Art Pepper + Eleven, “Modern Jazz Classics,” 1960 on Contemporary Records

Classic west coast jazz from Contemporary Records - sometimes just gets call Art Pepper + Eleven, sometimes Modern Jazz Classics. Not sure if 12 people counts as a big band - Wikipedia says "a small big band." Marty Paich did the arranging. Songs composed by Dizzy Gillespie, Horace Silver, Charlie Parker, Gerry Mulligan, and Sonny Rollins among others. A must have for people (like me) who are fans of the west coast "cool jazz" and the late big band era. My copy—via private sale—is the […]

https://goatless.org/2026/05/03/art-pepper-eleven-modern-jazz-classics-1960-on-contemporary-records

Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd, Jazz Samba, 1962 on Verve

Early work in the bossa nova trend in the US, recorded at Pierce Hall, All Souls Unitarian Church in DC and released two years before Getz/Gilberto. Includes “Desafinado” (which was also on Getz/Gilberto) and “Samba de Uma Nota” composed by Antonio Carlos Jobim.

My copy—via a private sale—is the 2023 Acoustic Sounds Series reissue on Verve by UMG / UMe, which is a fantastic pressing.

#AcousticSounds #ChadKassem #CharlieByrd #CreedTaylor #QualityRecordPressing #RyanSmith #StanGetz #UMe #Verve #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Clifford Brown and Max Roach, Study in Brown, 1955 on EmArcy

Brown and Roach are joined by Harold Land (tenor), Richie Powell (piano), and George Morrow (bass). Recorded Feb 23rd and 25th of 1955. Fantastic album.

My copy—via private sale—is the 2021 Acoustic Sounds Series reissue on 180g vinyl, supervised by Chad Kassem, cut by Ryan Smith, and pressed at Quality Record Pressing. As you’d expect, a flawless pressing.

#1950s #1955 #2021 #AcousticSounds #ChadKassem #CliffordBrown #Emarcy #GeorgeMorrow #HaroldLand #jazz #MaxRoach #QualityRecordPressing #Reissue #RichiePowell #RyanSmith #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Sarah Vaughan, Sarah Vaughan, 1955 on EmArcy

Later reissued as Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown, this was Vaughan’s second self-titled LP, and her second studio album. The band also includes Paul Quinichette on tenor sax, Roy Haynes on drums, Herbie Mann on flute, and Jimmy Jones on piano.

It was originally recorded December 18th, 1954, and released in 1955. What a masterful set of recordings.

My copy—via private sale—is the Acoustic Sounds Series reissue from 2021, on 180 gram vinyl, with a gatefold cover and an inner liner about the series and the role of Quality Record Pressing and Chad Kassem.

#1950s #1955 #AcousticSounds #ChadKassem #CliffordBrown #Emarcy #HerbieMann #jazz #JimmyJones #PaulQuinichette #QualityRecordPressing #RoyHaynes #SarahVaughan #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

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

Gábor Szabó, Dreams, 1968 on Skye Records.

Gabor Szabo, Dreams, 1968 on Skye Records.

My copy is a 2020 reissue on Modern Harmonic through Vinyl Me, Please – fabulous pressing by QRP.

Szabó was a Hungarian guitarist and attended Berklee College

#1960s #1968 #2020 #BerkleeCollege #GáborSzabó #jazz #ModernHarmonic #QualityRecordPressing #Reissue #SkyeRecords #vinyl #vinylMePlease #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Art Farmer, Portrait of Art Farmer, 1958 on Stereo Records

“Stereo Records” was a jazz label made by Contemporary Records in 1958 to push records made with the new-fangled stereo technology:

Stereophonic two-channel disc recording utilizing Westrex 45-45 “StereoDisc” cutting system. To be reproduced only with stereophonic cartridge. Warning: use of conventional monaural cartridge without sufficient vertical compliance may well result in damage to […]

#1950s #1958 #2023 #AddisonFarmer #ArtFarmer #BernieGrundman #ContemporaryRecords #craftRecordings #HankJones #jazz #NatHentoff #QualityRecordPressing #Reissue #RoyHaynes #Stereo #StereoRecords #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #WorcesterMA #WorcesterRecordRiot

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Art Farmer, Portrait of Art Farmer, 1958 on Stereo Records | Goatless

"Stereo Records" was a jazz label made by Contemporary Records in 1958 to push records made with the new-fangled stereo technology: Stereophonic two-channel disc recording utilizing Westrex 45-45 "StereoDisc" cutting system. To be reproduced only with stereophonic cartridge. Warning: use of conventional monaural cartridge without sufficient vertical compliance may well result in damage to this

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