Mastodawn

Art Pepper, Gettin’ Together, 1960 on Contemporary Records

Pepper joined here by Paul Chambers (bass), Jimmy Cobb (drums), Wynton Kelly (piano) and Conte Candoli (trumpet, on three tracks). That makes this another LP with Miles Davis' rhythm section, as the earlier Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section was. Rounding out for now my recent Art Pepper pickups (say Art Pepper Pickups five times fast), my copy—direct from Craft Recordings—is the 2024 Acoustic Sounds Series reissue mastered by Bernie Grundman and pressed at QRP.

https://goatless.org/2026/05/09/art-pepper-gettin-together-1960-on-contemporary-records

John Eckman May 7

Art Pepper, Intensity, 1963 on Contemporary Records

Recorded in 1960 but released in 1963, this has Pepper joined by Dolo Coker (piano), Jimmy Bond (bass), and Frank Butler (drums). A critical part of any west coast jazz library. That cover photo makes me think of the moment in Lost in Translation where the translator turns a series of long directions in Japanese from the director to Bill Murray as an actor into just this: "more intensity." Part of a series of recent pickups from Pepper on reissues, my copy—direct from Craft […]

https://goatless.org/2026/05/07/art-pepper-intensity-1963-on-contemporary-records

John Eckman May 1

Sonny Rollins, Way Out West, 1957 on Contemporary

This was the first Rollins album with Ray Brown and Shelly Manne, and the first time he recorded with only bass and drums. I love this cover photo emphasizing the New York native was out west. My copy—direct from Craft Recordings—is the 2009 Original Jazz Classics reissue which was remastered back in 1988 and repressed in 2009. It reproduces the yellow Contemporary labels but with a catalog number OJC-337.

https://goatless.org/2026/05/01/sonny-rollins-way-out-west-1957-on-contemporary

John Eckman Apr 2

Booker Ervin, The Freedom Book, 1964 on Prestige

Sixth full-length with Ervin as leader, recorded by Rudy Van Gelder in 1963, for Prestige. Ervin is joined here by Jaki Byard (piano), Richard Davis (bass), and Alan Dawson (who was a drum instructor at Berklee in Boston) (drums).

My copy—via a private sale—is the 2023 Analogue Productions / Craft Recordings reissue, in the Prestige Stereo Series. It was mastered by Kevin Gray and pressed at QRP on 180g vinyl.

#1960s #1964 #AlanDawson #AnalogueProductions #BookerErvin #craftRecordings #JakiByard #jazz #KevinGray #Prestige #QualityRecordPressing #Reissue #RichardDavis #RudyVanGelder #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

John Eckman Aug 30, 2025

Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers, Modern Lovers ’88, 1987 on Rounder

Although the Modern Lovers formed in Natick MA, this incarnation formed in California and recorded this album in Grass Valley CA. This became the final album for Richman with the Modern Lovers, as a trio, with Brennan Totten and Johnny Avila.

My copy—via Electric Fetus in Minneapolis MN—is the Craft Recordings’ 2022 Record Store Day 35th Anniversary Edition on blue vinyl. This reissue itself charted (a first for a Modern Lovers release) at 77 on the US album charts.

#1980s #1987 #BrennanTotten #craftRecordings #ElectricFetus #JohnnyAvila #JonathanRichman #JonathanRichmanAndTheModernLovers #MinneapolisMN #ModernLovers #NatickMA #rounder #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds