Chet Baker, Chet Baker in New York, 1958 on Riverside

In something of the same vein as the West Coast / East Coast rap rivalry of 90s hip hop, the jazz scene in the 50s had a bit of a California vs New York thing happening. As the sleeve notes by Orrin Keepnews puts it:

. . . during much of the 1950s considerable conversation and many magazine pages have been devoted to discussion of the relative merits of, differences between, and what-have-you of the so called “East Coast” and “West Coast” schools of modern jazz. . . . on this LP, CHET BAKER, the most notable of “cool” West Coast trumpet stars, joins forces with some highly talented representatives of the “hard” Eastern style.

Those players included Johnny Griffin (Tenor Sax), Al Haig (Piano), Paul Chambers (Bass), and Philly Joe Jones (Drums). Recorded in New York in September of 1958. (I had a Jazzland reissue retitled as Polka Dots and Moonbeams but this pressing is much improved).

My copy is a Craft Recordings reissue from 2021 which replicates the Riverside labels but adds Craft/Concord rim text and catalog number. Via Beatnick Records in Montreal QC

#1950s #1958 #2021 #AlHaig #BeatnickRecords #ChetBaker #craftRecordings #JohnnyGriffin #MontrealQC #OrrinKeepnews #PaulChambers #PhillyJoeJones #Reissue #Riverside #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Chet Baker, Chet, 1959 on Riverside

The labels carry a subtitle of “Ballads by Chet Baker,” and the rear cover suggests “The lyrical trumpet of Chet Baker” but most people just call it Chet. Riverside RLP 12-299 (mono) and RLP 1135 (stereo).

He’s joined here by Pepper Adams, Paul Chambers, Herbie Mann, Bill Evans, and Philly Joe Jones / Connie Kay splitting drums duty, plus Kenny Burrell on two tracks. The liner notes (by Orrin Keepnews) say “Pianist Bill Evans . . . is just beginning to attract real public attention, but has for some time been the object of extreme praise from fellow musicians.”

My copy is a 2021 reissue by Craft Recordings (CR 00359) pressed at RTI with lacquers cut by Kevin Grey – via Beatnick Records in Montreal QC – which sounds fantastic.

#1950s #1959 #BeatnickRecords #BillEvans #ChetBaker #ConnieKay #craftRecordings #HerbieMann #jazz #KennyBurrell #MontrealQC #PaulChambers #PepperAdams #PhillyJoeJones #Riverside #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Nat King Cole, You’re My Everything, 1967 on Pickwick/33

Somehow this week has turned into posthumous collection week – this compilation was put out by Pickwick/33 in 1967 (Cole died in 1965), drawn from various Capitol Records releases.

My copy is a Canadian pressing (see the “Made in Canada” on rim text on the label) via Beatnick Records in Montréal QC

#1960s #1967 #BeatnickRecords #Capitol #MontrealQC #NatKingCole #Pickwick33 #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Big Joe Turner, Rhythm & Blues Years, 1986 on Atlantic

Although this compilation was put out by Atlantic in 1986 (Turner died in late 1985), the recordings come from the 1950s. Turner met the Erteguns at the Apollo Theater in 1951 and made five albums plus many singles and EPs on Atlantic during those years.

Great 2xLP with a gatefold and liner notes including contributions by Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegun, Bob Porter, Jerry Wexler, Doc Pomus, and Herb Abramson. As the liner notes point out “these are not Joe’s biggest recordings, but they are some of his best performances” – they reissued the biggest hits on another compilation.

My copy via Beatnick Records in Montréal QC

#1950s #1986 #AhmetErtegun #Atlantic #BeatnickRecords #BigJoeTurner #Blues #BobPorter #DocPomus #HerbAbramson #JerryWexler #MontrealQC #NesuhiErtegun #RhythmAndBlues #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds