Basket of Light

Ambrosia: Nice, nice, very nice

I had Ambrosia pegged as schlocky prog boffins. Not at all. This is is tight, melodic, certainly proggy, but more like Pink Floyd at their most focused. The opening track 'Nice, nice, very nice' is sung with a heavy Spanish accent by Joe Puerta: I hadn't read up and thought this was a Latin American psych number like Peru's Telegraph Avenue. In fact, Ambrosia are an LA quartet produced by Alan Parsons: this is one of those rare occasions where I'm hooked by a genre I often cringe at.

I picked up their LP with a whole stack of excellent finds last night after Alejandro Escovedo's live show in Northampton MA.

The other winner from this batch is Stevie Wonder's Music of My Mind. Another artist that I had yet to 'get', having found his classic albums cloying. The moog and more introspective tone are sounding really contemporary where Talking Book or Innervisions have yet to grab me.

Ambrosia - Ambrosia [Mastered by Doug Sax at Mastering Labs] $2
Shakti with John McLaughlin - Natural Elements [Columbia white label pressing] $2
Sonny Rollins - Sonny Rollins [Prestige twofer reissue mastered by Rudy Van Gelder] $8
Spirit - Clear [Ode] $4
Spirit - Spirit [Ode yellow label original] $3
Spirit - The Family That Plays Together [Ode yellow label original] $4
Stevie Wonder - Music of My Mind. $5
Suzi Quatro - Your Mama Won't Like Me [Mastered by Chris Blair at Abbey Road] $2
Terry Reid - River [AT/GP] $3
Various - Best of Chess Vocal Groups [Two disc set cut by Greg Fulginiti at Artisan from Doug Schwartz' digital masters] $3

All these were $0.50 each:

Bobby Bare - Where Have All The Seasons Gone
Elvin Bishop - Live! Raisin Hell [Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound]
Elvis Costello - The Only Flame in Town [12" promo stamped]
Heaven 17 - The Luxury Gap [Mastered by Frankford/Wayne]
Human League - Mirror Man [UK 12" mastered at the Townhouse]
Ian Matthews - Discreet Repeat [Mastered at Tone Audio]
Johnny Hodges - At the Sportpalast Berlin [Pablo Live two disc promo stamped
KC and the Sunshine Band - Who Do Ya Love [in shrink]
Kotch - Kotch [Sly Dunbar production mastered at Sterling Sound and cut at Speciality]
Modern English - Mesh and Lace [Canadian pressing]
Rod Stewart - Gasoline Alley
Sheena Easton - Best Kept Secret [Future Disc. In shrink]
Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel - Face to Face [Mastered by Ken Perry at Capitol]
Suzi Quatro - If You Knew Suzi [RSO reissue]
Thelma Houston - Ride to the Rainbow [Mastered by Jo Hansch at Kendun]
Thompson Twins - Into the Gap [Mastered at Sterling Sound]
Tubes - The Completion Backwards Principle [Sterling]
Willie Nelson - To Lefty From Willie

Inseperable from my LPs

From the WFMU Record Fair on October 24 and 25, plus some warm ups at nearby stores before the fair opened. 167 LPs in total, mostly $0.50 or $1, a few $2 or $3, anything more than that I've noted the price. All US pressings unless noted:

