Teasing the Korean

How many of us who are young or old enough to have started buying jazz in the 1970s still have a soft spot for 70s jazz twofer LPs? When I started buying jazz in the late 70s, my choices seemed to be either Columbia artists like Miles, Monk, Mingus, and Brubeck, who never went out of the catalog; Blue Note and Impulse! LPs in the cutout bin (those were the days!); CTI albums that I hated then (and love now, at least until 1975 and if Bob James isn't involved); and twofers on Verve, Milestone, Prestige, Fantasy, most of which later became OJC. Some of the first ones I had were "The Genius of Bud Powell" on Verve (terrible pressing);" The Bill Evans Village Vanguard Sessions," Wes Montgomery's ""Movin," and "The Greatest Jazz Concert Ever." The pressings were generally good (except for Verve), the liner notes were helpful at the time, if a little dated now (charmingly so); and most of the music was otherwise not available. I love seeing the covers of those twofers sitting on top of my Pioneer turntable while the record plays while drinking a glass of wine, it's like time travel (even though I was too young to drink back then!). Some of you may have read in other threads how important the original cover art is to me, but for many of these albums, the twofer version WAS my original experience with the cover art. By the late 80s, if not earlier, OJC was issuing original albums in the original covers. These twofers have remained pretty inexpensive, even in pristine condition, in all of the cities I've lived in and also on eBay. They are an affordable way to get lots of great jazz in analog and on vinyl. God knows how many I bought from Stereo Jack's. I still pick these up on occasion. What are your thoughts and memories?

I'm gonna get some glossy 8 by 10s of myself printed and sign them all "With love, Wynton Marsalis."

Some of those Milt Jackson-(allegedly)-led tunes were on the 10" LPs your Dad owned, and were cut from the CDs. Even if that were not the case, we're still talking about a pretty broad swath of the listening audience who purchased these on 12" LP between the 1950s and 1980s. The 3 or 4 tunes could have easily fit on the CDs. The aforementioned listening audience must comprise a significant percentage of the CDs' target audience. They should have been included.

You scared me, I thought you were talking about Stu Phillips!

Understood, but that fact doesn't make the album lineups as experienced any less iconic.

Glad to hear that they've given in to my incessant demand for Jackie and Roy's "A Wilder Alias." This album is unbelievable, unlike any other Jackie and Roy album, and a must have for anyone who is into insane 70s grooves.

Thanks. The weight isn't an issue, only the angle. I'll try this, but I think I'll need adult supervision. It seems confusing.

Brasil '66 - Look Around - A&M (mustard label, stereo) Probably their best early album, with tunes by Marcos Valle, Gilberto Gil, Joao Donato, and Edu Lobo, among others. "So Many Stars" is such a stunning tune. Still looking for a mono copy of this...

My gear is not that high end. I have a Pioneer belt drive turntable that I've had forever, but I pay attention to stylus condition, tone arm weight, etc. I just want to be sure I'm lining up the cartridge properly.

I have always had someone else install and lineup cartridges. I would use the same cartridge for years and replace the styluses. I would like to know how easy/difficult it is to install a cartridge and line it up correctly. Also, what sort of tools are needed to do this, and where can I buy them online? Thanks in advance.

Cannonball Adderley/Oliver Nelson - Domination - Capitol (rainbow, mono)

There will always be those who answer Kinks. I answer Kinks, Zombies and Small Faces.

Cannonball Adderley - Live - Capitol (stereo, yellow label 70s reissue)

Kenny Burrell & Jimmy Smith - Blue Bash - Verve (mono)

Yes, GA, the book gets into the topic of over-zealous zoning laws which have played into the phenomenon.

The Essential Airto & Flora Purim - Buddah Twofer reissue of their two early 70s LPs on Buddah.

Amazon and online sales finishing off Borders is really a culmination of the very trend started by major retail chains such as Borders, which effectively finished off competitive mom and pop shops. I can't tell you how many shop owners over the years told me that they couldn't compete with Borders, Tower, Home Depot, etc. Additionally, the larger chains killed off places that were just as much community hangouts as they were retailers - book stores, coffee shops, hardware stores, etc. This trend is examined in a (highly recommended) book, for which, ironically, I am supplying an amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Great-Good-Place-Bookstores-Community/dp/1569246815/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1312123625&sr=1-9

Joe Zawinul - Money in the Pocket - Atlantic (blue and green stereo)

Curtis Amy - Mustang - Verve (mono)

Frank Foster - Manhattan Fever - Blue Note (blue and white label, stereo)

I asked if it was mono or stereo. Let's see if I get a response.

Lou Donaldson at his Best - Cadet (stereo) Side 1 only Harold Land - The Peace-Maker - Cadet (stereo) Side 2 only

Would you be willing to sell/trade one of your copies?

It is a killer comp of early 70s funky/groovy/EZ stuff from the MPS label: Singers unlimted, later Horst Jankowski, Flirt and Dream by Francy Boland, etc. Very much along the lines of the early 70s 101 Strings sessions that Les Baxter and Nelson Riddle did, that decadent sound of strings and woodwinds hovering over politely funky rhythm beds, the music that Burt and Angie listen to at the ski lodge while drinking a sherry by the fireplace. I lost the disc last winter when, ironically enough, I was auditioning various tracks for my ultimate fondue ipod compilation that was never made. Knowing my wife (I love her), she probably put the disc in the first empty case she found, so it could be years if not decades before I find it in a Gene Clark, Tim Buckley or Badfinger jewel case. Bill, thanks for helping. I'll send you a PM.