Coltrane live at Birdland on Impulse! A-50

May 20, 2022

Coltrane live is of course a wonderful treat. I just wish I could have been able to seen and experience the classic quartet live myself. Would have been unreal I’m sure. So I have to do with the LP’s they left behind and that’s not a bad deal at all. Love the Impulse! label for all they did to promote post bop and the avant-garde. And Coltrane was in the middle of it all, releasing beautiful albums on the label throughout the 60’s.

This LP is a mix of tunes recorded live at the Birdland club in NYC and a couple of studio recordings. The whirlwind “Afro Blue” which kicks off the album is a frenetic display of improvisational prowess where Coltrane excels on the soprano. The album also contains “Alabama”, the haunting tribute to the four girls killed in the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963 by cowardly white supremacists. It’s difficult to listen to this beautiful tribute as your mind wanders and think of that dark event. It’s one of Coltrane’s best compositions.

A wonderful album that I highly recommend if you haven’t heard it, which I very much doubt.

I hope you’re all doing great and that you are enjoying your collections. Stay safe. Cheers!

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"Mode for Joe" by Joe Henderson on Blue Note 4227

May 14, 2022

This album is probably in my top 5 Blue Notes albums list of all time, that I’ve heard so far. Right now anyway. It always changes as we all know, but this one is probably on that list to stay, for good. The ensemble assembled for this outing is a stellar septet, featuring Henderson on tenor sax, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Lee Morgan on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on the vibes, Cedar Walton on piano, Ron Carter on double bass and the brilliant Joe Chambers on drums.

Chambers is a cat that I discovered quite late in my continuing jazz explorations. He is absolutely superb. Lovely technique blended with fiery passion and subtle finesse is what he’s all about. The sound of his drums is wonderful on this album. They just pop out of the speakers, like the rest of the band. This original mono pressing in like new condition plays like a dream and is one of my best sounding albums. Everything is crystal clear and each instrument blend well with each other. Everything is audible. The cymbal sound when I put on the first tune, oh my god… lovely. Extremely happy to have been able to add this masterpiece to the collection, ‘cause god knows, the Henderson original monos on Blue Note are ever so difficult to find. At least for me.

On “Caribbean Fire Dance” the hypnotic rhythms reigns supreme. The spot where Morgan comes in with his trumpet is one of the most other-worldly stuff I’ve heard, what a beautiful, piercing tone and what a sound on this original pressing! Pure fire, pure magic. The small drum solo in the end from Joe Chambers also blows the roof off my apartment. Amazing drumming, amazing sound. I can’t recommend this album enough. If you haven’t heard it, check it out today!

Couple of questions: Do you have a favorite Joe Henderson album? Could you give me your top 5? Thoughts on the album on display?

Have a great day, enjoy your collections and stay safe. Cheers!

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This Here is Bobby Timmons on Riverside 12-317

May 4, 2022

Timmons debut as a leader is a wonderful one.

It’s been forever since I posted a Riverside title, so I figured it was about time. This is a great, soulful piano trio album featuring Bobby Timmons on piano, Sam Jones on the double bass and Jimmy Cobb on the drums. I love piano trios and this is one of my favorites. It contains several wonderful tunes and among them is the classic “Moanin”, first recorded by the Jazz Messengers. Favorite tune is probably “Dat Dere”. This is Timmons first album as the sole leader. The sound is great on this 1st pressing, tight and nice. The piano takes center stage and sounds lovely. I’m really enjoying the double bass and drum sound as well. Overall a pleasant mix.

I really need to get some more Riverside titles into the collection, and this album reminds me how many great titles I’m still missing. Need to try and find some more of Timmons output specifically as well. Do you guys have some favorite Bobby Timmons albums that you would like to share? Would be great to hear what you have in your collections.

I just got a couple of new titles home and I listened to them today and both albums are superb. Great music. Will post them here on the site so stay tuned for those. Spring is kicking into gear for real now here in Stockholm it seems, with a little bit warmer temperatures coming up. Looking foward to the summer and the vacation in California. Can’t wait.