ABC – How to Be A Zillionaire [Frankford Wayne TS, so not original Ian Cooper, Townhouse mastering]
Alex Taylor – With Friends and Neighbors [Capricorn pink label]
Art Pepper – New York Album
Art Tatum – Solo Masterpieces Vol. 12
Art Tatum – Solo Masterpieces Vol. 8
Bach / Gould – Toccatas Vol. 2 [Columbia]
Bananarama – Venus [12” Sterling]
Benny Golson – Blues on Down [Milestone twofer]
Beth Carvalho – Ao Vivo [RCA Brazil]
Bill Evans – The Second Trio [Milestone twofer promo] $6
Billy Cobham – Spectrum
Billy Joel – Glass Houses [Sterling TJ, Ted Jensen]
Billy Joel – Stranger [RL]
Blondie – Autoamerican [Columbia]
Blondie – Parallel Lines [‘MCA’ no mention of Steve Hall]
Bob Dylan – Bringing it All Back Home [CBS UK, A1/B1 mono] $10
Bob Dylan – Bringing it All Back Home [Columbia 360 Sound stereo 1A/1A] $3
Bob Dylan – Oh Mercy
Bob Seger – Against the Wind [Wally]
Bobby Bland – Tell Mr Bland [Kevin Gray]
Boston – Boston [Wally]
Byrds – History of the Byrds [CBS UK original orange label]
Carlene Carter – Carlene Carter [‘Wally’ - Wally Traugott, promo]
Carmen McRae – I Am Music [Blue Note, Wall Traugott]
Charlie Parker – The Greatest Jazz Concert Ever [Prestige twofer]
Copland / Copland – Billy the Kid etc [Columbia 3 record box]
Count Basie – Basie in London [Verve trumpeter label]
Count Basie – Count Basie [Brunswick]
Count Basie – One More Time [Roulette deep groove]
Cowboy Junkies – Trinity Sessions
David Bromberg – Midnight on the Water [white label pressing]
David Bromberg – Wanted Dead or Alive [‘Piapi’ ?]
David Johansen – Live it Up [TML-S, no mention of Mike Reese]
Deep Purple – Fireball [WB green]
Desmond Dekker – Compass Points [Stiff, Canadian pressing in shrink, but no mention of Ted Densen and Sterling]
Diana Ross – Touch Me In The Morning [‘Lawson’]
Dinah Washington – A Slick Chick (on the Mellow Side) [Emarcy twofer, ‘Trutone’]
Dinah Washington – Sings Fats Waller [Emarcy original pressing, blue and silver label]
Dion and the Belmonts – 24 Original Classics [Arista 2LP]
Dionne Warwick – The Sensitive Sound of [Scepter]
Don Shirley – Trio in Concert [Columbia]
Doris Day and Andre Previn – Duet [Columbia six eye]
Duke Ellington – 70th Birthday Concert [2LP promo]
Duke Ellington – The Great Bands [Regal UK]
Duke Ellington – The World of… [reprocessed stereo, oops]
Ella Fitzgerald – At the Opera House [Verve trumpeter label]
Ella Fitzgerald – Ella In Hollywood
ELO – Eldorado [TML-S]
Elvin Bishop – Let it Flow [promo Sterling]
Emitt Rhodes – Emitt Rhodes [Dunhill]
Eric Dolphy – Status [Prestige twofer promo]
Eric Dolphy – The Great Concert of Eric Dolphy [Prestige three-fer]
Frank Sinatra – Swing Easy [early Japanese pressing with original US stamper]
Frankie Valli – Timeless [Philips]
Gene Vincent – The Bop Just Won’t Stop
George Jones – Still The Same Old Me [No mention of M. C. Rather or CBS Discomputer]
Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker – Carnegie Hall Concert volume 1 [CTI, ‘Van Gelder’] $4
Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker – Carnegie Hall Concert volume 2 [CTI, ‘Van Gelder’] $4
Grace Jones – Love on Top of Love [12” Wally]
Grace Slick – Manhole [TML]
Graham Parker – Squeezing out the Sparks [Sterling GL, so not original Mark Howlett and Jeff Sanders at Crystal]
Grateful Dead – Workingman’s Dead [WB green label]
Hank Mobley – Reach Out! [‘Van Gelder’ but VG-]
Haydn / Dorati – Symphony No. 92 [London]
Haydn / Heger – Symphony No. 103 [Mercury mono]
Herbie Hancock – VSOP [Columbia twofer WLP]
Howlin’ Wolf – London Howlin’ Wolf Sessions [Sterling, no credit]
Ian Hunter – Live [Sterling George Marino]
James Taylor – Mud Slide Slim [WB green]
James Taylor – Sweet Baby James [WB green]
Janis Joplin – I Got Them Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama! [CBS UK original stereo]
Jethro Tull – Stormwatch [promo]
Jimmy Rushing – Five Feet of Soul [Colpix mono] $3
John Cale – Honi Soit [Sterling, no mention of Jack Skinner]
John Coltrane – Dial Africa [WLP] $6
John Lennon – Plastic Ono Band [UK 1U] $8
Judy Garland – Best of [Decca twofer]
Kenny Burrell – Blue Bash [Verve ‘T’ label]
Kraftwerk – Autobahn [Masterdisk GK, Gilbert Kong] $8
Ladysmith Black Mambazo – Journey of Dreams [Masterdisk DMM, no mention of Bob Ludwig]
Led Zeppelin – I [Classic Records 200g] $25
Led Zeppelin – IV [Classic Records 200g] $25
