Impulse covers/Phillips records

[six string]

I recently purchased some used albums from my local that were obtained from someone who was in the military in Europe in the sixties. The records have original U.S. covers from Impulse ( John Coltrane, Coleman Hawkins, Chico Hamilton) but Phillips labels. As best as I can determine, these are circa 1963 pressings and the sound is really excellent so I'm very happy. I'm curious about the story of how these came about. I'm sure it's some kind of distribution/ownership deal, but would like to know more if someone can help out. I also bought some albums from Prestige that have blue RCA labels (same source). Again, great sound but original U.S. covers and European records. The nice thing is that being original, they have the laminated covers. Another interesting note is that the little white dot (on the Impulse records) that has the album number on it says Stereo but has the A### on it and not AS###. All of my U.S. Impulse albums that are original pressings have AS### or if mono, have A### on it. These have the words Stereo on the sticker.

[sidewinder]

Can't say I've ever seen any of these. I wonder if these were pressings from Holland? Pretty sure that they can't have been from the UK side of Phillips ()which were put out by HMV). Maybe the sort of local deal that resulted in those Sparton issues in Canada?

[JohnS]

Can't recall any Imulse albums from Philips. Early Impulse albums were imports into the UK from the US. Later, US jackets were used with French pressings. EMI also issued many Impulse albums using original cover art but not the gatefold sleeves.

[six string]

I should have mentioned that the lps are from Holland. The sleeves are the original gatefolds from the U.S.

One of the Impulse covers has a sticker on the inside that says Distributed by Phillips Phonographic Industries.

The albums that are Prestige covers are not U.S. covers, but French with the turquoise blue RCA labels in French.

[Shannon Dickey]

I have a copy of Sonny Stitt's "Now!", that has a Philips stereo label (Black w/ silver print). Pressed (?) in Holland. The cover the same as the U.S. Version. I have the original, and this is different.

Whuss up w/ that??

[six string]

My Phillips labels are black w/silver print too. I have several of these, John Coltrane, Coleman Hawkins, and Chico Hamilton that came from a collection bought by a local used record shop. The lps are really quiet and the sound is excellent, so I'm very pleased. Like you, I'm curious as to how this happened. It seems as if the covers were shipped to Holland from the U.S. and the records and pressings seem to be from around the time period of the releases (circa 1963).