how they evolved from beginning of the process to what made it to the records and how Dylan is willing to share it all, all these years later. I find even the short false starts to be fascinating.

If I had been approaching my 70th birthday, I might have sprung for the 18 disc, Collectors Edition for $600. Reportedly includes every note he recorded for these sessions.