Weekend's Vinyl Finds

Saturday vinyl search and finds. The place was busy and crowded so the search was cut short. I did have a couple records in hand at one point that were returned to the bins. I did take home:

Jimmy Raney - 'Live In Tokyo.'  from 1976. A new name for me and certainly a different face/name than most of the recordings I see shared in the vinyl community. I noticed Sam Jones on bass and I do have an album of his that I enjoy. 

A guitar focused jazz trio recording. There's a short, very complimentary review on the All Music Guide website.

'Town Hall Concert' by Charles Mingus. Recorded in 1962 (I think) and I assume originally released then. This is a reissue and something about the feel of the record and sleeve in my hands caused me to wonder if it was possibly a poor audio quality reissue but hey, it's Mingus!! One of the masters. I gave it a spin today and it sounds great. 

Big Band or orchestra jazz on clear vinyl and Destination Moon Records. (Which caused me to smile.) Post Bop sounds.

I was intrigued by several of the album covers in both the indie rock and punk sections. Charles Mingus is always a sure thing for me. And though I think that I have pretty good intuition on such matters, I'm always hesitant to take multiple financial chances on titles that I know nothing about. I need to take notes and research such things. 

Victoria Williams

Victoria Williams & The Loose Band - 'This Moment in Toronto.' As the title implies, a live performance from 1995 in Toronto. On compact disc.

My introduction to Victoria Williams was through the 1993 compilation album, 'Sweet Relief - A Benefit for Victoria Williams.' Various musicians and bands covering her songs to raise money to help with her multiple sclerosis diagnosis. Among the many treasures discovered, there is a recording of her song, 'Crazy Mary' by Pearl Jam that has long since become a favorite. It's nice to hear the songwriters take on this album. Her voice, seemingly tiny and fragile is quite the contrast from Eddie Vedder, but every bit as powerful. 

A very enjoyable listen.

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.

Record Store Day

Peter Gabriel - 'New Blood.'

Another Record Store Day took place this weekend. I celebrated it on the day after and found the one record that I really wanted. Though not badly enough to stand in lines and deal with the numbers of people on Saturday. But I am a huge Peter Gabriel fan and attempting to be a PG completist. 

A live album .... three discs of blood red vinyl. 

I didn't expect to see it on a late Sunday afternoon and especially it being the day after, but I walked in the door of the record store, flipped through the second of two crates of remaining RSD releases, and just as I was beginning to lose hope, there it was, at the back of the crate!!. The only and/or last copy in the store. A thirty-five mile drive rewarded with a bit of good record collecting karma.

And tomorrow is 'Make Music Salem' day. Live music taking place all day over the downtown core. I'll try to get a few photos. 

CSNY 1974

In case there's people who never knew their early 1970's classic songs, CSNY is David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash and Neil Young.

Attempts in 1973 to record a new album to follow-up two highly successful records had fallen apart. A stadium tour was organized for the Summer of 1974 .... an attempt to test out new material with hopes leading to recording a new album following.

The new album never happened. CSNY splintered further afterwards and went in different directions in solo and duo efforts. At the time it seemed like a decade passed before CSN (without Young) got back together in 1977 to release a new record.

Six years ago, a box set from that tour was released. This is my first listen to the first disc in the set. Powerful harmonizing is what stands out.

Rolling Thunder Revue

There's almost 150 cuts and 633 minutes of music and chatter. Purchased this almost a year ago and because I've been attempting to be a Dylan completist, I felt called to pursue the entire collection of recordings. I initially tried to resist but that didn't work out so well. I'm finally breaking into these treasures tonight. Old memories of youth returning like it was just a short time ago. I look at something like this and have no idea where to start. The beginning seems too obvious. So I'm starting with the last disc in the collection.

I've always been fascinated with this period because Dylan was just coming off his album 'Blood On The Tracks' which I had gone through my Freshman year of college being obsessed with. At the time, the live recordings from this tour seemed like a letdown in comparison. Thankfully I see things much differently now. Time and history eventually break down misguided opinions.

I marvel at the thought that it's been almost half a century since these shows took place and that I was around at the time. These shows were all in the northeastern U.S. and Canada. I don't recall if Dylan passed through my Oregon on this tour. Amazing stuff!!

Time Fades Away

Live Neil Young. A record from my youth that I've always loved. I scratched the hell out of my original 1973 copy. Didn't always properly care for things in those days. I've been looking for a clean copy for many years. It's out of print and difficult to find. I was going through the "recent arrival" bins at my local record store today and there it was. Almost glossed right by it as I never expect to see it. Turns out it's one of two copies that the store owner had in his personal home collection. He said that he had the need to make space for recent and future vinyl recordings so came to what must have been a tough decision to part with one of the records. I should have inquired what else he had parted with? It must have been a good day timing-wise for me as I don't think it would have been there in the bins for too long. Probably any true diehard Neil Young fan would be aware that this is a rarity and snatch it up had they spotted it. I know that there's plenty of those sorts wandering around Oregon.

It's been noted that supposedly Neil Young hates this album, which is why it's never been released on compact disc. I hope Neil doesn't mind that I love the record.

So what do I do now with my own original copy? Throw it out? I don't think so. It has sentimental value. And who knows, maybe someday someone will be able to restore it to pristine condition.