If permissible, I must give a shout out to the shop ‘Musicroom’ which I believe is a national chain, and has a store in Exeter.
It sells all sorts of instruments and sheet music and, increasingly, vinyl. The (new) LPs are VERY competitively priced - significantly cheaper than HMV. For the last few weeks they’ve had a 10% discount on all vinyl too. Purchased the remastered ‘Band on the Run’ for £17.09 today. I’ve also purchased on their website too.
After snaffling one of Macca’s finest LPs for a bargain, the chap behind the counter asked if I was an ABBA fan. “Sort of” I replied (I really love ‘The Visitors’ LP; other stuff I’m OK with) when he asked if I would like a copy of ABBA’s double album ‘Gold’. Someone had returned it using some dubious reason. Handed it over free of charge.
He/she will get a what Amazon call a concession against them when you register your complaint, and they have to replace your order.
Too many concessions and they’ll be gone, no questions asked.
As a former Amazon ‘Delivery Associate I try not to use them.
Having said said that I’ve ordered two vinyl albums from them recently.
Both were left on the doorstep, a complete no-no in Amazon world, despite me having several safe locations.
I love this album! Her interpretations of songs by others are more revealing of the emotion within a song than many of the originals. Try Always On My Mind or Make You Feel My Love for example. The latter is better and more expressive than either Dylan or Adele.
Oops sorry - I meant to post this on the what are you listening to thread. I’ve had this for a while now.
@Clive
Ordered from Pure Pleasure, got an email saying they had one copy left it wasnt sealed but otherwise perfect and unplayed. I trusted them, never had an issue before. Its got a scratch on track one and its pressed off centre, does that sound familar?
Cheeky buggers sold me the copy you returned!
Just received a bunch of Blue Note Classics and Tone Poets. First on the record player is this one from Lou Donaldson - a favourite - and it’s a cracker. Perfect pressing too with no issues at all.
I don’t have one preferred supplier. I tend to spread my purchases around, although it does mean I double up every now and then by accident. I use What Records, Presto Music, Norman Records, Drift records, Scott Nangle, Amazon, among others I’ve probably forgotten to mention.
I’ve been looking forward to receiving this wonderful Art Pepper LP reissue from Craft. It was an opportunity to dig out my ‘80s Boplicity reissue to compare. And so far, it has been an interesting comparison. The new Craft is by any measure an excellent t reissue, but overall I think I prefer the presence snd immediacy of the Boplicity - it really gets the hairs on my arms prickling! What’s more the Boplicity pressing is a bit cleaner too I reckon (they were typically immaculately pressed). I’ll need to listen some more…
I’m actually listening to this record which is excellent and though I don’t have the boplicity to compare I do have a Chet Baker boplicity and a ‘modern’ Pure Pleasure reissue and though I prefer the PP it’s close enough that I’d be happy to own either or.
Not all the Boplicitys reach this standard. Some are fab though, including this one and also Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section and a handful of others. There also appear to be a couple of different masterings/cuts on many of them with one often being much better than the other.
Was the Chet LP the Playboys?
I’ve just listened to the Craft again. It’s very good, but I definitely prefer the Boplicity of this one, even if it’s often close. The Craft has a bit more heft in the low end, but the Boplicity just sounds so… Huge!
The Boplicity vinyl is definitely superior as a pressing too with a lower noise floor. And as for the covers, it’s great to have a thick tip-on but yet again someone in the graphics dept. Went mad with the contrast and lost any find detail…
Back in the 1980s I had all the Pepper records on Contemporary. Then I made the mistake of reading Straight Life. I no longer wanted to listen to a smack head! Such a great talent but so messed up. I sold all the records to Decoy Records in Manchester. Worth a lot of money in todays vinyl market but no drug musicians in my collection.
Not Playboys but Chet Cools Out originally released in 1956 as Chet Baker and Crew on Pacific Jazz though Chet Cools Out has one track that Chet Baker and Crew doesn’t called The Route though I believe it’s from the same session to add to the confusion it was released again on Crown Records in the early 60’s as Chet Baker Quintette.
Back to my other copy the Pure Pleasure reissue which includes more records from the same session over 4 sides all originally recorded at the Forum Theatre in Los Angeles on July 24, 25 & 31, 1956.
As I said earlier I do prefer the PP copy but the Boplicity runs it very close.
Also Playboys that you mentioned earlier with Art Pepper is due for a Tone Poet release at Christmas which should be interesting and keeping in tune with the above confusion I have a Pure Pleasure of Playboys called Picture of Health!