Stay safe, listen to some jazz and most importantly: get outside. Cheers!

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"Crescent" by the John Coltrane Quartet on Impulse A-66

April 27, 2022

Out of all the Coltrane albums this is one of my absolute favorites. It’s the classic quartet, doing their thing, what more is there to say really? For me, this is jazz perfection. It’s lyrical but progressive. It’s full of musical brilliance, passion and warmth. A beautiful mix of tunes which leaves you wanting more.

It took me some time to find this original mono pressing. A few of these Coltrane on Impulse are quite difficult to find. They are still quite reasonably priced it seems. So you get a lot for your buck when you invest in these albums. Worth every penny.

Out of all the Coltranes on Impulse, do you have a favorite? Maybe you can give me your top 3? “Crescent” is definitely in my top 3.

On the new arrivals front I have just secured a couple of nice titles. Looking forward to receiving those. Amazing music on both of them. It will be the first titles in my collection that features these artists as leaders, which is quite exciting. I enjoy both musicians a lot. Stay tuned.

I hope you’re having a great week and that you are enjoying your collections and life in general. Cheers!

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"Unity" by Larry Young on Blue Note BLP 4221

April 11, 2022

Iconic cover, iconic music. This is at the very top of Blue Note excellence for me. This is my first jazz LP with a organ player on it. I must say, I love this instrument. Love the way Larry Young plays it. I’ve listened to some Baby Face Willette as well on a Grant Green album, and I dig his style as well. But this is something else. Superb, progressive playing by Larry Young. This is also my first album with Woody Shaw. I will take a deep dive into his catalogue and focus a bit on him soon, cause he is a master trumpeter. I take everything slow, as you know, so that means I have all of these great artists that I haven’t explored fully yet. The other cats on this lovely session are the brilliant Joe Henderson and the equally brilliant Elvin Jones. A perfect group that shows great imagination, progressive thinking, superior musicianship and that provides fiery statements full of passion all the way through this album. Highly recommended.

When it comes to Larry Young I will try and get “Into Somethin'“ as well, as soon as possible. I’ll dive a bit deeper into his catalogue as well of course. Maybe you guys can give me some tips on other great Larry Young LP’s? Maybe some great Woody Shaw LP’s as well?

I have acquired some great LP’s so far this year which I will post here on the site in due time, and I will post some of the older acquisitions as well, so stay tuned. I’m in the midst of acquiring a top want quite soon hopefully, even though I planned not to make any more purchases before the summer, but let’s hope it will work out. I can’t let this particular title get away. My last purchase was on the very top of my want list as well, so I’m ticking some of the really hard to find albums, that I’ve been wanting for some time now, off the list. Very happy about that.

We’ve just been able to book a summer trip to California. Looking forward to that a lot. I will try and visit some record stores while I’m there. Atomic Records is on the list for example. Do you have any other tips? I will be in San Francisco, Los Angeles and along the Pacific Coast Highway on a couple of stops as well.

Take care folks and enjoy your collections. Cheers…

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"Jackie's Pal" by the Jackie McLean Quintet introducing Bill Hardman on Prestige 7068

March 19, 2022

A wonderful, easy enjoyable Prestige session.

Overall I have far too few Prestige albums in the collection. There are so many great albums. This is one of the best titles in the early Prestige catalogue for me. Jackie McLean is always on point and with this band backing him, you can’t go wrong: Bill Hardman on trumpet, Mal Waldron on piano, Paul Chambers on double bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Hardman though is a cat I haven’t explored much of. He plays great here and on a couple of other titles so I’m looking forward to hear some more of him. He has a quite laid back style which I like.

This session is a flowing, well executed piece of hard bop with the highlight for me being the moody, Waldron-penned “Dee’s Dilemma”. I would recommend this album to anyone that enjoys some loose, easy accessible hard bop that makes you feel good.

These early Prestige titles are not easy to find in great condition, and it seems they pop up very seldom on the market. Is it me or have they become even more scarce with each year that passes? How many Jackie’s Pal have you seen for sale the last couple of years? How many Mobley’s Message? Pairing Off? Tenor Madness? That makes owning this piece of history in top shape even more special.