Led Zeppelin – Physical Graffiti [Classic Records 200g] $25
Little Feat – Hoy Hoy
Little Milton – Chess Blues Masters Series [2LP Barry Diament] $5
Loudon Wainwright III – Fame and Wealth [Sterling]
Loudon Wainwright III – Tshirt [No mention of Cutting Room and Tom Rabstenek and Tony Stevens]
Luis Bonfa – Tristeza [Verve germany]
Lulu – Lulu
Madonna – Dress You Up [12” Masterdisk]
Madonna – Experss Yourself [12”]
Madonna – Madonna [in shrink, Sterling]
Mama Cass – Dream a Little Dream [Dunhill stereo]
Marcia Griffiths – All Over The World [12” ‘Fullers Sound NH’]
Martha Schlamme – The World of Kurt Weill [MGM]
Mel Torme – Loves Fred Astaire [Bethlehem reissue promo]
Melanie – Photogenic Not Just a Pretty Face [promo]
Microdisney – Crooked Mile [Artisan, no mention of Greg Fulginiti]
Miriam Makeba – The Many Voices of [Kapp stereo]
Miriam Makeba – The Voice of Africa [RCA dynagroove]
Monkees – Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. [Colgems mono]
Moody Blues – Seventh Sojourn [MFSL] $15
Mothers of Invention – Uncle Meat [Bizarre white label pressing] $8
Muddy Waters – Hard Again
Muddy Waters – King Bee
Muddy Waters – Rare and Unissued
Muddy Waters – Rolling Stone
Nancy Wilson – Like in Love [Capitol logo at 12 O’clock, reissue in shrink]
Natalie Cole – Inseparable [Wally]
Neil Young – Hawks and Doves. $4
Patti Smith – Dream of Life [DMM Masterdisk, no mention of Bob Ludwig]
Patti Smith – Gloria [UK 12”] $12
Paul Simon – Paul Simon [DCC No. 592] $25
Pentangle – Reflection
Pete Townshend – Scoop [Timing strip promo]
Peter Paul and Mary – See What Tomorrow Brings [WB gold label mono A1/B1]
Peter Townshend – Who Came First [Track stereo] $8
Prince – When Doves Cry [12”]
Quincy Jones – The Birth of a Band [Emarcy twofer Dennis Drake]
R B Greaves – R B Greaves [ATCO UK]
Randy Weston – Zulu [Milestone twofer][
Ravel / Boulez – Le Tombeau du Couperin
Ray Charles – True to Life
Richard and Linda Thompson – First Light
Richard and Linda Thompson – Hokey Pokey [Sterling, no sleeve]
Richard and Mimi Farina – Reflections In A Crystal Wind [Vanguard bronze mono label]
Richard Thompson – Across A Crowded Room [Sterling no mention of Jack Skinner] $2
Richard Thompson – Live More of Less
Richard Thompson – Strict Tempo $7
Rickie Lee Jones – Flying Cowboys [Precision Lacquer DMM, no mention of Steve Marcussen]
Rita Coolidge – Fall Into Spring [no mention of TML or Doug Sax]
Rita Coolidge – Nice Feelin’ [A&M tan label]
Robert Wyatt – Rock Botton [Virgin UK original] $20
Rodgers and Hammerstein – Sound of Music [Living Stereo original A2 49S]
Rodney Crowell – Street Language [Sterling DMM, no mention of George Marino]
Rolling Stones – Between the Buttons [Decca unboxed stereo] $25
Rosanne Cash – Rhythm and Romance [Sterling, no credit]
Rossini / Gardelli – Barber of Seville [London]
Roy Harper – Bullinamingvase [Harvest UK but warped]
Santana – Life is a Lady / One Chain [12”]
Sarah Vaughan – Vaughan and Violins [Mercury stereo original]
Schubert / Beecham – Symphony No. 6 [Angel]
Simon & Garfunkel – The Graduate [Columbia 360 Sound 1A/1A]
Split Enz – Time and Tide [Townhouse, no mention of Ian Cooper]
Stan Getz – Communications ’72 [Verve ‘T’ label]
Steve Miller – Book of Dreams [ Capitol, no mention of Ken Perry]
Stravinsky / Boulez – Firebird Suitek [Columbia 360 Sound]
Stravinsky / Mehta – Rite of Spring [Columbia]
Supertramp – Even in the Quietest Moments [no mention of Frank Deluna]
Taj Mahal – Satisfied and Tickled Too [promo with radio strip]
Talk Talk – Life’s What You Make It [12”]
Tarzan Boy – Baltimora [12” Masterdisk]
Tim Hardin – The Shock of Grace
Tony Bennet – A Time For Love [Columbia 360 Sound mono]
Traffic – Traffic [Bell Sound]
Triffids – Calenture
Uriah Heap – The Magicians Birthday [Trutone, no mention of Gilbert Kong]
Various – A Jazz Piano Anthology [Columbia twofer 1A]
Various – Fillmore Last Days [CBS, three LP, missing one disc]
Various – Jazz Odyssey, the Sound of Harlem Volume III [Columbia two eye mono three LP box]
Warren Zevon – Sentimental Hygiene [Precision DMM]
Weavers – At Carnegie Hall [Vanguard red label mono]
Who – Face Dances [Sterling TJ, Ted Jensen]
Williams / Boult – Sinfonia Antartica [London mono]
Wings – Wings at the Speed of Sound [Wally]
ZZ Top – Rough Boy [promo 12”]
ZZ Top – Velcro Fly [12” Masterdisk RL, Robert Ludwig]

