Great Finds

[Homefromtheforest]

Hey I'm a music fan but I like this thread so I can nerd out when I feel like it

Sometimes great finds can open up a lot of doors...I recall finding a box of "free jazz" around 1990 or so that had just arrived at Bud's jazz in Seattle and inside was "people in sorrow", "congliptuous", a few Sun Ra titles and more. It was all pretty cheap so I bought a bunch of them and it exposed me to new sounds and directions in music. A pretty special day for a 17 year old...

[sidewinder]

Today, I found copies of:

...........Organ spectaculars.

Don't knock 'em. Sometimes these are stealth 'Jonny McLaughlin' albums..

Edited March 11, 2015 by sidewinder

[jeffcrom]

Sadly, this thread is not about music.

Nothing sad about it at all. Record collecting is a fun activity, and although it's generally motivated by love of music, there are other aspects to it. I certainly enjoy and appreciate my records as objects/artifacts in addition to enjoying the music on them. Nothing wrong with that, or with this thread.

[mjazzg]

Sadly, this thread is not about music.

Sadly this comment is not about this thread....I can't believe you've never experienced the buzz of finding a recording you've long wanted to hear. Maybe you have them all presented to you on a plate?

One of my 'great finds' was an AEOC LP (the cover looked 'cool' and the name was intriguing) when all I'd heard of Jazz was Ben Webster - certainly changed my outlook. Also meant I ended up buying a fair few Nessa titles too

[Clunky]

In fairness I think all Chuck appears to be pointing out is that it's all too easy to get hung on the medium rather than the music . Something I know I'm occasionally guilty of . Buying an LP because it's a vintage pressing rather than its musical content . Sometimes I find myself thinking, "would I buy this if it was a CD" . If no, then pass.

[mjazzg]

I think you're correct but the usual Nessa pithiness can sometimes seem rather dismissive (in this case of others enjoyment/obsession)

How about "Is this LP available on CD?"

Tricky one that, I find

[Leeway]

I get what Chuck's saying, but I would apply it more to the Vinyl Thread itself, which has also become rather more about ultra-cool obscurities than the music on the vinyl. Perhaps they are ultra-obscure because the music isn't very good? Just a thought that has flittered past me at times while perusing the posts. But even if it is good stuff, the thrust typically seems to be how rare something is, how hard to find, rather than what the music i about. I think Chuck's reminder is timely: it's about the music, not just some antiquarian indulgence.

[jeffcrom]

. I think Chuck's reminder is timely: it's about the music, not just some antiquarian indulgence.

I should probably just shut up and go away. But I love music and also enjoy a good bit of antiquarian indulgence. (How could it be otherwise, since I'm a 78 collector/listener?) What's wrong with that? There's plenty of stuff here that's not just about the music.

Of course a thread in the vinyl forum called "Great Finds" is going to have a lot in it about finding cool obscurities.

There's nothing wrong with any of this. Let people share what they're excited about. I don't so much, anymore. I've been here six years and have learned to censor myself more and more; to reveal less and less.

I wrote a lot more, then erased it.

[Chuck Nessa]

That's ok. Beat me up. I'm used to it.

[l p]

a 'scared straight' documentary for music collectors.

VINYL (Alan Zweig)

[jeffcrom]

That's ok. Beat me up. I'm used to it.

I can never tell if you're joking, but I don't think there's any beating up going on here.

[corto maltese]

In fairness I think all Chuck appears to be pointing out is that it's all too easy to get hung on the medium rather than the music . Something I know I'm occasionally guilty of . Buying an LP because it's a vintage pressing rather than its musical content . Sometimes I find myself thinking, "would I buy this if it was a CD" . If no, then pass.

Of course it's about the medium. I've never been excited about finding a CD.

And of course it's about the music.

Most of my friends collecting records are musicians themselves.

[Big Beat Steve]

I agree all the way with Jeffcrom, and would ask you, Jeff, to stay around, and keep posting. Please!

Yes, this thread IS about antiquarian obsessiveness, and I enjoy it, though I am thousands of miles away from where many of these finds can still be made at all, and yet I am not envious (well, hardly ever ).

I don't see any point either about dismissing the joy one experiences in finding an old, original, rare or otherwise desirable (PERSONALLY desirably, or else the one who make the find would pass the item up!) record, particularyl if you are able to find that item at an unbeatable price. This is part of the joy of ANY collecting hobby in ANY field out there.

So - sorry, Mr Nessa, I don't quite get your point (or your sore spot) in this discussion either. Like Jeff said, the "Great Finds" title pretty much sums up what one likely would talk and report about here, and rightly so IMHO.

And like corto maltese says, the excitement in finding a CD just is not the same. Finding a CD with music you have been looking for is nice and can be a satisfying experience, but unless you are all focused on CD or even newer methods (download etc.) it still remains "second best" to those who still treasure analog media.

BESIDES: How come I have not heard this kind of complaints or dismissals in those endless threads about "upgrading" the umpteenth re-re-reissues of this or that CD that had already been around the block a zillion times and YET masses of CD buyers droool about the (alleged) virtues of this or that latest/newest/best/superlative mastering/digitizing etc., although the sonic improvement often is marginal at best on most sound systems? Is it always about the music in THOSE discussions or isn't there some navel-gazing going on too, and isnt it often just a case just being able to say "Hey I got this latest of all latest remastering of this CD and the issue that YOU have is just old hat"?

As for it being about the music or not, are finding the music you have been looking for (and finding it at a good price) and finding it on the medium you prefer (here: vinyl) mutually exclusive? So it IS about the music after all, and as for the music being good or not, that is for the respective buyer and for no one else to decide. One man's meat is another man's poison, and certainly it its not for anyone to proclaim that what others are supposed NOT to enjoy.

