Farewell Footlight Records, hello bargains
Footlight Records just closed their doors today after 30 years in business. Along with all the other vinyl vultures, I was there for the 75% off sale. But it was a sad moment too. Particularly for fans of soundtracks on vinyl, since this collection was comprehensive. I'd been selling review copies of soundtrack CDs to the store for nearly a decade, but never actually bought anything there due to the high prices. But take 75% off, and that's a different story.
Currently spinning is Count Basie & His Orchestra's Best of Basie [Roulette, 1960], a deep groove, first pressing, from the "Birdland Series". The cover boasts "full dimensional sound", and these glorious mono swing numbers are full, warm, foot-tapping fun. Scott Yanow's AllMusic.com review pans the record as redundant revival work without the original soloists. I have a 1950s Decca compilation that covers much of the same tunes from around 1938, with the vaunted soloists (need to check that since liner notes don't list the players). This LP is the gold on black "microgroove" label, so should be a decent comparison. But straight away I know the sonics from twenty years back, are most likely not going to have the satisfying quality of the Roulette LP.
Much as I'm a fan of those soloists (Lester Young et al), a lot of great Basie recordings can be found outside his supposed golden era. Particularly his autumn years on Pablo records (another audiophile bargain). I've found older Roulette titles crackly, and the reissues not so impressive, so it was a pleasure to find a clean, flat (as in, not warped), heavy platter on this label [50c].
Next up, Duke Ellington and His Orchestra At His Very Best (RCA mono LPM-1715). Certainly a stronger pedigree than the Basie, with more vaunted side-men, this late 1959 pressing compiles a few 10" discs from 1940-1944. The stamper is "1S A1 I", and it certainly doesn't get much better than that (first stamper, first matrix, and pressed at the pernickety Indianapolis plant). The collection includes a couple of my favorites, "Black, Brown and Beige", "Creole Love Call" (somehow from 1927), and "Transbluecency". This copy was $3.75, which is on the steep side, but the stamper info hooked me.
Well, there were almost a dozen discs in all. Some hits, some misses, but a good haul. Thanks Footlights.
Currently spinning is Count Basie & His Orchestra's Best of Basie [Roulette, 1960], a deep groove, first pressing, from the "Birdland Series". The cover boasts "full dimensional sound", and these glorious mono swing numbers are full, warm, foot-tapping fun. Scott Yanow's AllMusic.com review pans the record as redundant revival work without the original soloists. I have a 1950s Decca compilation that covers much of the same tunes from around 1938, with the vaunted soloists (need to check that since liner notes don't list the players). This LP is the gold on black "microgroove" label, so should be a decent comparison. But straight away I know the sonics from twenty years back, are most likely not going to have the satisfying quality of the Roulette LP.
Much as I'm a fan of those soloists (Lester Young et al), a lot of great Basie recordings can be found outside his supposed golden era. Particularly his autumn years on Pablo records (another audiophile bargain). I've found older Roulette titles crackly, and the reissues not so impressive, so it was a pleasure to find a clean, flat (as in, not warped), heavy platter on this label [50c].
Next up, Duke Ellington and His Orchestra At His Very Best (RCA mono LPM-1715). Certainly a stronger pedigree than the Basie, with more vaunted side-men, this late 1959 pressing compiles a few 10" discs from 1940-1944. The stamper is "1S A1 I", and it certainly doesn't get much better than that (first stamper, first matrix, and pressed at the pernickety Indianapolis plant). The collection includes a couple of my favorites, "Black, Brown and Beige", "Creole Love Call" (somehow from 1927), and "Transbluecency". This copy was $3.75, which is on the steep side, but the stamper info hooked me.
Well, there were almost a dozen discs in all. Some hits, some misses, but a good haul. Thanks Footlights.
posted by David Poole at 9:23 PM
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