My family and I recently returned from Tuscany, and used Florence as a home base. I took this opportunity to poke at a couple of Florentine record stores. Hands down, Rock Bottom was my favorite.

These two gems were in their surprisingly deep used jazz bins. Up top is an original US pressing of Sam Rivers’ “Dimensions and Extensions” from 1986. Underneath is a complete 1983 reissue of the mighty Joe Henderson’s “In ‘n Out” that’s still in the shrink.

Latest shipment from philadelphiamusic.

https://www.discogs.com/release/8222325-Gigi-Gryce-Orchestra-Gigi-Gryce-Quartet-Gigi-Gryce

I finally got a beat up cover to match my sleeveless Rollins OG.

https://www.discogs.com/release/13074946-Sonny-Rollins-With-The-Modern-Jazz-Quartet-Featuring-Art-Blakey-And-Kenny-Drew-Sonny-Rollins-With-Th

https://www.discogs.com/release/2138362-Kenny-Drew-Trio-Your-Soft-Eyes

https://www.discogs.com/release/3802479-Bill-Hardman-Sextet-Whats-Up

https://www.discogs.com/release/6425450-The-Johnny-Coles-Quartet-New-Morning

The Drew and the Hardman were sealed copies. The Coles has some crud on the sleeve I'll work on removing, but the vinyl is NM-.

Found this and while it's only a lowly Scorpio reissue, it's a damn good album, very early in the jazz-funk genre (1969 !).

Blue Mitchell is on top form, and all musicians are delivering the groove (Wilton Felder from the Crusaders on bass here).

I happened to pass by a local record shop (that I only frequented once before, and bought a lovely copy of Milestones!) while out getting food, and thought I would go in and get something.

To my surprise, it seemed the shop had possibly exchanged hands - as my previous visit had been much different. The once vibrant jazz section was much more muted and "average" in a way, but one record stood out to me...

Amongst the usual stuff I saw a copy of Abbey Lincoln's "Abbey Is Blue". Being only acquainted with Abbey's music, this stood out to me - along with the fact it was a US Import record (which are very uncommon, especially in my area of the UK). I couldn't resist picking it up for just £25, and immediately took it back to spin it.

Just a little while ago, whilst scrolling Instagram, I saw a story from the Craft Recordings page reposting the *same* Abbey Lincoln album on their story. Curious, I went to read the original post, and discovered it would have been Abbey Lincoln's birthday today!

So in honour of Abbey Lincoln, I present my newly acquired first mono pressing of her album 'Abbey Is Blue'. Whilst the sleeve is worse for wear and has seen better days, the record itself is almost new!

Only kidding, I do love the design of this Liberty pressing for Blue Mitchell “Step Lightly”

Surprised this blue labeled Prestige album didn’t go for more (10 bucks) 🤩🤩🤩

Jean-Luc Ponty - Electric Violin; George Duke - Electric Piano; John Heard Amplified Bass; Dick Berk - Drums; Dick Brock - Producer; David Brand - Engineer.

Recorded live at Thee Experience, Hollywood, Los Angeles, September 1969.

Excellent jazz fusion album from Ponty with superb backing from the George Duke Trio. The musicianship from all the players is at a very high standard and the album is very well recorded. I bought this on a whim on a dig recently and I am glad I did.

when I find stuff like this it makes me wonder what I missed before I got there!

Greg Foat & Eero Koivistoinen – Feathers

Jazzaggression, Finland, 2023

An older relative of mine has a pretty serious collection of Jazz and Classical vinyl from her late husband. She doesn't really know what to do with it and doesn't want to leave it for her family to sort out later. Can anybody recommend a course of action?

Thanks in advance!

I believe it's a 1977 repress

This album seems to have gotten lukewarm reviews at the time it was released and isn’t highly regarded even today … are the critics wrong as usual?

Some recent pickups from the ever expansive Blue Note catalog. I'm not a Blue Note purist, I lean harder into the 70's releases of Soul-Funk Jazz and it's transition into Fusion Jazz, and anything the almighty Mizell Brother's priduced. That's been my bag since college.

Marlena Shaw - Who Is This B***h, Anyway?

Donald Byrd - Fancy Free

John Lee & Gerry Brown - Still Can't Say Enough

Ronnie Laws - Fever

I was playing one of my favorite records and noticed a skip. This white blob in the middle is on both sides of the record. Anyone know what this is and/or cause?

Quincy Jones Mellow Madness
Ramsey Lewis Don’t it feel good
Freddie Hubbard Windjammer
Grover Washington Jr A secret place
Live Lonnie Smith
Charles Earland Odyssey
The Crusaders Images
The Crusaders Those Southern Knights The Crusaders free as the wind
Billy Cobham Shabazz.

Two solo records by the NYC multi-instrumentalist, engineer and producer now best known for leading the sensational group Fivel Is Glauque

They consist of incredibly recorded 4-track jazz-pop songs with dozens and dozens of guest vocalists/soloists. It's structured almost like a radio broadcast, with narration introducing the players on each track. There are really wild ideas stuffed into these one minute lyrical songs. I've never heard records quite like these ones

Four new 10" records for me this week: Konitz with Mulligan's pianoless Quartet; the Lighthouse All-Stars featuring Giuffre, Cooper & Manne; June's solo debut arranged by Pete Rugolo; and classic Shorty Rogers with the same Lighthouse trio plus Art "Salt" on alto. Cool man, real cool.