Fresh Grabs

I haven't shared anything here for a while so here we go.

Jimmy Deuchar Quartet and Sextet - Pal Jimmy (Tempo Records, 1958 First Pressing)
Tonton Macoute - S/T (RCA, 1971 First Pressing)
Chris McGregor's Brotherhood Of Breath - Brotherhood (RCA, 1972 First Pressing)
Jazz Britannia - S/T (MGM Records, 1956 First Pressing)


By far the best score I've had in ages, an original pressing of one of the trickiest British jazz albums to find in Jimmy Deuchar's "Pal Jimmy". It's an incredible album which I completely lucked out in getting. Not to be confused with the Haitian dictator's brutal presidential guard of the same name (a strange group to name your band after), "Tonton Macoute" is another British jazz album that drifts towards prog-rock. I have several of Chris McGregor's Brotherhood Of Breath albums but "Brotherhood" has evaded me for ages so I'm thrilled to have got a copy. Finally, an oddity that I have been waiting to find a cheap copy of in this compilation of British jazz tracks.

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Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated - S/T (Ace Of Clubs, 1965 First Mono Pressing)
Solid Gold Cadillac - S/T (RCA Victor, 1972 First Pressing)
The London Jazz Four - Take A New Look At The Beatles (Polydor, 1967 First Mono Pressing)
Tatsuya Nakamura - Locus (Sea Horse, 2023 BBE Limited Pressing)
The Fabulous Eddie Thompson - Piano Moods Volume One (Jazz Today, 1955 First 7" Pressing)
Kenny Graham's Afro-Cubists - Playing Excerpts From His Caribbean Suite (Esquire, 1954 First 7" Pressing)


More fantastic British jazz with a blues album and J-Jazz album thrown in for good measure. Lots of fantastic listening to do.

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The 1961 Sixth Beaulieu Jazz Festival programme

Not strictly a record but I thought the artwork on this programme was too good not to share. It also has the bonus of being signed by Anita O'Day (on the front) and Joe Hariott inside.

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So it’s almost the end of January and in 2025 I’ve only bought a single record!

I’m trying to take a different approach this year, focusing for the 2-3 weeks of the month to narrow it down and then to purchase my “record of the month”.

Figure I needed to reduce the number of pre-order/FOMO purchases and just spend time with my collection. Also previously prioritising pre-orders and limited editions, I’ve actually skipped buying a lot of my favourite albums.

Let’s see how it goes! I’ve manages January so far:

Gigi Masin - Calypso View attachment 225174

Resolve has been strong - here’s my Feb record.

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are these originals or reissues - how do they sound?
So finishing up Dewdrops right now. Both records are Get on Down exclusives. Don’t seem to be part of wider release. Dewdrops seems to be a repress of an edition they did with TTL in 2018. Hard to tell though, because those don’t have the matrix listed.

Cut by Wes Garland at NRP. Mastering seems very nice. Dynamic and bass kicks. There is nothing that identifies it as a NRP press but given a faint GZ style persistent crackle revealed in a headphone listen and not distracting when the music is playing, I would assume it was pressed there as well.

I’m not mad at it, could be better. Could be worse.

Package is bare bones. Single pocket direct to board. Plain white inners (evidently the previous release had full color inners with the liner notes and pics.
 
Yazz Ahmed - A Paradise In The Hold (Night Time Stories, 2024 Limited First Signed Pressing)

Really looking forward to listening to this latest album from Yazz Ahmed which arrived a day early. Her mixing of contemporary jazz with traditional Bahraini influences is so unique and works everytime. I stretched for the limited coloured pressing (pearl, but basically just white) with a signed booklet.

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Stan Tracey Trio - Little Klunk (Vogue, 1959 First Pressing)
The Melody Maker All Stars - 1952 Poll Winners (Esquire, 1952 First 10" Pressing)


This is rather ridiculously the third copy of the Stan Tracey that I have, but when I come across a cheap copy I always pick it up on the off-chance its better quality than the others! The real gem is the Melody Maker All Stars which was the first 10" release on the fantastic Esquire label. Super rare (not particularly sought after though, compared with other Esquire release anyway) and this copy is in incredible shape and the artwork/printing is stunning!

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