I have managed to acquire some great titles so far this year, that I really wanted. Very happy about that, but now a time of restraint has come, to focus on building a nice budget for a summer vacation, hopefully. No more albums for me until the Autumn or something. But like I said, I have some new stuff to enjoy up until then. And I have plenty of albums to post up until something new arrives. Stay tuned.

Take care of each other and keep the spirits up. Fuck war.

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"It's Time" by Jackie McLean on Blue Note BLP 4179

March 3, 2022

Superb later Jackie Mac session. Wonderful post bop. McLean and Charles Tolliver share the writing duties of the six original compositions between them. Both play with fire, lyricism and keep it very interesting throughout. Tolliver is a cat I haven’t explored at all. Great trumpeter, and you know how much I love that instrument. I will definitely set out to explore his work with great excitement upon hearing his playing on this album and enjoying his compositions a lot. Maybe you guys can give me some tips on some of his work that you enjoy? Cecil McBee is another cat I haven’t explored. Love his playing. Feel free to add some tips in the comments section if you have any great albums on which he plays that you would like to share.

Herbie Hancock plays superbly on this session. I’m trying to add original Blue Notes of his in the 4000 series to the collection, but it’s damn near impossible. I hope I can find a title or two in the years to come.

Roy Haynes always delivers the goods whenever he is behind the kit. Always playing with finesse and creativity. And his drums always sounds great. I believe he thrives in this type of environment.

This album has to be placed very high up on my list of favorite McLean albums to date. It’s that good. And the cover sports one of those iconic art works that just makes you want to listen to the album. This copy has the deep groove on both sides which seems extremely scarce. You never see that. Quite cool indeed to own a copy.

On the new arrivals front: I have secured three new Blue Notes which are top titles for me. I will post them in due time here on the site. Stay tuned for those and other lovely vintage jazz vinyl titles coming up… cheers!

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"Somethin' Else" by Cannonball Adderley on Blue Note BLP 1595

February 13, 2022

A classic for sure. Beautiful music and a great line up. The opening tune “Autumn Leaves” is lovely. Such a smooth, laid back mood and outstanding playing by Miles and Cannonball. If the album only contained this one tune I would be totally satisfied. But the rest of the music is great too. It took me quite a while to get my hands on this one. I’ll be honest, I haven’t had it on the very top of my want list for all these years collecting, but I have kept my eyes out for a copy, it’s a great album, and when it became available in it’s original form in great condition I had to go for it at that moment. I’m very happy to have it in the collection.

I haven’t explored Cannonball’s discography much actually, so this is my first album with him as the leader (even though this title in reality is maybe more a Miles date) believe it or not. I intend to explore some more for sure. But all of you that have followed me for all these years know I take it very slowly when exploring jazz. I just haven’t focused on him up to this point. Feel excited to explore and let’s see what other great albums of his I can find.

Question for you guys: Maybe you can give me some tips on your favorite Cannonball albums? Top 3 for example?

I’ve just made some deals to bring in some more Blue Notes into the collection. Very excited about that. So keep your eyes peeled for those here and stay tuned…cheers!

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Charles Mingus presents Charles Mingus on Candid CJM 8005

February 1, 2022

Mingus with this small group is fantastic.

Starts with a great introduction by Mingus himself. And then we’re off. Love the “live” feeling of the sound and approach to this album. It’s very special jazz, as you’d expect from Mingus. Full of soul, fire and a dedication to preserving sounds of the past and making it sound fresh and progressive. I really enjoy this small group, consisting of Mingus on double bass, Eric Dolphy on alto sax and bass clarinet, Ted Curson on trumpet and Dannie Richmond on drums. It’s a nice change to the larger ensembles often employed by the bassist.

Highlight of the album is the tune “What Love” on which Dolphy’s bass clarinet and Mingus’ bass interacts with each other in a beautiful way.

I love Mingus and this is just another great album that I’m very happy to have in the collection. There are plenty of Mingus titles that I still miss, and of course I will try and hopefully secure some more when the opportunity arises.

