Lee Morgan Vee-Jay Records “Expoobident” (1960) with Clifford Jordan, Art Blakey, Eddie Higgins and Art Davis.     The word “expoobident” was coined by jazz vocalist and all around hipster-philosopher Babs Gonzalez as an all-purpose noun-adjective-verb to provide the most positive description possible.   This classic hard-bop set by a one-time only sextet at the height of their poignancy and power features Lee’s beautiful rendition of the standard “Easy Living” as well as Wayne Shorter’s “Fire” and the title track by Higgins.

(21 votes, average: 4.29 out of 5)

 Loading ...

Have you met Miss Jones?   This is “the great” Grace Bumbry from Kerstan in Germany.

(22 votes, average: 4.05 out of 5)

 Loading ...

One of my favorite covers and records too. Paul Weller took the photo. Paul Bacon designed the cover. “Monk’s Music”   The Thelonious Monk Septet with Coleman Hawkins, Art Blakey, John Coltrane, Gigi Gryce, Ray Copeland, Wilbur Ware. Riverside Records. 1957.

Monk’s fifth for the label and the first to focus on his own compositions. The record begins with “Abide With Me” – a very short piece, (only 50 seconds long).   This is an 18th Century hymn brilliantly arranged by Monk.   “Well, You Needn’t,” more than 11 minutes long, gives everybody the opportunity to blow.   Monk, first, in a masterful solo; then Trane (listen to Monk calling “Coltrane, Coltrane!” just before Trane’s solo). “Ruby,my dear” is played by Hawk, and is the perfect tune for Bean’s imperial ballad playing. “Off Minor” has great solos by Hawk, Copeland and Monk.   Finally, the sumptuous “Crepescule with Nellie”, written by Thelonious for his wife, is mostly played by Monk. (FYI: ‘Crepescule” comes from the French word “crepuscule”, which means twilight, dusk).

(28 votes, average: 4.61 out of 5)

 Loading ...

“…Actual recordings of people under the influence of psychedelic drugs… Psychedelic music…the sounds of the “Acid Test”…LSD users and pushers and the amazing story of LSD in action…Comments by such LSD authorities as Sidney Cohen, M.D., the controversial Dr. Timothy Leary, Mrs. Aldous Huxley and Allen Ginsberg.”

More from the liner notes: At Capitol Records we live in a world of the young – a world of rock n’ roll music, amid the need for a constant awareness of teenage interests of all kinds. We are, therefore, perhaps more aware of, and more sensitive to, the widespread use of LSD among the school age population…”

(47 votes, average: 3.98 out of 5)

 Loading ...

Holy shit! “LSD Battle for the Mind”

(52 votes, average: 4.06 out of 5)

 Loading ...

“Bang! Bang! Bang!” “Thunderball and Other Secret Agent Themes” Eliott fisher and His Orchestra.   Capitol Records.

(20 votes, average: 4.20 out of 5)

 Loading ...

Bettie Page in her famous Africa USA photo shoot in Boca Raton, Florida as shot by Bunny Yeager. Page is posed in a leopard print swimsuit holding the chains to two (stuffed) cheetahs. This is one of (at least) three covers used by Halo with the same photo.   All the music is just generic chorus and orchestra pablum.   This one is “The Best Musical Comedy Songs” (1957).

(39 votes, average: 3.97 out of 5)

 Loading ...

“Roy and Diz”   Clef. Original recording produced by Norman Granz.   Recorded October 29, 1954 at Radio Recorder Studios, Los Angeles.   The Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, Herb Ellis and Louis Bellson.

(18 votes, average: 4.72 out of 5)

 Loading ...