Saturday Vinyl Finds

The working day over, I ran to the local record store / drum shop, this afternoon to see what I might find ....

I've had a thing for jazz acoustic bass players lately. Stumbled across three that qualify.

I went through a saxophone phase (but not soprano) and then a trumpet/trombone phase and it's since evolved into an acoustic bass phase. There was a piano period in there at some point also. I can't visualize a drum or flute phase but who knows?

The shop owner informed me that these records just came in to the shop. Like I've said more than once before: "Timing is everything."

And I was excited to find another on the ECM label.

1) Oscar Pettiford - 'Blue Brothers' .... from 1973 on the Black Lion Records label. I love these little known but often fascinating record labels.

2) Dave Holland - 'Emerald Tears' .... from 1978 on ECM Records.

3) Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen - 'The Eternal Traveller' .... from 1985 on Pablo Records.

None of these were there the last time I was in. This is one memory issue that I don't have struggles with.

This is my idea of an exciting Saturday these days. Time spent quelling addictive urges, flipping through hundreds of previously owned records resulting in two or three vinyl discoveries. (Even had I found only one, it would have been exciting.) There are few places I'd rather be. And few modes I'd rather be in than full-on vinyl nerd mode.

Today's Vinyl Finds

Hit the road again, ending up in Albany Oregon and within thirty seconds of walking in the door of the record shop, found another Gordon Bok album on vinyl to go with the other that I found two or three months ago in Corvallis. 

Titled; 'Peter Kagan and the Wind' from 1971. I had never seen these records in over half a century of record collecting. It feels like finding hidden treasure.

A few minutes later, I came across, 'Wade In the Water' by Ramsey Lewis from 1966, on Cadet Records. 

I've said this before, but I love the cover photos and design of records from the 1960's. I might have to create a section on my shelves specifically for these. 

From the All Music Guide review: .... "this record evokes its era indelibly."

And then, 'Dance' by the Paul Motian Trio. From 1978. On ECM Records ..... I love finding these ECM recordings from the 1970's and 80's. Perhaps I'm nearing completist status. 

Fact: I had a longtime question answered recently. Does ECM stand for anything? Turns out it stands for, Edition of Contemporary Music.

I walked away feeling pretty good about my record shopping haul. These three records, two Mary Lou Lord compact discs and a Pink Floyd pin, the cover image from The Division Bell album, for $21. Afterwards, stopping at a seafood place for a delicious bowl of clam chowder, all making it an enjoyable vacation day taken from work. (Even if I had to have blood drawn in the morning.) All days should be like this.

Jeff Parker & the New Breed

Jeff Parker & the New Breed - 'Suite for Max Brown'

Saw a Twitter friend that I follow (who happens to be from Portland), post a photo of the cover while tweeting what she's listening to. (Thanks Jen!!) Was intrigued, checked it out, listened to a few moments, ordered it and it arrived the next day. If you can't go to the record store because of a little old pandemic or there's simply no stores remaining in your hometown, then this is the way to get your music .... next day, at your front door, when you return home from work!!!

The other directions in Jazz that I've been searching for. On vinyl!!!

Mathias Eick

'Skala' from Mathias Eick. On ECM Records from 2011.

ECM's motto, 'The most beautiful sound next to silence.' ..... I've probably mentioned that here a time or two previously.

Trumpet player.

My continuing search for new sounds and directions in Jazz has led to the discovery of Mathias Eick.

And a bonus with beautiful cover art!! Which has become a general necessity these days to be added to my collection.  

AND it's on vinyl!!! 

There's two additional recordings currently in the mail. It appears that I'm officially hooked. 

Frenzy

In the wake of my local record store of choice's closing, I've gone on a feeding frenzy of searching and buying in an attempt to upgrade my collection. At the same time, I've been guilty of binge viewing of all these YouTube Vinyl Community videos, (The "VC"), which have resulted in placing depraved ideas in my head. Things I don't have and that I really should have if I ever aspire to truly hold my head up high and look incredibly hip and cool in The VC. Not to forget whoever comes across this collection in the days after I depart this world. Because I still want to look cool even after passing.

So I've been all over Amazon, armed with ideas and at the same time cleaning up on local going out of business bargains and even a spur of the moment road trip to my long ago college town where when passing by their downtown record store thought to myself; "Why not?"  Saving money being the only con I could think of, I strapped on my face mask and ventured inside.

