The Now Spinning/Recent Purchases Thread

I randomly picked this one from Terje Rypdal's albums on Qobuz over the weekend and gave it a spin. ECM did a nice reissue of this one in hi-res. It sounds like a recent recording but was actually released back in 1978.

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Palle Mikkelborg appears here on trumpet, flugelhorn, something called a "ring modulator" (which is a strange type of synthesizer that makes sounds with "ringing" types of overtones, like the "harmonica" sound on the lead-off track, "Per Ulv" and can also sound like wind chimes, like the ring modulator I built decades ago), and the RMI Keyboard Computer. In 1985 Mikkelborg would compose and produce the album Aura for Miles Davis.

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Terje Rypdal plays guitar, the RMI, and an ARP synthesizer. He is still an ECM recording artist, having recorded his first album with the label way back in 1971.
 
Still giving Nik Bärtsch's Ronin a lot of play here.





It occurred to me this evening while listening to an early album of his that the music has a few similarities to Moondog, as some of his short pieces could be similarly rhythmic, circular and ritualistic. Listen to "Oasis" at the 2:30 point in this 10" album and compare to the track above (which is an excerpt from "Modul 58"). That pulsing, circular rhythm is kind of similar in a way (although Bärtsch is playing in 7/4 where Moondog is in 5/4):


 
So this all started out because I am still kicking myself, 30 years later, for selling my original vinyl of The Cramps--perfect copies of Songs The Lord Taught Us and Psychedelic Jungle. I hit Discogs to start searching for sealed copies, not expecting much since they have been in high demand for years. I was surprised to see new vinyl reissues of their albums, not just the IRS Records albums, but a handful of others beyond.

I figured, OK, probably some knock-off label. The label is called Drastic Plastic Records, based in Nebraska. My worries were unfounded. The records were remastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearant, and pressed by QRP (Chad Kassem's company), home of Analogue Productions and one of the better vinyl pressing plants around. So the vinyl was well mastered and well pressed.

They arrived yesterday.

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Gravest Hits was cut at 45RPM, the others at 33⅓. They were released as three editions--standard black vinyl, colored vinyl, and 180g vinyl. Psychedelic Jungle is said to be pressed on "goo goo muck green" vinyl. :laugh: After the first run-through, my notes say the vinyl is pretty quiet (even more impressive since it's colored vinyl), and I'm hearing new details in the sound I haven't heard before. "They ooze. You'll throb." That's what the notes on the jacket say for "Human Fly." These are certainly oozing more than I've ever heard before. :D
 
I picked up another sealed copy of Isaac Hayes' Don't Let Go album, and this one is better. Side two is not pressed off-center, and there is slightly less noise. It still needs a good cleaning though.

I also nabbed a sealed copy of The Honeydrippers Vol. 1, still a favorite after all of these years. It was actually my introduction (or maybe gateway drug) into Robert Plant and Led Zeppelin. I'd picked up Shaken and Stirred a couple of years later, then Led Zeppelin IV.

And finally, a sealed copy of the Manhattan Transfer album Brasil. I had a used copy that didn't play well. This one is spotless, of course. It's my 2nd favorite of theirs--Vocalese is still the favorite here.
 
I been listening to my KPM Comp Cds lately ( as released by Dutton/Vocalion label in the UK) subtitled easy listening from the KPM 1000 SERIES Which was production library music recorded between 1968 and 1978 and used globally by many media outlets and they were used here in the US the styles vary and there are some Funky R&B flavored tracks in the midst of them and I've also been reviewing some of my lesser known Jazz instrumental artists who didn't quite get off the ground the to lack of promotion and their labels folding one example is keyboardist Tim Heintz who did original material and A few covers ( One of my favorites by him is his instrumental cover or EL Debarge's song "Someone" from the 1988 release Searching the heart which I have on CD on the Short lived TBA label and there are other artists I enjoy on that label such as harpist Carlos Reyes guitarist Frank Potenza and A couple of CDS by Grant Geissman.among others It's a shame TBA went out of business because I really enjoyed their early smooth jazz artists and they came out at the beginning of the genre.
 
HOLY CRAP!!! THEY EVEN HAVE THE ORIGINAL I.R.S. LABELS!!!
Yep! :thumbsup: The reissue labels are pretty good about reproducing the original labels. The LP jackets on these are the tip-on jackets printed by Stoughton, so they are actually a higher quality than the original. These are also individually numbered, limited editions.
 
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Anouar Brahem plays the Tunisian oud. This is a good one, recorded in New York.

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A fascinating listen. Debussy's solo piano recordings, recorded from piano rolls created several decades ago. It is interesting to hear his own interpretations of these compositions. They seem to have more life than some others I've heard.

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Haven't played this in a while, and noticed it's had a recent hi-res release. Playing from Qobuz at the moment.

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Found a new book and record store here in Waco. Apparently it is a chain called Half Price Books. They sell remainders and trade-ins, so a good mix of used and cut-out books and records. And DVDs. On Saturdays they have an "everything $4.99 or less" sale. I picked up the DVD box of Band of Brothers -- for $4.99!!! A&M finds include a clean sealed copy of Just You and Me, used copies of Michael Murphey's 2 A&M LPs and a copy of Joe Sample's Carmel. I was only allowed in for about 10 minutes, so I will be returning when I have more time! A few books I've been searching for for a few years were also found!

--Mr. Bill
 
Yeah, Half Price Books is a pretty decent chain. I can't recall if I visited the location in Columbus OH or not, as I was there only for a day and we hit maybe three or four record shops while I was in town, so it was kind of a whirlwind.

Funny, but I've been looking for a sealed Just You and Me. Such is my luck! :D
 
A&M finds include a clean sealed copy of Just You and Me, used copies of Michael Murphey's 2 A&M LPs and a copy of Joe Sample's Carmel. I was only allowed in for about 10 minutes, so I will be returning when I have more time! A few books I've been searching for for a few years were also found!

--Mr. Bill
Oooooh You Lucky Ducky you.
 
So they are in other states as well? That's good to know. The guy behind the counter wasn't sure if it was national or just Texas. He also told me their delivery schedule and said there's be a new pallet of LPs arriving Wednesday from their distribution center. If my son and grandson weren't at home awaiting lunch, I could've spent hours there -- not just the 10 minutes I managed to get in. I was surprised the record section had nearly every Herb LP from Lonely Bull though North on South Street. Stereo AND Mono copies of everything up to Ninth. (No Beat, sadly)...

--Mr Bill
 
Half Price Books originated in Texas, but have 120+ stores throughout the country. The largest family-owned used music/book/video chain in the country. Their stock rotates quite often, so it's one of those places worth visiting regularly. None here where I'm at (anyone with business sense never opens a business in this state :laugh: ), but the two Cleveland, one Fort Wayne and five Columbus locations are within four hours (Cleveland less than three).
 
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