Got some titles on Candid now, and I think it’s a very enjoyable label. You can find some real bargains as supposed to some of the other classic labels. Will keep my eye out for more titles.

I’m in the process of deciding on some titles that I’d like to acquire. We’ll see which ones I’ll go for. Exciting to get some new stuff into the collection for sure.

I hope you’re enjoying your collections and staying safe. Stay tuned… cheers!

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"Evolution" by Grachan Moncur III on Blue Note 4153

January 13, 2022

This is my first album by trombonist Grachan Moncur III. It’s his debut as a leader and was recorded in 1963 and released in 1964. Historically, I’ve held the trombone some ways down on my favorite intruments in jazz list. It can tend to be quite muffled and sluggish. But I enjoy for example Curtis Fuller and the leader on this album, Grachan Moncur III, is superb. I’ve listened to a couple of his albums as a leader and he’s on a few others as a sideman. Always plays interesting stuff. Looking to dive deeper into his catalogue and see what gems I’ll discover.

This album is wonderful. It’s what…avant-garde mixed with post bop maybe? It’s unique for sure. It sets and explores different moods throughout and keeps me engaged and interested in a different way than a hard bop blowing session would. This is a bit deeper stuff. It’s triggers something else than hard bop does. It’s more reflective and contemplative music. Very effective stuff for making your mind wander a bit and travel somewhere else than the room you are sitting in.

The cats on this are Moncur on trombone, Morgan on trumpet (he really shines in this environment), McLean on alto, Hutcherson on vibes, Cranshaw on double bass and the brilliant Tony Williams on drums. All-star line up and you can feel the quality of the players on this session.

I can highly recommend this album if you like some very interesting jazz with unique flavors which offers both deeper, contemplating passages as well as easier to digest stuff with some tempo to it. I find it to be a lovely mix.

Some questions: do you have some favorite Grachan Moncur titles you’d like to share? Other favorite trombone players?

Current status is that I have a war chest waiting to be spent on some great jazz vinyl. But I have a want list which I will hopefully stick to. Looking to only buy titles from that want list. There are plenty of other stuff I would want to add to the collection, and stuff becomes available all the time, but if I spend money on other titles then I will not have the means to purchase a specific title on the want list when it eventually will become available. That’s just the way it is. So I will bide my time a bit to really have a shot of getting some of those highly sought after titles into the collection. Looking as well at the current market it will definitely take some dough as well to be in the game. We’ll see what happens. Being a jazz vinyl junkie, it’s hard to wait for long periods of time to add new stuff. But I’ll try this approach.

Hope your year has started off well and I’m looking forward to more great discussions and interaction with you guys in 2022. Have a great Thursday, cheers!

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"Screamin' The Blues" by Oliver Nelson on New Jazz 8243

December 19, 2021

Sorry for not posting for some time. Been trying to post all the stuff I’ve posted on this site through the years on my Instagram page, so haven’t found the time to actually post some new stuff here. But I will concentrate on trying to post more regulary. Also, it’s here you’ll see the newest additions to the collection first.

Some bluesy stuff on this one by Oliver Nelson flanked by the always amazing Eric Dolphy. The other cats are a nice bunch as well, consisting of the great trumpeter Richard Williams with his fiery style, Richard Wyands on piano who I have not explored much at all, the always reliable George Duvivier on the double bass and Mr. Snap Crackle himself Roy Haynes on drums.

I have always loved the more bluesy stuff when it comes to jazz. I enjoy it when at least one tune on a jazz album has some heavier bluesy qualities. I like that mix. So this album is a great one for me, on which the blues is infused in a very appealing way on a couple of tunes in particular. Overall, for me, Dolphys’ and Williams’ contributions are clear highlights. All the tunes except for one is penned by Nelson, which is highly impressive as well.

I’ve mentioned this before; the New Jazz label is a lovely label that offers plenty of great jazz, all kinds of different styles. I highly recommend anyone who has not yet explored this label to do so, and this LP is a great way to start.