So now for the first time, I have some Iggy Pop & The Stooges, The Fugs, The Fall, The Bats, Eyelids, The Standells, Filthy Friends, 9 Below Zero, Manfred Man BBC Recordings and much more in my collection. And I've also been on the focused mission of a completist to acquire all Elbow recordings and get more Bill Frisell Jazz guitar sounds.

I've even thumbed through the one dollar bins .... until now an aspect of record collecting that I've always avoided, not so much out of extreme snobbery (well maybe a little of that) but more the fact that they always seem to be in boxes on the floor and I have a thing about bending over and/or getting on my knees in public places, but this waist level search resulting in a good condition David Blue original vinyl find from 1973 with the endlessly cool Asylum Records platter label which I first came across in my teenage years as an early era Jackson Browne and Eagles fanatic and a few years later, Warren Zevon. Surely I couldn't pass that up. I'm pretty sure that would have been one of those 'mortal sins' I've always tried to veer away from since hearing of them in my Catholic grade school days.

And this is just the beginning it seems because I'm an incredible nerd and an addict and never truly satisfied and even after occasional bouts of gazing upon the clutter and wondering if all this is getting out of control, the mood quickly fades and transitions into withdrawal pains which in my case is generally a period of one or two days of abstinence before said pains kick in.

The Attic Tapes

Another Record Store Day observed and celebrated. My kind of holiday!!

So many special vinyl record releases for the occasion. And so many these days that I find myself knowing very little about. But John Renbourn is from my youth.

"Mastered from old tapes found in a friend's attic, this is a vintage collection of previously unreleased rarities and early works by one of the guitar's truly great innovators. The Record Store Day edition features five vinyl-only tracks and sleeve notes written by John shortly before his death in March 2015."

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.

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.

Vinyl Find of the Week

Chet Baker - In New York. Trumpet player!!!

"Cool Jazz" or "West Coast Jazz." I'm not hip enough to know the difference between it and Jazz from the other coast.

The album cover initially grabbed my attention. Then there's the "OJC" in the catalogue number, Original Jazz Classics. I've yet to find a recording with that tag that I didn't enjoy.

My Personal Vinyl Addiction

This could be me ..... If I won the lottery. While I think that I have a large collection compared to most people, it's not quite at this level. Though the search would be a great adventure!!

It's a strange process. I purchase a few records, get them home, then a few days later start feeling the urge to look for more. Not only for the listening pleasure but also for the visual pleasures of each. The album covers, front and back. The artwork, the liner notes, the names, etc. It's history!!!

It's funny how it all evolved. I went from twenty years of vinyl and resisting every urge in the 1980's to switch to compact discs, to eventually accepting the inevitible compact disc trend, as vinyl was disappearing from record shops. The lure of 'bonus tracks' on the CD was the final selling point in my mind. For the next twenty years it was almost exclusively the CD. I'd pick up a rare vinyl record of interest that I came across along the way but they were few and far between. Then about five years ago, vinyl started to take off again. Inventory in the record shops began to expand. It helped that my local record shop cared about quality. Not only of the record itself but of the album covers. Their selections were in good shape, not scratched, wrinkled, tattered and torn.

Now I'm probably at a 60% vinyl (mostly used but in good shape) and 40% compact disc rate. Maybe closer to 50/50? I do feel a little sense of disapoinment when I go with the CD. Like I should have searched harder for the vinyl.

A couple of friends attempted to convince me at one time, to give up my collection. They failed in their goal. I thought that they might resort to gathering a dozen mutual friends and trying an intervention. It wouldn't have been pleasant.

Will I ever listen to each of my records? I'd like to but have to admit, probably not. But I will gaze at those album covers and titles on the spines. I will treasure some of the more unknown and obscure names in my collection. I will feel excitement at the thought of what I might find tomorrow. I will feel anticipation as I drive down the street approaching each search possibility.

Todays Blues From Chicago

These days it seems, I trend more towards the old and classic in music than I do towards what's new.

Another great album cover. Keep returning and browsing through those used vinyl record bins because you never know what you might find on any given adventure. It's a genuine thrill when I come across a recording like this!!

Records with "Various Artists" has mostly been a good label in my search experiences.

When I was younger I wouldn't give The Blues a second thought. It wasn't a consideration in my music choices. But about ten years ago, through the desire and search for more slide guitar sounds in my life, my eyes and ears were finally opened .... enter, The Blues!!!

Record Store Day!!

