Record Store Day 2020 turned into three days due to Covid-19, and a fourth day is coming. Black Friday 2020 is November 27th.
Currently there are some 133 releases scheduled for that day, including a few of interest. The releases are the usual spread of old tracks never released, tracks remixed, and live performances, and a few compilations. Many are Record Store Day exclusives, meaning they won’t be available again in that format/pressing. Others are Record Store Day First’s meaning that will become part of the record company catalog, perhaps not in the same format.
I’ve already scheduled my appointment for Bart’s Records in Boulder, CO, I’ll be there for 8:30am hoping to grab a copy of Nautilus and Bill Evans Live.
Nautilus and more – Bob James
First up is a 45/single release of Bob James “Nautilus“. Depending on what continent you are in, will depend which pressing you can get. 500 gold vinyl for the US, 500 transparent vinyl available in Asia, and 500 transparent yellow vinyl in Europe.
All the pressings contain “Nautilus” as the A-side, and the B-side will be a new remix of the chart-topping “Submarine” from his album “Espresso“. RSD 2020 has had a few Bob James releases, in addition to Bob’s appearance on Stonebone, RSD drop #3 on Saturday saw the release of “Once upon a time: The Lost 1965 New York Studio Sessions” on vinyl, CD and MP3. It’s an RSD Exclusive.
There are two more Bob James related releases, later this week, October 30th, see’s the release of new material from Till Brönner and Bob James, “On Vacation”. I have the MP3 version and I have to say, it is very good. In many respects Brönner reminds me, on some tracks, of Chet Baker.
Next for Bob, on November 6th, “4 Play & Pleasure” (2020 Remastered) is released. I missed Four Play the first time around, don’t ask, but I’ve enjoyed the CD’s I’ve acquired.
Grover Live
For RSD Black Friday, to celebrate 20-years since his passing, for the first time on vinyl, the live concert from June 1997 at the Paramount Center for the Arts in Peekskill, New York – is being as a 2x LP set. This live concert has been available on CD since 2010 with the same set list. Musicians include members of Grover’s house band, Locksmith: Bass – Gerald Veasley, Congas, Percussion – Pablo Batista, Drums – Steven Wolf, Guitar – Richard Lee Steacker, Keyboards – Adam Holzman, Keyboards
This is an RSD first. so should be available later for your local store or online.
See below for a link to play this album via music.youtube.
Bill Evans Live at Ronnie Scott’s (1968)
Another Live set, the third official Resonance release of previously unissued recordings of the Bill Evans trio with Eddie Gomez and Jack DeJohnette. The recordings that comprise this release come from the personal archives of drummer Jack DeJohnette, who has had them in storage for over 50 years, and the nearly 2 hours of music have been meticulously remastered from the original tape reels.
The deluxe limited-edition 2x LP set will include never-before-published original artwork by David Stone Martin on the album cover, plus an extensive booklet with rare photos, essay by the British writer Brian Priestly, a conversation between Chick Corea and Jack DeJohnette, interview with Eddie Gomez, and more. It’s an RSD Exclusive, which means this is the only time it will be available, in the same format and packaging.
Original Grooves: Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Bettye LaVette
The final mention goes to this somewhat odd, 4-track recording on vinyl. It features the tracks “Strange Fruit (Billie Holiday) (3:12)”; “Strange Fruit (Bettye LaVette) (4:30)”; “I Hold No Grudge (Nina Simone) (2:18)”; “I Hold No Grudge (Bettye LaVette) (6:12)”.
The album is said to be the first in a series from Verve. Apart from being so short, just 16-minutes of music on a 12″ vinyl, what makes it unique is that the track grooves are in parallel. Described by Verve as “a different aural experience depending on where the needle is dropped”. Sounds a nightmare to me, so depending on where you catch the lead-in on the outer edge of the record, will depend which track you hear. I assume part of the reason for the number and lengths of the tracks is they have large gaps between the tracks. If you understand this, leave a comment.
Nina Simone’s “I Hold No Grudge” appears to be the same cut from her 1966 “High Priestess Of Soul” album and was included on the outstanding Verve, Jazz Masters 17
More Information/References
Bob James Nautilus [via recordstoreday.com]
Grover Washington Jr Live [via recordstoreday.com]
Grover Live [listen via music.youtube]
Bill Evans Live At Ronnie Scotts [via recordstoreday,com]
Original Grooves: Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Bettye LaVette [via recordstoreday.com]
Best of Four Play sampler [via smarturl.it]
Fourplay – 4 Play and Pleasure [tracks via Spotify]