Christmas is just around the corner, looking forward to the time off with the family. We’re going to Florida and I just hope this Covid shit isn’t getting any worse. I’m a bit worried, but hoping for the best. We need the sun and warmth. Looking to maybe visiting some record shops. We’ll see. If anyone has any good suggestions on record shops with a nice used jazz selection on the gulf coast of Florida, please let me know.

I’d like to take this opportunity to wish all my readers Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year. Take care of yourselves and your families and stay safe. Cheers!

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"Point of Departure" by Andrew Hill on Blue Note BLP 4167

October 3, 2021

This is one of the real gems of the later Blue Note catalogue. The lineup is unreal, with Hill on the piano, Kenny Dorham on the trumpet, Eric Dolphy on the alto sax, bass clarinet and flute, Joe Henderson on the tenor sax, Richard Davis on the double bass and Tony Williams on the drums. I mean, that’s jazz royalty right there.

The album contains some progressive stuff that keeps you alert and interested all the way through. It’s avant-garde mixed with post bop to my ears. For me, very accessible though. Tony Williams is fantastic as always and pushes the music forward with superb control, finesse and energy. I never get tired of his inventive approach. Richard Davis keeps up with him and delivers some memorable double bass candy. The rest of the group plays on a very high plane as well, with Hill’s progressive and imaginative playing, Dolphy’s mastery of all the instruments he plays and the way he makes jazz so very interesting, Henderson’s beautiful but edgy tenor playing and full, rich sound, and then Dorham, who I think really holds his own in this kind of setting, despite maybe not being the most celebrated post bop/avant-garde player.

This is a wonderful and very interesting album which you should check out if you enjoy a bit more explorative jazz than hard bop for example, to mix it up a bit. And this is not free jazz, it’s controlled, but searching and full of imagination.

Some questions: Any thoughts on this album? The lineup on this, like I mentioned, is quite unreal. Do you have a favorite small group lineup from the 50’s-60’s..? Mine is probably, at this moment anyway, the cats who played together at the Five Spot with Dolphy, Booker Little, Mal Waldron, Richard Davis and Ed Blackwell. That, or the classic Coltrane quartet. Or maybe the Bill Evans trio with La Faro and Motian. You see.. it’s very, very difficult to choose. Maybe you can choose your top three?

I’m on a little pause when it comes to buying new records. I need to save up some vacation money first, and actually enjoy all the albums I have, with quite a few newcomers in the collection I haven’t listened to a lot.

Like I’ve mentioned, I’m on Instagram now (@fwrarejazzvinylcollector), where I at the moment post albums that I’ve already posted here through the years. So for new albums this is the place to look. I always post the latests albums here first.

Stay tuned for more vintage vinyl treasures coming up… cheers!

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Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus by Charles Mingus on Impulse! A-54

September 4, 2021

I never get tired of Mingus music. It’s so rich and full of contrasts. I have managed to add a few of his masterpieces to the collection, but there are several albums missing for sure. The album on display is a great one. Recorded on two different dates in 1963 with two large ensembles, including such jazz luminaries as Dolphy, Byard, Ervin, Richmond and Mariano, to name but a few.

Perfect music for a lazy Saturday afternoon such as this. I’m actually all alone in the apartment right now, so I can indulge myself a bit and play a few records from the collection, write a post and just relax with some coffee. One of my favorite tunes from this album is Ellington/Bigard’s “Mood Indigo”. A fabulous, calm piece of music which soothes the soul and feels quite warm and pleasing. Great double bass by Mingus.

This album is a nice Mingus-experience. If you haven’t heard this but enjoy Mingus and his large ensemble stuff I can highly recommend this album. Most of the tunes recorded for this album had been previously recorded and appear on other Mingus albums, some with different titles.

Some questions: do you have a favorite Mingus recording, single song or entire album? Thoughts on the album on display? Are you a fan of these large ensemble recordings or do you prefer smaller groups, or both?

It’s starting to get colder here in Stockholm…autumn is on it’s way for sure. Feels like the summer went away far too fast. Well, looking forward to some cozy evenings with warm coffee and jazz… cheers!

