Vinyl Hunting - a Progress Report

One month on from purchasing a new record turntable and beginning my quest for vinyl albums, I can reveal how much I have enjoyed the experience. I have loved the physical side of handling and placing the records on the deck and even having to cross the room every fifteen minutes or so to turn over the disc has had a certain charm about it (and it's a bit of exercise isn't it)? Oh and while the record is playing, I can browse the cover and unlike with CD's, I actually have a chance of being able to read the sleeve notes.

Some of my aimless local walks have suddenly been given some purpose as I pop into charity shops or browse around local markets and seek out bargains - and there are bargains to be had despite the rise in the popularity of vinyl. (For example I picked up a Ry Cooder album in great condition for £1.50). Consequently up until last week, I had expanded my vinyl collection to a round dozen without breaking the bank.

My favourite finds have been 'Blues From Laurel Canyon' by John Mayall, Steely Dan's 'Katy Lied' and possibly my absolute favourite, 'Keep Your Hat On' by the Jess Roden Band.

I had forgotten just what a good album 'Blues From Laurel Canyon' was. The whole album is an autobiographical account of a visit Mayall made to the west coast of the US, mixing with the likes of Frank Zappa and the members of Canned Heat. The album has a great sound to it with a very wide stereo spectrum, some great songs and of course a very young Mick Taylor on lead guitar.

I don't believe that Steely Dan were capable of making a bad record and certainly not a bad sounding one. I'm delighted with the sound of 'Katy Lied' yet it appears that Donald Fagan and Walter Becker weren't owing to the malfunction of a new noise reduction system in the studio. They even famously refused to listen to the completed album. 

'Keep Your Hat On' is one I have never managed to own in any format and I don't recall it ever being released on CD. It was Roden's second solo album but the first credited to the Jess Roden Band and it features nine tracks, a mixture of covers and band originals. One of those covers is of the Eagles' 'Desperado' with Roden managing to give the song a soulful, bluesy feel. Far superior to the original in my view.

So far so good.

Then suddenly and very unexpectedly last week my meagre collection of vinyl was substantially increased owing to the generosity of a very good friend. Among the beauties he gave me were this lot.

And there were many, many more. 

It may be some time before I am back out vinyl hunting again. But then you never know do you?

RIP Horace Silver

Yesterday jazz legend Horace Silver passed away peacefully at the age of 85.

Having switched at an early age from tenor saxophone to piano, Silver went on to play his distinctly funky style with people such as Art Blakey (with whom he formed the Jazz Messengers), Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, Joe Henderson and Hank Mobley. 

His best known album 'Song For My Father' was released in 1965. Even if you are not familiar with his work, you will possibly recognise the opening bass line of the title track, later used to great effect by Steely Dan in their hit, 'Rikki Don't Lose That Number'.

Below are links to both of these tracks.

RIP Horace.


Song For My Father

Rikki Don't Lose That Number  (The riff starts at 0.26).