[kh1958]

Last Saturday, I was pleasantly surprised to find these LPs at a small Half Price Books store:

Horace Silver, Silver's Serenede (Blue Note, NY USA, mono)

Jimmy Smith, Crazy! Baby (Blue Note, NY USA mono)

Herbie Mann, Charlie Rouse, Mal Waldron, Kenny Burrell, Just Wailin' (Status mono, heavy flat edge pressing)

Arnett Cobb, Ballads by Cobb, (Prestige Moodsville mono)

Thelonious Monk, Brilliant Corners (Dutch Riverside stereo)

Cannonball Adderley, In New York (Dutch Riverside stereo)

Buddy DeFranco, Bravura (Verve trumpet label mono)

Gene Ammons, Frank Foster, Nat Adderley, Frank Wess, Benny Green, The Swingingest (Vee Jay mono)

[Leeway]

It's not meant to be personal Jeff (or anyone else that feels this way). It's just a heads-up about a creeping (no, galloping) fetishism that seems to be taking over the listening experience, certainly the vinyl experience (but I also include endless remasters of CDs as well). It's a kind of kudzu on the music.

[jcam_44]

I've been super excited about finding a CD before. Vinny Golia - Puff of Smoke comes to mind, and the James Booker - United, Together We Stand that jeffcrom graciously helped me obtain.

If purchases were made just based on obscurity, Chuck has a valid point.

I picked up Tim Berne - The Five Year Plan a few months ago at a spot I like to visit every couple of months. Usually I can find a couple albums I like cheap but the Tim Berne really got me excited.

[Big Beat Steve]

It's not meant to be personal Jeff (or anyone else that feels this way). It's just a heads-up about a creeping (no, galloping) fetishism that seems to be taking over the listening experience, certainly the vinyl experience (but I also include endless remasters of CDs as well). It's a kind of kudzu on the music.

Well ... is it really just fetichism if one is pleased to find an interesting record from way back at a very good price that allows you to enjoy ALL aspects of the record (inlcuding listening to the music, but not only so), i.e. all the artwork, from the sleeve to the inner sleeve to the label in its original form as originally thought up and intended by those who published that object (record)?

I'd agree it is nothing but fetichism if you pay insane top, top, top money (up to 4-digit figures) for an original/first/early pressing just because it is a platter that some geek had in his grimy, grubby hands way back in the 40s/50s/60s. No music can be THAT great if you pay something like 10, 20 or 50 times what a decent later pressing or reissue goes for (particularly if it is a well-produced facsimile reissue that evne gives you a decent reprodution of the orignal artwork). But if you find an original or early pressing at a very good/affordable/low price in spite of what the "market price" would be then why not enthuse and share your enthusiasm with others? And isn't that all that THIS thread is about?

@jcam_44:

As for obscurity, Chuck has a point but only to a very limited degree. At least as far as collecting goes. If it all were about only going after the big names, big artists, big disks, then a lot of valuable music would be unjustly overlooked and forgotten and history would be all the poorer for it. Besides, a lot of deserving music was unjustly neglected and overlooked back then and therefores is obscure now. 'bout time to resurrect some of it now if you can.

Or else you might as well dump all those "Complete Works" box sets by all the major artists because - by that reasoning - why should anybody want or even be be entitled to collecting even the lesser and less successful works or even outright duds (even most major artists have been guilty of some of these)? No doubt a lot of those "obscurities" by obscure artists would be better and more deserving than the duds comited to wax by the major names on a not so good day.

Anyway you look at it, this sort if swiping dismissals is a door that ALWAYS swing both ways.

Edited March 11, 2015 by Big Beat Steve

[Head Man]

I've been super excited about finding a CD before.

Me too.....I walked into a record shop (remember them?) in Manchester many years ago and found these....

Boy, was I excited.....

[clifford_thornton]

In fairness I think all Chuck appears to be pointing out is that it's all too easy to get hung on the medium rather than the music . Something I know I'm occasionally guilty of . Buying an LP because it's a vintage pressing rather than its musical content . Sometimes I find myself thinking, "would I buy this if it was a CD" . If no, then pass.

Of course it's about the medium. I've never been excited about finding a CD.

And of course it's about the music.

Most of my friends collecting records are musicians themselves.

I have been super pumped to find some CDs. It's exciting to check out something you haven't heard before and be rewarded with the sounds contained therein.

I also consider a lot of records to be art objects as well, and their look/feel is very attractive.

[A Lark Ascending]

I get excited when I find a download of a record I've been looking for.

[Homefromtheforest]

Downloads; booooooorrrrrrrriiinnnggg

[Chuck Nessa]

That's ok. Beat me up. I'm used to it.

I can never tell if you're joking, but I don't think there's any beating up going on here.

Forgive me. I was distressed by the list of current discussions when I clicked on "View New Content". Go there now and see how many discussion topics advance the appreciation of music. The ratio is depressing to me.

[Leeway]

That's ok. Beat me up. I'm used to it.

I can never tell if you're joking, but I don't think there's any beating up going on here.

Forgive me. I was distressed by the list of current discussions when I clicked on "View New Content". Go there now and see how many discussion topics advance the appreciation of music. The ratio is depressing to me.

Endless number of trivia threads. I protested that in another thread, but more spring up every day. Do we really need 70 pages of posts on the Eiffel Tower? Content-less threads like that drive out the ones that have something to offer.

[colinmce]

I've long contended they should be housed in their own forum. Outta sight outta mind.

[clifford_thornton]

Agreed. And so many repeats within those threads.