CLIFFORD JORDAN “GLASS BEAD GAMES” RARE 2LP STRATA EAST ORIGINAL CLASSIC JAZZ

$

179

CLIFFORD JORDAN QUARTET

“GLASS BEAD GAMES”

LABEL: STRATA EAST SES-19738

ORIGINAL 2-LP GATEFOLD

CONDITION: VINYL EX- to EX / JACKET: VG+ WITH SOME RING WEAR

RELEASED: 1974

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Condition is quite good for a 45 year old album. Cover has ring wear and scuffs that were so common to double LP black jacket records. Seam splits on the bottom (about 1/3). Spine nice. Gatefold nice as well with prior owners name and date (1974) discretely in ball point at the left hand top. I even cleaned all the 30 year old MJ dust out of the middle of the gatefold groove! That seemed to be a common issue with many of my records from the 70s, especially my Jazz stuff. Those were different times.

The vinyl is in Excellent condition. I took great care of my records then and today. I almost never grade vinyl as EX, but this one is close. No obvious scuffs, scratches or defects. Clean and shiny. I’m sure you’ll be pleased. Normal MINOR wear from play but nothing distracting. Records are much better than the jacket, which isn’t bad either. I would definitely grab this up for my collection if I didn’t recently get a repress.

This album has a ‘Promo’ sticker on the front but I suspect it’s actually an OG original pressing.

All the promo copies I’ve ever seen of this LP, and other Strata discs, have promo clearly printed on the label. This has ‘normal’ Black and White labels and no other indication it’s a promo. I suspect the prior owner just stuck the sticker on the front. I’ve never seen another Strata East record with this kind of Promo sticker. I’ve had this record in my personal collection at least 20 years and is exactly as I found it ‘Deep Digging’ in Greenwich Village back in my teens.

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In 1973, the great saxophonist Clifford Jordan put together two different quartets for his next recording session.

The lineup of both quartets is brutally deep, with Billy Higgins on drums, Cedar Walton and Stanley Cowell on piano, and Bill Lee and Sam Jones on bass. Clifford Jordan’s playing is brilliant throughout. He was an artist of the first order, his playing was so effortless and unforced, unselfconscious and focused, mature and wise.

This is brilliant music-making by a Coltrane- influenced musician. It may be the most significant saxophone performance on record since the master himself.

It was 1973 and rock and roll had taken its hold on jazz. Miles Davis' Bitches Brew had come out three years earlier and fusion was in full throttle. Herbie Hancock had been electric for a while and Head Hunters was about to really define the scene.

"Hard Bop" and "traditional Jazz" was getting no love from the record labels or the bulk of the Jazz buying public. So, these guys said screw it and started their own label.

Cowell, along with his friend, one of the most underrated trumpeters of all time, Charles Tolliver, had started Strata East Records, a jazz label they could use to record and release the music they loved, exciting, adventurous jazz.

Recorded in 1973, the album was the fifth part of the “Strata-East Dolphy Series.” ‘Glass Bead Games’ is arguably the crown jewel of the Strata East movement, which treads an unusual path between post-bop, 70’s avant-garde and spiritual jazz, with a groove. In time, the records on that label could become some of the most influential, and collector-sought after of the era.

This album is considered one of the best of the many great albums on the Strata East label. The album is packed with highly enchanting, intellectual, yet grooving numbers.  It features some of the heaviest playing to ever be laid down on wax. This album could be considered a master class for modern jazz. Every track is full of heavy jazz vibrations that captivates you from the moment you lay down the needle.

All the songs are originals so what we ultimately get here is an absolute classic of its time. This is the definitive post-bop album. Born of the ashes of the great 60s scene. It’s an absolute classic and the best work Clifford Jordan ever did.

A legendary but obscure release. In time, it will go down as one of the best jazz records ever.  Definitely a classic in every sense of the word.

Looks, plays and sounds great. It’s been properly stored in my personal collection for years. I’m sure you’ll be more than happy with this rare record. Overall, a great copy and one of the better condition ones I've seen lately. 

I’m retired and downsizing and letting go some gems from nearly 50 years of record collecting. Check out the many other fantastic 45s and 33s on my page!

Shipping cost within the lower 48 states is only $4.50 via USPS first class. I will be glad to ship international for whatever the exact cost to do so is. We can talk after the auction is over and work out the details. I do NOT gouge on my shipping charges. It costs what it costs.

If you would like insurance, or anything faster than first class, please let me know and I can arrange it for you. I’ll work with you to make sure you’re happy! 

All LP's come with generic white paper inner sleeves and simple poly-bags, unless otherwise noted or pictured. I do try to match up proper, appropriate generic company sleeves with my 45’s and LP's and I’ll gladly include them if I have them. As mentioned, this one does have the original London inner sleeve.

All items are packaged with sturdy cardboard mailers and filler pads. I take pride in my packaging and shipping and pack my records as if I were sending them to myself. I refuse to use cheap flimsy packaging material when sending my records. I treat them as if they were my own and mail them the same way.

All records have been cleaned and played by me. I visually inspect all records under bright light, personally clean them and then play them on a modern high-end turntable to get a true picture of condition. I'm a 0ne-man operation, this is a hobby, not my job. I do this for fun. I do this because I love music, love collecting vinyl and want others to share in that same experience. I take my time listening, researching, grading, listing and packaging. I will NOT sell any record that I personally would not want in my collection.

I’ve been told by other vinyl collecting friends that I under-grade the condition of my records. I see no harm in that. If that VG+ record comes and it’s nicer that you thought, great! We’ve all been burned by that EX- record purchase only to get it and it looks like it was cleaned with sandpaper and played with a rusty nail. My goal is to avoid that ever happening to me or you ever again. My grading is fair and honest and I will ALWAYS refund you for anything you’re not happy with. I have had nearly 3,000 happy and satisfied EBay customers over the years and I have been buying/selling on ebay for over 15 years, so please bid with confidence!

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