Bubber Johnson  “Confidential”  President Records EP  (France)

John Coltrane’s Blue Train on Blue Note Records.  John Coltrane tenor saxophone; Paul Chambers — double bass; Kenny Drew — piano;  Curtis Fuller — trombone; Philly Joe Jones — drums; Lee Morgan — trumpet   Below, the Francis Wolff photo of JC listening to a take from the Blue Train Session, 09/15/57

David Bowie  “Pinups”  RCA Records (1973)  Released between “Aladin Sane” and “Diamond Dogs.”  The woman on the cover with Bowie is 1960s supermodel Twiggy in a photograph taken by her then-manager Justin de Villeneuve.  In the album booklet, Bowie himself describes Pin Ups as: 

“These songs are among my favourites from the ’64–67′ period of London. / Most of the groups were playing the Ricky-Tick (was it a ‘y’ or an ‘i’?) -Scene club circuit (Marquee, eel pie island la-la). / Some are still with us. /Pretty Things, Them, Yardbirds, Syd’s Pink Floyd, Mojos, Who, Easybeats, Merseys,  The Kinks

Rendez-Vous Avec Rex Stewart  Barclay Records (France)

K & J.J.  East Coast Jazz  Bethlehem Records  (Cover by Burt Goldblatt)

Hank Crawford  “More Soul”  Atlantic Records (1961)   Portrait by Lee Friedlander.  Along with David “Fathead” Newman, Hank Crawford lead the pre-eminent sax section of Ray Charles classic group of the late 50′s – early 60′s.  Crawford, who joined Charles’ band in 1957, primarily held down the role of baritone sax player, but with this recording he’s able to stretch out on the alto.  As he often did with Ray Charles, More Soul sees Hank in the role of arranger.   The night that this record was cut, I’ve read, Crawford played Harlem’s Apollo theater until 1am, took the short ride down to Broadway and the Atlantic studios and recorded these seven tracks before dawn.  Crawford’s arrangements for septet dispense with piano, aside from a little comping by Hank, which vividly opens out the sound of brass and horns, and gives a greater weight and clarity to the bass/drums rhythm section of Edgar Willis and Milt Turner.  Fathead Newman plays tenor.  The great Tom Dowd engineered.  Nesuhi Ertegun produced.  Check it out!

“Night-Club at After Dark”  Various Artists  Teichiku Records Japan  (Thanks to SEM SINATRA for generously contributing this image.)

Valsas     A Brazilian Radio Orchestra

Monk’s Moods   The Thelonious Monk Trio   Prestige Records (Holland) Dutch cover photo.   Thelonious Monk piano, Gary Mapp or Percy Heath bass, Art Blakey or max Roach drums.     Recorded in 1953

“Golden Folk Album”   (Vol. 4)     I think this is Korean but not sure.   Great cover shot though!

The Stooges     Their debut album on Elektra Records   (1969)     Photo by Joel Brodsky     Here’s “No Fun” to kick off side B.