Another "Record Store Day" today! My kind of holiday! Vinyl junkies, geeks and dorks galore in the record store. Wait a minute ..... I'm one of those geeks. Just not the insane variety that stands in a long line for several hours waiting for the doors to open. I mosey on in whenever I get around to it. And glad that I do. From the photos that I've seen it looks like it was a mob scene during the first hour. I probably missed out on some good stories but I'm way too old and lacking in perseverance for this standing-in-line stuff.

It's fascinating to me, the number of kids, teenagers and 20-somethings, that frequent record stores today. Sometimes I think they outnumber us geezers. How did they discover these black discs called records? I feel the urge occasionally to stop and tell them about the grand old days of record stores, the BCD era (before compact discs) when there was three or four in town. When one might go out of business but another would always pop up. When every decent sized town had a record store. When they would burn incense in the store. Long before the internet .... When every store would have the huge Schwann Catalog on the counter for reference. When the majority of the band and musician names on the records were known to me. When I was young!! I wonder if they would listen?

I did pick up a couple Record Store Day limited releases to do my part to observe and honor todays occasion .....

• Typhoon - Prosthetic Love (Piano Version) ..... 7-inch vinyl. A local band!
• The Animals - The Animals No. 2 ..... 10-inch vinyl. From 1965. Their second EP.

Also found .....

• Kai Winding & J.J. Johnson - The Great Kai and J.J. ..... Jazz from 1961. Both are trombonists. Bill Evans on piano. On Impulse Records, another of the great classic Jazz record labels.
• Clyde McCoy - The Uncollected 1938 .... Big Band Swing. From radio broadcasts. On Hindsight Records. Part of a series of enjoyable recordings of different big bands from the 1930's-50's. I've been taking home anything that I can find from this series. History to me. Something my parents may have listened to in their youth which makes it fascinating. With the live narration introducing each song, you almost feel like you are back in those days, in front of your radio.

Vinyl Finds - Continuing Adventures

From 1969. Looks like the original vinyl. Great voice!! The liner notes calls his music, "swamp music." His most famous song is "Pork Salad Annie." It's not found here but his "Rainy Night In Georgia" is. And once again, great album cover artwork! The 1960's, probably the best decade for album covers.

While following Jackson Browne, Neil Young, Gordon Lightfoot, Cat Stevens, etc., during the 1970's and beyond, Tony Joe White (and others) went mostly un-noticed. It's time now to make up for that.

Singer/Songwriter! Blues-rock! Swamp music! It's just great sounds missed out on for so many years. It feels like unearthing lost treasures when finding and giving an initial listening, 46 years later. And it just looks cool visually in a collection! Put it inside a plastic sleeve and it looks like a rare collectors item.

The search for more continues!

The Dollar Vinyl Record Bin

I can't help it. No matter how hard I try to kick the habit, I'm always searching for sounds. Especially for new old sounds. Those black platters call me back again and again. The dollar vinyl bargain bin has been good to me of late. Occasional gems and surprises are unearthed. Titles that maybe hadn't been on my radar or watch list but that immediately strike a chord or emotion upon unexpected discovery. Found this evening:

• Dick Gregory - In Living Black and White (1961) ..... Comedy / Spoken Word
• Jimmy Webb - Words and Music (1970)
• The Sandpiper Movie Soundtrack (1965) ..... Not so well known Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor movie. Charles Bronson is in it as well.

Historical documents. Part of the era where I grew up. Looking back, it's become a fascinating time for me. Too young during much of those days to have much knowledge of the world. I first saw The Sandpiper late one night, probably in the later 1970's or early 1980's. The perfect late night movie! The themes and the feel of the movie caught my attention .... The California beach lifestyle, an artist community, being unfaithful in marriage, changing seasons. And it's theme song: "The Shadow of Your Smile" ..... haunting, yearning, unrealized love, a tinge of sadness. Familiar emotions.

I'm always interested in words, thoughts, expressions and attitudes from years long ago and how they've changed since. Towards that concept, the Dick Gregory record is a must have!! If nothing else, just simply to hear a voice from 55 years ago and what people found amusing in those days ..... the messages they wanted to share.

And Jimmy Webb ..... One of the alltime greatest songwriters!! He wrote two of my favorites ....  "Wichita Lineman," and "The Highwayman." And so many others.

It's funny but a day or two after posting this, the movie, The Sandpiper, (which is not often on television) was on Turner Classic Movies cable channel. 

