Mark Smotroff

This is the back cover. The front cover is more timely and poignant in some ways but I know if I post that I'll have issues with the algorithms which already squashes my posts. Was amazed to have found this in the bargyn bin at Amoeba.

Was reminded by author friend Pat Thomas that today is the the birthday of Elaine Brown, the only woman to have been Chairman of the Black Panther Party during their 1970s heyday. Last year I found this copy of her 1970 singer-songwriter album so it felt like a good time to play it. This is the back cover. The front cover is more timely and poignant in some ways but I know if I post that I'll have issues with the algorithms which already squashes my posts. Was amazed to have found this in the bargyn bin at Amoeba.

Was reminded by author friend Pat Thomas that today is the the birthday of Elaine Brown, the only woman to have been Chairman of the Black Panther Party during their 1970s heyday. Last year I found this, her 1970 singer-songwriter album so it felt like a good time to play it. Cont'd #musicsky #music

My listening reports on two excellent reissue/restorations as part of Chess Records' 75th Anniversary celebration is now on Analog Planet. There I explore two core blues albums which happen to be very rare and collectible in their original form, the debut LPs by Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters. Both were collections of single releases from the early 1950s and sound pretty remarkable. https://www.analogplanet.com/content/chess-records%E2%80%99-75th-anniversary-series-180g-lps-kicks-pair-indisputable-blues-gems-howlin%E2%80%99

My listening reports on 2 excellent reissues as part of Chess Records' 75th Anniversary celebration is now on Analog Planet: the debut LPs by Howlin' Wolf & Muddy Waters, both collections of early '50s single releases. #musicsky #blues #bluessky #music #vinyl

www.analogplanet.com/content/ches...

Screamin' into Monday with Howlin' Wolf's wonderful new reissue of his debut LP 'Moanin' In The Moonlight.' Very hard to find originals. My listening report on this & the equally fine restoration also rare 'Best Of Muddy Waters' is on Analog Planet (dot com) celebrating Chess Records 75th Anniversary.

Screamin' into Monday w/ Howlin' Wolf's wonderful reissue of his debut LP 'Moanin' In The Moonlight.' Hard to find originals. My listening report on this & the equally fine, also rare 'Best Of Muddy Waters' is on Analog Planet (dot com) celebrating Chess Records 75th Anniversary. #musicsky #music

Yesterday I found a "sealed" UK OG that had been opened by a customer so Grooves gave me a hearty discount I couldn't resist. Lovely stuff. Sorta like Kaleidoscope in slow motion...

One off Mediterranean-influenced post-psych meditations by former members of The Action & Mighty Baby, fueled by Island Records' Chris Blackwell.

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A year ago at a swap meet, a fellow crate digger reached across boxes of 2-for-5 bargyns to hand me "The Habibiyya" saying "you need this." Vinyl was clean (US press) but cover water damaged. I liked it. One off Mediterranean-influenced post-psych meditations by former members of The Action & Mighty Baby, fueled by Island Records' Chris Blackwell. Yesterday I found a "sealed" UK OG that had been opened by a customer so Grooves gave me a hearty discount I couldn't resist. Lovely stuff. Sorta like Kaleidoscope in slow motion...

A year ago at a swap meet, a fellow crate digger reached across boxes of 2-for-5 bargyns to hand me "The Habibiyya" saying "you need this." Vinyl was clean (US press) but cover water damaged. I liked it. Cont'd

#musicsky #music #vinyl #vinylcommunity

Sunday Night Surf - Despite the clean cut cover, this third Challengers album is surprisingly enjoyable. I mean, any band that can pull off a surf version of Hava Nagila has to have some sort of chutzpah. Flea market find this morning for about 3bux in fairly pristine condition. Even the stereo mix is interesting (plays with the reverb)... plus: back cover drawings by future psych poster legend Rick Griffin!

Sunday Night Surf - Despite the clean cut cover, this 3rd Challengers album is surprisingly enjoyable. Any band that can pull off a surf version of Hava Nagila has some sort of chutzpah. Flea market find this morning for about 3$ in fairly pristine condition. #musicsky #music #surf #surfvinyl

Last fall I traded for a well loved but very enjoyable copy of this semi-rare and under-appreciated 1957 Art Blakey jammer, "Drum Suite." This morning, my most significant score at the local flea market is this near mint upgrade for about 3bux. Sounds great!

Last fall I traded for a well loved but very enjoyable copy of this semi-rare and under-appreciated 1957 Art Blakey jammer, "Drum Suite." This morning, my most significant score at the local flea market is this near mint upgrade for about 3bux. Sounds great! #musicsky #jazzsky #vinylsky #vinyl

A PSA from Thomas Massie:

Consider it like Yes' Going For The One compared to Close To The Edge or Relayer...

Revisiting Nektar's underappreciated 1974 circus concept album "Down To Earth" before digging into a new 4CD expanded reissue. if Nektar's side-long epics like Recycled & Remember The Future were too much for you, this features shorter song structures but is no less good. Consider it like Yes' Going For The One compared to Close To The Edge or Relayer. And yes, this is an original UK pressing.

Revisiting Nektar's 1974 circus concept LP "Down To Earth" (original UK pressing) before digging into a new 4CD expanded reissue. If Nektar's side-long epics Recycled & Remember The Future were too much for you, this features shorter song structures but is no less good. 1of2 #musicsky #music

And it's all utterly terrible and unlistrnable mostly large off key group sing-alongs, old-timey tunes, like an especially bad Mitch Miller record.

But the covers are pure 50s kitsch, an odd moment in time...

But the covers can be quite fascinating and fun so I've collected a bunch of them over the years including "music to break a lease"

I've Long had these lower two here but yesterday I found a additional album of MORE lease breaking music…

Cont'd

Thus a series of purpose oriented records started emerging from most every label… Music for dining, scaring neighbors, cocktails, clearing parties, dancing, dating, doing housework, writing, typing, thinking etc. Some were quite ridiculous and often musically rather bland.

Cont'd

Music For Doing - in the 1950s long before I was born, as long playing records became a cultural phenomenon record companies, sought ways to further ingrain them into peoples daily lives. Thus a series of purpose oriented records started emerging from most every label… Music for dining, scaring neighbors, cocktails, clearing parties, dancing, dating, doing housework, writing, typing, thinking etc. Some were quite ridiculous and often musically rather bland. But the covers can be quite fascinating and fun so I've collected a bunch of them over the years including "music to break a lease" I've Long had these lower two here but yesterday I found a additional album of MORE lease breaking music… And it's all utterly terrible and unlistrnable mostly large off key group sing-alongs, old-timey tunes, like an especially bad Mitch Miller record. But the covers are pure 50s kitsch, an odd moment in time...

Music For Doing - in the 1950s long before I was born, as long playing records became a cultural phenomenon record companies, sought ways to further ingrain them into peoples daily lives. Cont'd.

#musicsky #music #vinyl

Amaryllis Rising: And then there were four flowers...

#Amaryllis Rising: And then there were four #flowers...

YouTube video by Bernardo Vieira S., Jr. Tito Puente - Almendra

Check out this guitar solo... from 1957... sounds like a 12-string electric!
youtu.be/ptyy1bCGG7A?...

Friday night moods while waiting on a friend to arrive. Found this 1957 Tito Puente album in the bargyn bin in nice condition. There is some nice guitar work going on here, notably on opening track "La Ola Marina." Anyone know who that player was in his band at this time?

Friday night moods while waiting on a friend to arrive. Found this 1957 Tito Puente album in the bargain bin in nice condition. There is some nice guitar work here, notably on opening track "La Ola Marina." Anyone know who that player was in his band at this time? #musicsky #jazzsky #music #vinyl

#RIPNeilSedaka #Sedaka #musicsky #music

Another neat white label promo I've always wanted: The Beach Boys' Surf's Up. Vinyl is pretty solid, especially for 5bux (at Groove Merchant). I have a minty original stock copy so I'm good with this messy cover.

Another neat white label promo I've always wanted: The Beach Boys' Surf's Up. #Vinyl is pretty solid, especially for 5bux (at Groove Merchant). I have a minty original stock copy so I'm good with this messy cover. #musicsky #music

I'd forgotten about this handy UK only collection of early Elton John B-sides and non-LP tracks, Lady Samantha. Didn't realize until now that this 1980 LP was its first appearance on vinyl - initially released exclusively on cassette and 8-track in 1974! Thrift shop upgrade.

I'd forgotten about this handy UK only collection of early Elton John B-sides & non-LP tracks, Lady Samantha. Didn't realize until now that this 1980 LP was its first appearance on vinyl - initially released only on #cassette and 8-track in 1974! Thrift shop upgrade. #musicsky #music #vinylcommunity

And of course these are both different than the fabulous "A Rock & Roll Dance Party" with the creepy cut-out kids on the cover which appeared on RPM and Crown Records.

Which Rock & Roll Party would you prefer going to? While I'm not sure of the release dates of these 1950s compilations, I can't help but think one label was inspired by the other: Savoy subsidiary Regent Records in NJ and Ohio's King Records. And of course these are both different than the fabulous "A Rock & Roll Dance Party" with the creepy cut-out kids on the cover which appeared on RPM and Crown Records.

Which Rock & Roll Party would you prefer going to? While I'm not sure of the release dates of these 1950s compilations, I can't help but think one label was inspired by the other: Savoy subsidiary Regent Records in NJ and Ohio's King Records. #vinyl #vinylcomminity #music #musicsky #vinylsky 1of2

Recorded by Jerry Newman on a portable disc recorder -- who co-founded Esoteric/Counterpoint.

I wonder if a comprehensive study/restoration of all his field recordings has been done yet? The 78 is noisy so I'm playing this instead, but you can see what the label looks like here

As far as I know first pressings have the same cover but different labels, probably the same stampers).

The other day I found a 78 RPM disc on Vox of two tracks from this session which were released in 1947 as a 3 disc set.

Cont'd

Just a month before Christian entered hospital for tuberculosis, he died in '42, age 26.

Widely reissued/pirated, some years back I got close to the source on this original 1957-era Counterpoint Records LP (part of Esoteric Records)

Cont'd

One of the first jazz albums I ever purchased with my own money was on budget label Upfront Records featuring audience recordings of electric guitar legend Charlie Christian with Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk from May 1941. Just a month before Christian entered hospital for tuberculosis, he died in '42, age 26. Widely reissued and pirated, some years back I got close to the source on this original 1957-era Counterpoint Records LP (part of Esoteric Records; as far as I know first pressings have the same cover but Esoteric labels, probably the same stampers). The other day I found a 78 RPM disc on Vox of two tracks from this session which were released in 1947 as a 3 disc set. Recorded by Jerry Newman on a portable disc recorder -- who co-founded Esoteric/Counterpoint. I wonder if a comprehensive study/restoration of all his field recordings has been done yet? The 78 is noisy so I'm playing this instead, but you can see what the label looks like as it is my current profile image.

One of the first jazz albums I ever purchased with my own money was on budget label Upfront Records featuring audience recordings of electric guitar legend Charlie Christian with Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk from May 1941. Cont'd #jazzsky #jazz #vinyl #musicsky #music #vinylcommunity

Yes!