PS. I’ve now joined the vinyl community on Instagram. The handle is “fwrarejazzvinylcollector”. :-)

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"Mal-1" by the Mal Waldron Quintet on Prestige PRLP 7090

August 11, 2021

Great debut by Mal Waldron, recorded in 1956.

Highly enjoyable debut by one of my favorite pianists in jazz, Mal Waldron. The rendition of the tune “Yesterdays” is really good. Slow, smooth with a bit of melancholy. Right up my alley. A favorite tune for sure. This album feels like it’s rehearsed and tight. Everyone plays for each other and everything seems very cohesive. Great solos throughout by Gryce, Sulieman and Waldron. Best Waldron moment, for me, is his solo on “Dee’s Dilemma”. He makes every note count, so lyrical, it’s brilliant. It gives me hope about the world, you know?

All in all a very good album which can be enjoyed with a nice cup of coffee in the early evening in the middle of August, like I’m doing right now. Not entirely easy to find an original of unfortunately. Really happy with my copy. Great cover by Reid Miles.

There’s a lot of Waldron albums that I’m missing, but I’m aiming to find some more of them. A lot more. Almost had a copy of one of his titles on New Jazz before the summer, but decided to return it cause it had some substantial marks on one side. They didn’t sound apparently according to my friend when he play graded it, but they looked nastier than I thought they would, so I decided not to play it and instead opted to return it. Hoping to find another copy. Waldron released some really good stuff on the New Jazz label.

Some questions: maybe I’ve asked this before, but.. favorite Waldron album? Thoughts on Mal-1? Top 3 Prestige albums in the 7000 - 7100 span?

Right now I’m pondering on joining the Instagram vinyl community and also to have another crack at a YouTube channel where I can show some records. We’ll see what happens. Would that be something you guys would be interested in following? Let me know.

Have a great rest of the week and stay tuned for more original vintage jazz vinyl… cheers.

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Tommy Flanagan or a walk in the rain...?

August 7, 2021

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"Fuchsia Swing Song" by Sam Rivers on BLP 4184

July 19, 2021

One of my favorite Blue Notes, which says a lot.

I’ve gravitated heavily towards post bop in the last couple of years and I’ve been discovering a lot of superb albums and quite a few new artists as well. Sam Rivers I hadn’t listened to at all before, until I discovered the album on display earlier this year and fell in love with it. It’s jazz right up my alley. I love this stuff. It’s post bop, stretching the scope of your regular hard bop a bit, but I feel it’s still rooted in bop. Not flying too far away from that. It has quickly become one of my favorite Blue Notes, yet another superb title in the 4100 series. Loving the cover art as well, quite different.

Sam Rivers is a wonderful tenor player with a powerful tone, and he plays with such an inventive approach. It’s always very fulfilling when you find a new cat playing so great, that you haven’t heard before, and you are just at the very beginning of discovering his/her catalogue.

The other musicians are for me some of the best of the best; Jaki Byard on piano, Ron Carter on double bass and the great Tony Williams on drums, who I hold in very high regard. As a drummer myself I always listen intently to the drums in jazz, and Tony Williams is always so brilliant. His touch on the drums and cymbals is magic, especially the ride cymbal, and I always marvel at his overall approach to playing the drums. He’s probably in my top 3 list of favorite drummers of all time.

This is Sam Rivers debut as a leader and it’s the only album by him I’ve explored thoroughly. I’ll dive deeper into his catalogue, which will be interesting. Maybe his other stuff is a bit more free? I love his style on this LP though. For me it’s perfect, and the tunes are so enjoyable. Like I said, my kind of jazz.

Some questions: Maybe you guys have some tips on some other great Sam Rivers albums? If you’ve heard “Fuchsia Swing Song”, please, share your thoughts on it.

I hope you guys are having a wonderful summer and that you are enjoying your collections. At the moment I’m in Mexico, soaking up some much needed sun. Stay tuned for more vintage original 1st pressings from the collection coming up. Cheers!