Recurring Image

I think that I desire to get one of those Crosley record players. So I can just sit in the corner and listen to records. Just like in the younger days before one could afford to purchase a component stereo system. A little minimalism for seven inch vinyl and 45-rpm's. 78's too! Even the occasional long playing album. Especially those from the 1960's or older. A return to youth. A little nostalgia. An image that I have floating around in my head of how certain things were meant to be. Just the basics please. Only the time to listen required.

Sunday Pilgrimage to Everyday Music

The group is Hiss Golden Messenger. The album, "Bad Debt." This recording is actually the group's leader, M.C. Taylor, singing and playing acoustic guitar into a tape recorder at his kitchen table. Beautiful songs about life and faith. The music and lyrics grab your attention and refuse to let go.

All Music Guide Review

Elliott Smith's, "Needle In the Hay." A 7-inch, vinyl single. Three songs. Chilling and aching. In all his works that I've listened to, you can actually hear pain expressed in his voice. Close your eyes and in the dark of your thoughts an image is created.

From Portland. Another musician who left this world too soon leaving behind a great body of music. I would have loved to hear where he might have gone with his songwriting.



Other found treasures still awaiting a listen .....

• JJ Grey & Mofro - "Ol' Glory" .... His latest. Just released. Blues-Rock.
• Red Norvo & His Allstars - "Original 1933-1938 Recordings" .... Big Band Swing.
• Sea Wolf - "Turn the Dirt Over" and "Song Of the Magpies" .... Both 7-inch vinyl singles.

...... And in the fifty cent bargain box, a group called Woodsy Pride. Their self titled five song EP. Might as well take a chance for fifty cents on something that looks interesting. There's short liner notes that compare their music to Neil Young and John Fogerty. 

Time Fades Away

My original vinyl from 1973 is scratched to hell. It's never been released on compact disc. You can't even find a used vinyl copy anywhere. A remastered vinyl was supposed to be released on Record Store Day a year or so ago but was called back. Then I heard it was released on the last Record Store Day, Black Friday event a few months ago but my local store received no copies. (Or maybe the owner, since I know he's a big NY fan, kept their copy for himself?) Guess I should have expected that since it was limited to around 3000 copies and not released by itself but as part of a box set of re-issues and likely with a hefty price tag. Supposedly Neil Young hates it.

So I'll just have to continue to be happy with my scratched original vinyl. (At the time, I was still a year or two away from realizing the importance of proper care of one's vinyl treasures. My attitude apparently being that I'll just buy another one.) It was a little different take on the live album concept ..... New songs done in concert!! It trails only Harvest and After The Goldrush as my favorite Neil Young records.

Eleventh Confession

One of my favorites from the 1980's!!! I love the drums and percussion in this. I recall reading a magazine article or album review back then about his song, "This Father's Day." (I'm never quite sure of anything these days but I think it was in Rolling Stone.) His music was new to me at the time. I found a cassette tape of the album that it was on and discovered "Eleventh Confession."

Today's Vinyl Jazz Discoveries

An afternoon stop at my local record store. Seems to be a Jazz kind of day. Lured in by the liner notes, song notes and album cover artwork of each.

• Don Shirley - Drown In My Own Tears
• Jimmy Lunceford and His Orchestra
• Clark Terry / Bob Brookmeyer Quintet - The Power of Positive Swinging

Then listening to the "Divaville" Jazz program on KMHD-radio, Gresham, Oregon ..... Dedicated to exploring Jazz Vocal recordings primarily from the 1930's-1960's years. Great voices heard here!! Despite the news and rumors over the past decade that it's dying, there's still good sounds to be heard on the radio.

Divaville Radio
KMHD Jazz Radio

In the liner notes ..... "One index of the singular pleasures to be had from the music of the Clark Terry - Bob Brookmeyer Quintet is that it not so much defies categories but rather ignores them."

I wonder occasionally that if it wasn't for myself, would some of these records ever be taken home?  I often declare, "No more!" ..... but then a week or two later, I'm back searching through the vinyl bins. There always seems to be something previously un-noticed. It's my addiction I suppose.

If I Listen Long Enough To You ....

Vinyl find!! Some of the greatest songs of the 1960's were written by Tim Hardin. Classics like "If I Were A Carpenter" and "Reason To Believe."

Here's a collection of songs written and recorded during that period, 1964-1966 but that never made it to his released albums from those years. It's fascinating fifty years later, hearing these gems for the first time. Especially upon realizing that his sound was a different direction from The Beatles or Bob Dylan. Listening to these recordings is like finding buried treasure!!