autographed LPs

[slide_advantage_redoux]

Having read a post under ebay madness made me think this would be an interesting topic. Do you have any autographed record jackets?

I have become less and less inclined to approach players asking them to autograph anything, but I have made exceptions.

Here are the two that I have:

Urbie Green's "Green Power" (on which he plays that green lacqered trombone through an octave device). Good trombone technique, but a forgettable album). I got him to sign that LP in '75.

Lacy Plays Monk. He appeared in Dallas with his sextet (the one with Irene on violin and vocals) in '96. Being a huge fan of Steve's, I had to ask, and he kindly obliged.

[marcello]

In all of these years I have only done it once with Art Blakey on this one:

He almost crushed me with a hug after he signed it.

[GA Russell]

Al Hirt - Honey in the Horn and Sugar Lips

Pete Fountain - New Orleans at Midnight

Mark Murphy - Rah

Dick Morrissey - If's penultimate album

Edited October 2, 2005 by GA Russell

[Bill Nelson]

Getting an autograph from an artist is not important, unless

1. I'm a huge fan, i.e. a true believer, and...

2. The moment and situation is right. This usally means the venue is small and there's enough 'breathing room' for signing album covers. Sometimes the artist will allow autographs after a show while sitting at a table and receiving a procession of fans. While this formal structure is civil, it also means you've got about 30-to-60 seconds before it's time to wrap it and move on.

Some Highlights:

My best autograph moment was with Duke Ellington, who was most gracious and signed 12 albums the four of us brought. Pat Metheny has always been receptive and is a good listener. Carmen McRae, whom I expected to be crusty, was amazed to see my early Bethlehem 10-inch and Deccas. Buddy Rich, on the other hand, was brusque and could hardly be bothered.

As I've gotten older, obtaining autographs have become less important.

I despise those wheeler-dealers who waste an artist's time purely to raise the re-sale value of their merchandise.

[DukeCity]

One of my only LP autographs is from George Shearing. I was in high school (late '70s) and went to a duo concert he did with the bassist Brian Torff. I enjoyed the evening, so I stood in line to buy their new record (On A Clear Day, Concord, now available as part of a 2-CD set). Shearing was sitting at a table with a student from the hosting college. George had the pen in his hand, but the student had his hand on top, and guided Shearing's hand in the autographing process. So I guess I actually have some college kid's autograph of George Shearing's name, with Shearing acting as the holder.

Very wierd, slightly uncomfortable moment. But Shearing was very cordial, and I got a little story out of it.

[Christiern]

I have never asked anyone to autograph an album or book, but a few have come my way unsolicited. I have always thought that those were the only kind that counted--along with personal letters and cards.

[sidewinder]

I was fortunate enough that Sam Rivers signed copies of his Blue Note LPs for me last year after a gig. He seemed delighted to 'do the honours' in an immaculate script. Wayne Shorter, Andrew Hill and Herbie Hancock have also signed some of their Blue Note albums for me - again they seemed very happy to sign them. In each case the personalisation makes them a treasured item for me and a delight to pull out of the rack.

I've also picked up the occasional signed album whilst purchasing second hand. Particular faves are 'Sonic Boom' (King) signed by Ron Carter and a Paul Horn LP recorded in Russia.

It's certainly important not to burden the artist for an autograph if they are busy/flustered/exhausted after the gig etc. All of my signatures have been given when the artists are relaxing post-gig and have been happy to converse. Big to all of the above for sparing their time on peons like me .

Edited October 2, 2005 by sidewinder

[Aggie87]

If I was in "the business" I would probably agree with you, Chris.

But I don't get to interact with musicians very often at all (MUCH less so since returning to the U.S.), so I appreciate and enjoy the autographs I have in my collection, asked for or not.

Sonny Rollins autographed my copy of Saxophone Colossus in Stuttgart (I asked him), and it's one of the most special autographs I have.

[medjuck]

The only jazz autograph I have is on a cd booklet:

Benny Carter- Further Definitions. I got it when a mutual friend invited us to lunch.

[medjuck]

ooops. I forgot: I have Buell Neidlinger signed the booklet in my Tayler/Neidlinger Mosaic set.

Actually he sold me the set too.

[WD45]

I'dont do it anymore, with one exception - Ornette when I saw him this spring. He signed my mini-lp version of Free Jazz. Cool!

I knew a guy that would bring every single CD book by an artist to have them sign it. It seems that there is something different about taking what is a cherished item for one signature vs a whole stack of things.

[brownie]

I have never asked anyone to autograph an album or book, but a few have come my way unsolicited. I have always thought that those were the only kind that counted--along with personal letters and cards.

←

I go with that too!

One autographed album that came my way is Lou Bennett's 'Amen' on French RCA. With Jimmy Gourley, Jean-Marie Ingrand and Kenny Clarke. The copy was signed by all four musicians...

[slide_advantage_redoux]

I have never asked anyone to autograph an album or book, but a few have come my way unsolicited. I have always thought that those were the only kind that counted--along with personal letters and cards.

←

Cards and letters are great memorabilia! In college, I was assigned to write a jazz paper, and I chose Roswell Rudd. After tracking him down, I based the paper on a series of telephone interviews. He is one the coolest persons I have ever had the pleasure of getting to know.

Since that time he has sent me many letters and postcards (always the most unique and off the wall cards you could imagine). Over the years he has also sent me cassette copies of some of his OOP LPs and even some CD copies he burned. Obviously, I have saved all of these things. Priceless.

[paul secor]

I have a handful of autographed albums - Lee Konitz, Doug Sahm, Roswell Rudd, Mingus, among them - but I've pretty much given it up. I'll never sell them (unless I'm homeless or starving) and after I'm gone I won't care what happens to them.

I think that Dylan put it very well in No Direction Home when he told the autograph seekers, "If you needed it, I'd give it to you - but you don't need it." I don't need an autograph, and I don't need to take up time from artist's lives to have them sign an autograph for me.

[Dan Gould]

My only autographed album was won on eBay:

The Three Sounds, Cold Water Flat. It was one of the few Sounds albums I didn't have at the time and of course the former Gene Harris Fanatic was intrigued by the fact it was signed by Mr. Harris. So I ignored the AMG review which panned it and referred to the trio being accompanied by strings and I'm glad I did, as its actually the Oliver Nelson Big Band - no strings - and its got Gene grooving over some pretty wild arrangements.

[Christiern]

Dan, you actually ignored an AMG review?

[Soul Stream]

I had all the Blue Note organists that ever played my B3 sign the inside. It includes....

Big John Patton

Jack McDuff

Jimmy McGriff

Reuben Wilson

...sadly, Jimmy Smith played that B3 on 3 different gigs but never would sign it.

[slide_advantage_redoux]

In 1979, Frank Rosolino and Carl Fontana played in Dallas together (in a group with Monk Montgomery and locals fleshing out the sextet). This was 6 weeks before Frank's unfortunate demise.

I asked Carl and Frank to both autograph a piece of paper I managed to get my hands on. I had that framed. One of my treasured items.

Unfortunately, while I was living in Germany, someone broke into my rental storage unit and cleaned me out of all such memorabilia. Sad thing is, the thieves certainly had no clue as to who those two were, and it probably ended up being thrown out.

Oh well.

[Soul Stream]

I had all the Blue Note organists that ever played my B3 sign the inside.  It includes....

Big John Patton

Jack McDuff

Jimmy McGriff

Reuben Wilson

...sadly, Jimmy Smith played that B3 on 3 different gigs but never would sign it.

←

One of the oddest autographs I have is a beautiful official Blue Note pulicity shot signed by none other than Freddie Roach himself. Now that's GOT to be one in a million.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I only started asking for autographs in the mid-90's, sometime after I got this incredible Francis Wolff calendar. I looked at those B&W photos and said to myself, "You know, this picture would look really nice if I got it signed". So it began.

I've gotten a lot of signatures by now and one of the things I've realized is that a vast majority of the artists are flattered that I think enough of them to get their signature. I have gotten many happy smiles, particularly when I pull an old photo or LP. They enjoy signing my CDs and LPs and I am happy to talk with them for a bit, usually thanking them for the show. I bet there have only been two artists who wanted nothing to do with signing stuff and I wonder if they just had a bad night.

[WD45]

I think that Dylan put it very well in No Direction Home when he told the autograph seekers, "If you needed it, I'd give it to you - but you don't need it." I don't need an autograph, and I don't need to take up time from artist's lives to have them sign an autograph for me.

←

Agreed!

I may, however, have to make an exception when Peter Brotzmann and Evan Parker are in town this month. I might ask them both to sign my copy of Machine Gun.

[Dan Gould]

Dan, you actually ignored an AMG review? 

←

Well, understand that this was after I had bought Elegant Soul which does have strings and which was the first Sounds LP to disappoint me. So I was taking a leap to go for another "strings" LP. In fact, I remember that I mentioned the presence of strings to the seller after I won the auction and he assured me that there were no strings, it was the Oliver Nelson Orchestra and he was sure I'd enjoy it.

He was right.

[Ron S]

I got Benny Golson to sign my Jazztet Mosaic booklet when he played in Philly earlier this year. He commented to me what a great job he thought they'd done with it.

Now if I could only get that Albertson guy to sign my Basie Clef/Verve Mosaic booklet. On second thought, I'll just wait and have him sign the booklet from my Riverside New Orleans Living Legends box set when Concord/Fantasy finally issues it.

[clifford_thornton]

Three Lacy (incl. one also signed by Steve Potts and Oliver Johnson that I found in a shop), two Bobby Few, and Bobby Hutcherson's "Dialogue." Also some promo CDs have come my way signed - Prince Lasha's new one, and Nathan Davis' new-ish one as well. I think that might be it, though...

For me, the conversations and the interviews I've had with musicians far eclipse signed records, but it is nice to have the ol' Hancock.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I thought we talked about this before:

http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php...wtopic=9763&hl=

I just re-read that other thread and I still laugh at that John Valby autograph! What a riot that guy is. Crude, rude & obnoxious... but funny as hell.

Kevin