Brattleboro record shopping therapy

From Turn It Up Records in Brattleboro, Vermont this afternoon.

These were five for a dollar:

Aerosmith - Rocks
Cars - Candy-O [Sterling, no mention of George Marino]
Dan Fogelberg - Nether Lands ['Masterfonics' but no mention of Glenn Meadows]
Dan Fogelberg - The Innocent Age [Sterling / Columbia NY]
Doris Day - Love Me or Leave Me [Six eye]
Elton John - Honky Chateau
Frank Sinatra - This is Sinatra! [Turquoise label, script written matrix]
Grace Jones - Do Or Die [12" Jose Rodriguez 'JR Sterling']
Herman's Hermits - 15 Greatest Hits [Sterling]
James Taylor - Mud Slide Slim [Artisan, Green Label]
John Renbourn - The Nine Maidens [Flying Fish, no mention of John Dent or The Sound Clinic]
Kris Kristofferson - Who's To Bless [TML-M]
Lois - Strumpet ['KDisc JG' John Golden]
Nancy Wilson - The Nancy Wilson Show [Logo at 12 O'Clock]
Rupert Holmes - Widescreen [Promo, 'Sterling RL' on one side only]
Saturday Night Fever [RSO, Wally Traugott, 'Wally' on four sides]
Uriah Heap - Demons and Wizards ['GK' Gilbert Kong]

These weren't:

Bonnie and Delaney - To Bonnie From Delaney [Sterling LH on one side only] $6
Jimi Hendrix - Cry of Love [Sterling RL] $8
Joe Cocker - S/T. $1.50
Keely Smith - Swingin' Pretty [Logo at 9 O'Clock] $3
Traffic - John Barleycorn Must Die [Sterling 'LH' Lee Hulko] $5
Watersons - Green Fields. $3.50
Watersons - Sound Sound [Topic] $4

And from Monday. These were $1 finds from About Music in Greenfield, Massachusetts:

House of Love - S/T
Jules Shear - The Eternal Return [Sealed. Artisan, no mention of Greg Fulginiti]
Kinks - Word of Mouth [RCA Music Service, so no signature from Robert Ludwig/Masterdisk]
Nile Rodgers - B-Movie Matinee ['Masterdisk RL' on one side only]
Sparks - In Outer Space [Allen Zentz, but no mention of Brian Gardner]
Sugarcubes - Regina [12" Masterdisk HW, Howie Weinberg?]

Enter the GrowRoom

Ten $1 LPs from GrowRoom in Amherst, MA. GrowRoom sells reggae, but has a few crates of other LPs, mostly with vinyl covered in finger prints and scrapes, and all with the smell of incense.

Aphrohead - Thee Underground Made Me Do It
Eddie Cochran - The Eddie Cochran Singles Album [Bilbo, Dennis Blackham]
Greg Kihn Band - Kihnspiracy [SRC]
Mitch Ryder - Never Kick a Sleeping Dog [Sterling, no mention of George Marino]
Modern English - Ricochet Days
Passport - Garden of Eden [Promo]
Peggy Lee - Pass Me By [Capitol 12 O'clock in shrink]
Robert Gordon w/Link Wray - Fresh Fish Special [Sterling PRC, no mention of Greg Calbi]
Saafi Brothers - Midnights Children
Various - Urgh, A Music War [Just first disc of two]

Turn It Up

39 records from Northampton MA for a total of $10:

Aerosmith - Toys in the Attic [TML-M]
America - A Horse with No Name [WB green]
Bobbie Gentry and Glen Campbell
Bruce Hornsby and the Range - The Way it Is [Precision]
Chet Atkins - Picks His Best [mono]
Chet Atkins - String Along With [mono]
Chet Atkins - The Other Chet Atkins [Mono]
Cream - Disraeli Gears [AT LW stereo]
Dakota Stanton - The Late, Late Show [Scroll matrix]
Dave Brubeck - Time In [Reissue]
Deep Purple - The House of Blue Light [Sterling, but 'HRM', no mention of Greg Calbi][
Dire Straits - Money for Nothing 12"
Elgar / Boult - Cello Concerto [HMV postage stamp 1973]
Eurythmics - Would I Lie To You [12" Precision]
Frank Sinatra - The Main Event Live [Happy Frank, so ]
Gary Numan - I, Assassin [Atlantic Studios DK, promo]
Genesis - Three Sides Live [Atlantic Studios DK, EDP]
Hank Williams - Ramblin Man [MGM]
Heaven 17 - This is Mine [12" 2U, with poster]
Ian and Sylvia - S/T [Gold label, !C/1A]
JJ Johnson - Pinnacles [David Turner]
Judy Collins - Golden Apples of the Sun [Gold label]
Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains the Same [Goldisc (PR)]
Linda Ronstadt - For Sentimental Reasons [SRC, TML-M TML-X, Doug Sax
Los Lobos - Don't Worry Baby [12"]
Louis Prima - Prima Show in the Casbar [Signed, on Prima Magnagroove Records]
Manitas de Plata - La Guitare D'Or de Manitas [CBS orange UK label, but
Peter Paul and Mary - S/T [Grey mono]
Phil Collins - No Jacket Required [Sterling RL RCA Music Service in shrink]
Rickie Lee Jones - The Magazine [TML-M] two copies
Scorpions - Blackout [Sterling HW]
Sister Sledge - We Are Family [Atlantic Studios DK (PR)]
Stephen Duffy - I Love You [12" UK 2U]
Stephen Stills - S/T [Sohic AT, Artisan, in shrink]
Tom Rush - Late Night Radio [Sterling RL]
Wham - I'm Your Man [12" P (MP)]
Willie Nelson - Pretty Paper (Xmas Album)
Willie Sordill - Please Tip Your Waitress [Masterdisk]
Woodentops - Hypnobeat

-------
From Salvation Army, 99c each:

Doris Day - Wonderful Day [Columbia Special Products limited edition, the precursor of CSP reissue series I assume]
Doobie Brothers - One Step Closer [Kendun-S, Kent Duncan, in shrink]
Reiner - The Reiner Sound [RCA mono maroon label, C1 4S / A2 8S]
Woodentops - Giant [Sterling, P(AP), no mention of Ted Jensen...wow, sounds great]

Dynamite finds

In a 30 minute dash through a couple of thousand bargain bin LPs, I came up with fourteen for $2.63 total. That's less than $0.19 each. I'll be back.

Patti Smith - Horses [WLP, 'Sterling RL' Robert Ludwig. Beat up though]
Fantastic! This has me nodding along as I listen despite awful crackle and pops. It puts to test the power of wonderful music and sonics over debilitating noise floor. Smith wins here, and I'll eventually pull out my non-white label version, and upgrade to a better WLP.

Monteux/Tchaikovsky - Symphony 5 [RCA Living Stereo 1S]
Sisters of Mercy - Dominion [WLP 12" SRC SF/ATL]
Sisters of Mercy - Lucretia My Reflection [WLP 12" SRC SF/ATL]
My memory of my 3" UK CD single version eclipses this drab US 33RPM promo mastering. I'll need to do a shoot out once I find the CD.
Steve Winwood - S/T
Depeche Mode - Enjoy the Silence [SRC]
Jim Carroll Band - I Write Your Name [AT GP]
Falco - Rock Me Amadeus / Vienna Calling [Frankford / Wayne. Herbie Junior]
Bing Crosby - When Irish Eyes Are Smiling [Still sealed]
Sparks - Fingertips [12" Futuredisc]
Silly Wizard - Live in America [Frankford / Wayne]
Woodentops - Plenty [12"]
Woodentops - Well Well Well [Frankford / Wayne. Herbie Junior...the third record with this mastering credit stamped in the deadwax, one I've never seen before today]
Elis Regina - Trem Azul [Unfortunately reprocessed stereo if I've read the Portuguese correctly]