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"The Blues and the Abstract Truth" by Oliver Nelson on Impulse! A-5

June 29, 2021

A classic Impulse! title that you should own.

“Stolen Moments” is the opening tune of this album and it stands out. Freddie Hubbard plays such a wonderful solo on this beautiful, soothing and calm piece of music. It’s composed, like all the other tunes on this album, by Oliver Nelson. The personnel on this session is a dream line-up, consisting of Nelson on tenor and alto, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Eric Dolphy on alto and flute, George Barrow on baritone, Bill Evans on piano, Paul Chambers on double bass and Roy Haynes on drums.

Another favorite tune is “Cascades” which is a great up-tempo piece, with very nice arrangements in the opening theme, and it features a sweet solo by Bill Evans. The whole album is very enjoyable and Nelsons compositional skills are impressive. It’s a nice mix of tunes. I dig Oliver Nelson a lot and I’ve added a couple of more titles with him as a leader to the collection during the last year, both on New Jazz.

I’ve been after this title for quite a while. I purchased a copy a couple of years ago but it had a skip, so back it went. Have been keeping an eye out for a long time. It seems that it’s not easy to get your hands on a copy. Not many nice original copies surfaces. My copy is in beautiful condition, both the vinyl and the jacket, so I’m a happy boy. It definitely is a title to have from the Impulse! catalogue. If you don’t have it yet, do yourself a favor and try and find a copy, any copy or pressing. This music is worth having for sure.

Some questions: Your take on this particular album? Other favorite Oliver Nelson albums? Also, we’re at the halfway point of the calendar year. Up to this point, what are some of your favorite acquisitions?

I’ve had some very good few months lately, where I’ve been able to add some new stuff to the collection. A lot of Blue Notes and this Nelson LP. Excited to share them here on the site with you guys, together with all the other titles I haven’t posted yet. So, stay tuned for more vintage jazz vinyl coming up.

Until next time, stay cool in the heat… cheers!

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"One Flight Up" by Dexter Gordon on Blue Note 4176

June 15, 2021

Another superb Reid Miles cover design. Highly recommended album.

This is actually my first album with Dexter Gordon as a leader and it’s a great one. Been after a couple of Dexter albums before, “Go” for example, but never pulled the trigger. So I’m happy to have added this title to the collection. Recorded in 1964 in Paris. Gordon lived in Europe for an extended period of time. The album features fellow Americans Donald Byrd on trumpet, Kenny Drew on piano and Art Taylor on drums. The double bass is played by Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen and he’s Danish.

The over 18 minute long tune “Tanya” kicks off the album and it’s nothing short of superb. Very bluesy, swaying, and contains a wonderful solo by Gordon. He just plays from the heart and it seems to last forever. Very nice. Byrd then plays an inspiring solo as well. The two other tunes are great too. Gordon was a master when it came to playing the ballad and shows that here on the sweet “Darn That Dream“. Beautiful stuff.

Haven’t focused a lot on Dexter Gordon in the past. I’ve listened a bit to his albums but not much at all. One Flight Up really leaves me with a sense that I want to explore Gordon a lot more in depth. All of his Blue Note releases first and foremost maybe. I’ve listened to some of them and they are very enjoyable.

Question: Maybe you can give me some hot tips on some of your favorite Dexter Gordon albums?

Been on a real Blue Note kick lately and I’m happy to have been able to add several new titles to the collection. Some really good stuff in the 4000 series. And a landmark title in the 1500 series as well. Stay tuned for those. Have several albums from other labels as well that I haven’t posted, and I’ll maybe try and mix them in between all the new Blue Notes.

Summer is a beautiful season here in Sweden and the warmth and sunshine is really making life a bit easier. Vacation time is coming up soon as well so it’s all good. Have a great rest of the week, cheers!

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"Black Fire" by Andrew Hill on BLP 4151

May 30, 2021

A lot of the later Blue Note material is superb, and this title is no exception.

