Saturday, December 29, 2012

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes


yes, someone, somewhere, is still pay big bucks for vinyl, here's a list from WhatSellsBest.com

Top 7 Vinyl Records Sold in 2012

7.)  SOLD: $12,700 - Hand-Painted 'White Stripes'
 JULY 2, 2012- Bidding ended at $12,700 for a rare 'White Stripes' vinyl with hand-painted sleeve on eBay. Surprisingly, this was a record nobody wanted when it was initially offered.

6.)  SOLD: $15,100 - 1966 Beatles 'Butcher' Album
 OCTOBER 26, 2012- An extremely rare Beatles 'Butcher' album fetched $15,100 on eBay. The formerly controversial record and sleeve were in extraordinary condition.

5.)  SOLD: $19,586 - 1962 Beatles 'Love Me Do' Promo
 APRIL 13, 2012- A rare Beatles promotional record with two-songs (Love Me Do & P.S. I Love You) and an unusual misspelling of one of the Beatles names, fetched *19,586.

4.)  SOLD: $19,672 - Sex Pistols 'God Save the Queen'
 JUNE 8, 2012 - Top bid won at *$19,672 (£12,629) for this rare vintage Sex Pistols record. According to the sellers listing; "This is one of only two copies known to exist."

3.)  SOLD: $22,268 - 1964 'Beatles and Frank Ifield'
JULY 24, 2012- This, 'Beatles and Frank Ifield' album fetched $22,268 at auction. Interestingly, the rare album was considered to be a flop at the time of its release.

2.)  SOLD: $24,675 - Beatles 1963 'Please, Please Me'
 APRIL 18, 2012- A fierce ten-day bidding war ended with this signed Beatles album fetching $24,675. Oddly, this scarce album was-not a hit, when it was first released in America.

1.)  SOLD: $35,000 - Beatles 1964 'Ask Me Why'
 JULY 25, 2012- A rare Beatles promo, featuring the songs "Ask Me Why" and "Anna" fetched $35,000 at auction. The record's thought to be the rarest Beatles Promo released in the United States

To get the full stories behind the sales please go to WhatSellsBest.com

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Big Maybelle – The Okeh Sessions – CBS Epic (1952-1955)/ PurePleasure Records – vinyl

Big Maybelle, a vocalist who could cover all the bases…

Big Maybelle – The Okeh Sessions – CBS Epic (1952-1955)/ PurePleasure Records double audiophile 180 gram mono LPs  PPAN EG38456 ****:

(Re-mastering by Ray Staff at Air Mastering, Lyndhurst Hall, London; Big Maybelle, vocals; backed by numerous musicians including: Guitar: Brownie McGhee, James Cannady, Mickey Baker
Piano: Al Williams, Ernie Hayes, Fletcher Smith, Lee Anderson
Saxophones: Jerome Richardson, Budd Johnson, Sam “The Man” Taylor
Trombone: Alfred Cobbs, Billy Byers, Eli Robinson
Trumpet: Joe Wilder, Taft Jordan
Bass: Grachan Moncur, Al Hall, Lloyd Trotman, Norman Keenan
Drums: Charlie Smith, Panama Francis, Herbie Lovelle, Jimmy Crawford, Marty Wilson


Big Maybelle was a big woman, whose sheer exuberance matched her physique. She was one of the top rhythm and blues singers of the 1950s.

She could belt out the blues with a gruff voice (she was often referred to as a female Howlin’ Wolf), yet she could caress and make a pop ballad all her own. She also covered jazz and even rock and early rock and roll at the end of her career. There are opinions that she influenced later major artists like Etta James and Janis Joplin. She cut “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin On’ two years before Jerry Lee Lewis.

Unfortunately, hard drugs was her undoing and kept her from becoming a major break-out artist.

Maybelle’s prime years are covered in her Okeh recordings of 1952-1955.  We now have them in a definitive version, remastered in 180 gram glory by ace engineer Ray Staff for PurePleasure, the English record company devoted to the re-issue of prime historical value recordings in the best acoustics possible.

Right out of the gate, Maybelle takes command on “Just Want Your Love.” Not as gruff as Big Mama Thornton, but no doubt fully in command as a blues shouter, Maybelle delivers the goods. “So Good To My Baby” features a raucous horn section and hot guitar by James Cannady. The great tenor saxophonist, Sam “The Man” Taylor is here as well. Hot stuff…

A real treat is the bantering between Maybelle and rival Rose Marie McCoy on “Gabbin Blues.” Rose gives and Maybelle answers her in kind. The weather is no match for Big Maybelle on “Rain Down Rain” as Sam Taylor wails in the background.

“Stay Away from My Sam” is old school blues, slowed down. We get the chance to hear Brownie McGhee on guitar on the tracks on Side 2, from 1953. “Jinny Mule” is a gas, complete with mule stomps on drums. A highlight follows with “Maybelle’s Blues” written by Miss (Maybelle) Smith herself.

Side 3 features Maybelle’s talents on ballads like “Ain’t No Use” and “You’ll Be Sorry.” They show the sweet side of Maybelle, as does “You’ll Never Know” on Side 2, where Miss Smith shows her jazz ballad chops that rival Dinah Washington, albeit in a lower register.

“One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show” is a novelty number where Maybelle flirts and struts her stuff backed by some blistering guitar by Mickey Baker. Maybelle later lays down the law on “Don’t Leave Poor Me.”

Who would have guessed that it was Quincy Jones who arranged and conducted (on March 21, 1955) “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” for Maybelle, backed by an all-star contingent including Billy Byers, Jerome Richardson, Budd Johnson, and Heywood Henry…

Maybelle’s career floundered in the 1960s and she passed away after a diabetic coma in 1972. Those curious about the power that she brought to the stage can catch her on video in the documentary, Jazz
on a Summer’s Day, filmed in color at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival, by Bert Stern.

If there was more justice in this world, Big Maybelle would get her props as one of the greatest female blues shouters. Hopefully, audiophile collectors can help get out the word about Big Maybelle after listening to The Okeh Sessions.

TrackList:

Side A: Just Want Your Love, So Good to My Baby, Gabbin’ Blues, My Country Man, Rain Down Rain, Way Back Home

Side B: Stay Away from My Sam, Jinny Mule, Maybelle’s Blues, I’ve Got a Feeling, You’ll Never Know

Side C: No More Trouble Out of Me, My Big Mistake, Ain’t No Use, I’m Getting’ Long Alright, You’ll Be Sorry, Hair Dressin’ Women

Side D: One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show, Don’t Leave Poor Me, Ain’t To Be Played With, New Kind of Mambo, Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On


—Jeff Krow

Buy at Amazon


I want to thank John over at www.audaud.com for the exclusive rights to reprint this great review!

AUDIOPHILE AUDITION focuses on recordings of interest to audiophiles and collectors, with an accent on surround sound for music, and on all hi-res disc formats. Over 100SACD, DVD Video/Audio and standard CD reviews are published during each month, and our archives go back to January 2001.

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saw this and thought others would like the way it is written !

Understanding The Issues Behind Cartridge Alignment - By Gary Markowitz

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this from our friends at polyvinylrecords.com

Joan of Arc Presents: Don't Mind Control 2xLP (Yellow)


 


The most ambitious Joan of Arc project to date! Includes new tracks by Owen, Ghosts and Vodka, Euphone and many more.   Buy at Polyvinyl



Harouki Zombi Objet Petit A 2x7" (Purple)

Limited to 500 hand-numbered copies   Buy at Polyvinyl





Deerhoof Reveille LP (Light Blue)


First Deerhoof album to feature John Dieterich. Available for the first time on light blue vinyl.  Buy at Polyvinyl







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this great vinyl story our of our capitol:


'Crooked Beat Records' bucks industry trend with vinyl success







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Why are audiophiles afraid to admit they're audiophiles?

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Yoko Ono Talks about Beatles Breakup in Newly Discovered Interview











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Lita Ford Points to Joan Jett as the Holdup For a Runaways Reunion











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from Grimeys.com

Best-Selling Vinyl of 2012:

1. Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls
2. Mumford & Sons - Babel
3. The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow
4. Jack White - Blunderbuss
5. The Black Keys - El Camino
6. The Lumineers - The Lumineers
7. JEFF The Brotherhood - Hypnotic Nights
8. Bon Iver - Bon Iver
9. The Flaming Lips - The Flaming Lips & Heady Fwends
10. Beach House - Bloom
11. Grizzly Bear - Shields
12. Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
13. Father John Misty - Fear Fun
14. The Avett Brothers - The Carpenter
15. The White Stripes - Hand Springs 7"
16. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
17. Old Crow Medicine Show - Carry Me Back
18. Vince Guaraldi Trio - A Charlie Brown Christmas
19. Dr. John - Locked Down
20. The Shins - Port Of Morrow
21. JEFF The Brotherhood - Upstairs At United Vol. 3
22. Tame Impala - Lonerism
23. Dr. Dog - Be The Void
24. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Here
25. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
26. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
27. Sigur Ros - Valtari
28. Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker
29. Justin Townes Earle - Nothing's Going To Change The Way You Feel...
30. Grace Potter & The Nocturnals - Live From Sun Studios
31. Radiohead - In Rainbows
32. Paul Simon - Graceland: 25th Anniversary Reissue
33. The XX - Coexist
34. Bob Dylan - Tempest
35. PUJOL - Reverse Vampire 7"
36. M83 - Hurry Up We're Dreaming
37. David Byrne & St Vincent - Love This Giant
38. Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten
39. Luella & The Sun - Luella & The Sun 10"
40. Alabama Shakes - Live At Third Man 7"
41. The Walkmen - Heaven
42. Tallest Man On Earth - There's No Leaving Now
43. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Live From Alabama
44. Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
45. Arcade Fire - The Sprawl II 12"
46. The Black Keys - Brothers
47. JD McPherson - Signs & Signifiers
48. Shovels & Rope - O' Be Joyful
49. Caitlin Rose - Piledriver Waltz 7"
50. Lambchop - Mr. M