Cleaning up after the house party [Jimmy Smith]

This evening's dollar bin finds:

Jimmy Smith's House Party (Blue Note W63rd St. "RVG"). I cleaned this one up, and apart from a light crackle, it has all the tubey hallmarks of prime Blue Note vinyl. I'm getting much more adventurous with 50s vinyl condition-wise. The vinyl appears to be so resilient that anything but gouges can often shine up to play acceptably.

George Shearing - White Satin (Capitol 9 o'clock handwritten)

Nancy Wilson - Welcome (Capitol France)

Dakota Stanton - Dakota at Storyville (Capitol France)

Miriam Makeba - Makeba Sings! (RCA Dynagroove)

Bing Crosby - Feels Good Feels Right (London)

John Lennon & Yoko Ono - Double Fantasy (Geffen- Sterling...oops, a dupe)

Billie Holiday Live (Phoenix 1981 - dubious provenance, not sure if this material is also elsewhere)

Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life (OK, $2 and another dupe, but with the 45 and booklet intact, and still need to check if this is "the one" as far as the deadwax goes)

Bing Crosby - Beautiful Memories (UA Canada)

Trio Irakitan - A Volta (Odeon Brazil mono). A prime example of the great engineering and pressing of 50s/60s Brazilian vinyl. But also an example of the abuse the locals gave vinyl. This era sealed the paper sleeve covers in poly, which means that once you cut away the decaying poly, the picture sleeve is typically pristine.

Agnaldo Timoteo (Odeon)

Morgana - A Fada Loura (Copocabana)

Grateful Dead - Live (WB Green label 2LP)

And $5 @
Billie Holiday - Giants of Jazz (Time Life 3LP - the booklet photos are great)
Charlie Parker - The Charlie Parker Sides - Norman Granz Jam Session (Verve 1977 2LP)

Mercury Living Presence Olympian series

The Mercury Living Presence mono Olympian "MG" series are consistently excellent. These can often be found in the $1 bin, and can be as strong or even more satisfying than the more collectible stereo "SR" series.

Here's one that really wowed me last night, requiring multiple spins. This is actually a photo of someone else's LP from eBay that's going for about $8 shipped. Mine was $6.50. Both on the steep side.

Reviewer Leonard Norwitz of Enjoythemusic.com wrote an insightful profile of various titles. He also noted a preference for first or third pressings (dead wax stamper shows 1st pressing MR, 2nd FR, 3rd is RFR). And if you've a lightweight stereo arm (as I do) recommends the last pressings (RFR). My copy of the Ravel La Valse is a MR, and previously I'd always thought to seek out the earliest pressings.

As you'll see from Norwitz's profile, the cover art is another draw, typically details from colorful paintings. Also see this encyclopedic review of Wilma Cozart Fine's engineering along with more cover art (mainly at the bottom of the page). The single mic 12 feet above conductor Paul Paray conveys a simplicity, and even a binaural effect with headphones.

The famous stereo titles with the gauche ribbon announcing "stereo" are far less appealing. Here are a selection on AcousticSounds. To get a close up look, click on the cover and click again for a big image. Curious how the more collectible titles aren't as visually appealing or inspiring as the neglected monos.

Ravel's La Valse is stunning and forceful, with Paray driving the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in a delirious waltz-time.

Many of Paray's performances are now also on SACD, but I think without exception these are stereo (in fact, three channel).