I got myself a couple of original Andrew Hill LP’s on Blue Note. This is one of them, “Black Fire”. Great album and great line-up consisting of some of the very best of the later Blue Note roster: Andrew Hill on piano, Joe Henderson on tenor sax, Richard Davis on double bass and Roy Haynes on drums. The music is very interesting, like many other later Blue Note titles. It’s post bop, which I really love. Andrew Hill is a wonderful pianist. Has his own unique style. A very inventive and progressive player. I’ve dived into Joe Henderson’s stuff lately and he has quickly become a favorite of mine. I really need to bolster the collection with his outstanding albums as a leader on Blue Note.

I have explored the later Blue Note 4000 series for some time now. It’s a lovely part of the catalogue and many superb titles and different artists that I haven’t listened to a lot has popped up. I have found some outstanding music there which I’m very excited about. Artists like Andrew Hill, Joe Henderson, Tony Williams, Bobby Hutcherson, Grachan Moncur III, Joe Chambers, Herbie Hancock, Sam Rivers, Wayne Shorter and so on, are featured on these great Blue Notes. I’m searching for a plethora of titles from this period and the search has really just begun. I’ve been after Blue Note titles specifically lately, cause I feel there are so many great albums there, that I need to go after. So many artists that I’ve discovered and enjoy are featured very heavily in the 4000 series. They always sound great and a lot of the cover art is of course fantastic. Also, I’ve been concentrating on other labels for quite some time now and the lure of the Blue Note label just came calling I guess. So, as a result I’ve been able to add a few Blue Notes to the collection which I’m very happy about.

Back to “Black Fire”. If you haven’t listened to this album and you enjoy a bit more challenging tones and rhythms than you get from your standard hard bop stuff, then give this a try. It’s quite accessible I think. It’s one of those great titles from the later 4000 series for sure.

Some questions: I wonder what my readers think of this title? Do you have any other favorite titles that feature Andrew Hill? Let me know.

I’ll try to post a bit more often, so stay tuned for more great LP’s from the collection coming up. Stay safe everyone. Cheers!

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"Hi-Fly" by Jaki Byard on New Jazz NJLP 8273

April 8, 2021

The first notes are intriguing, not your usual hard bop piano. Then we’re off, and the piano lines are very interesting and fresh. I love the piano in jazz, and I usually appreciate some character to the instrument, like the leader on this album produces. His name is Jaki Byard and I first noticed him when I was watching videos of the Mingus concerts in Europe in ‘64 on YouTube. I immediately enjoyed his unique style. After that I looked him up, and started to explore his output a bit. I haven’t gotten very far since then, but I have already found some titles that I enjoy very much. He’s already become one of my absolute favorite piano players in jazz, just by hearing a handful of albums. Other pianists I enjoy a lot are Mal Waldron, Monk, McCoy Tyner, Bill Evans, Tommy Flanagan, Bobby Timmons etc.

A bit of Monk shines through in his playing on this record. But it’s a flavor all of his own. It’s quite unique. His compositional skills are very impressive as well, as this album contains several high quality pieces of his. Very interesting piano trio jazz. I think the format itself is wonderful. I love piano trios. The cats on this are Byard on piano, Ron Carter on double bass and Pete La Roca on drums. Superb group.

The second side begins with a very special tune. It starts quite soothing with piano candy by Byard. After a while all hell breaks loose with some propulsive drums and double bass. The piano just flies over the chaotic rhythm section and sprinkles Byard’s magic over it. Then it settles down again and we get some outstanding lyrical playing by Byard… it’s brilliant.

If, for some reason, you haven’t discovered Byard yet I would highly recommend you start exploring his work. I think “Hi-Fly” is a great introduction to his genius. Check it out.

Quite a few questions for my readers: If you’ve heard this album, what’s your take on it? Your thoughts on Jaki Byard in general? Favorite Jaki Byard album? Top 5 jazz pianists of all time? Please, write away.

At the moment I’m in the process of trying to find my next addition to the collection. I have one title for example that I have the chance to acquire, but it will take some luck and some dough. Let’s see how that pans out, fingers crossed. Stay tuned for more great, vintage pieces of vinyl coming up… cheers!

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