Jazz at the Philarmonic 4 LP Set Verve Audiophile 180gr Speakers Corner Germany

	€		26
	$		30

Jazz at the Philarmonic in Europe - Audiophile records - 180 grams

Made in Germany! Box of 4 records by Speakers Corner!

Description:

Every Speakers Corner pressing is exceptional - free of sonic artifacts and very quiet to the very bottom of the groove. Here, the silence enhances this live music, which was recorded in mono, the sound of the day. The recording is a bit distant in perspective, but the LPs' quietness increases the sense of immediacy, especially when a good mono cartridge is at the end of the tonearm.

Out of print on LP for decades and never released on CD, Speakers Corner’s Jazz At the Philharmonic In Europe box is the equivalent of the unearthing of a jazz holy grail. It’s also a sonic wonder. First, some background: as an encore to previous dates, namesake concert promoter Norman Granz brought a Who’s Who cast of heavyweights to Stockholm in November 1960 for a series of special performances. Thankfully, he had the sense to record the affairs. Oscar Peterson, Illinois Jacquet and Ella Fitzgerald were the great names, which caused fans in Hamburg, Berlin, Paris and Brussels to leap from their seats with enthusiasm, and in November 1960 they were followed by the encounters between young and old, and between white and black soloists. At the concert on November 21 in the packed Konserthuset in Stockholm, Coleman Hawkins, Benny Carter and Don Byas met up with Stan Getz, Cannonball Adderley, Leo Wright and J.J. Johnson - the stylistic link being provided by the two trumpeters Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie. The themes opened up new perspectives too: "Bernie's Tune," "Kush," "All The Things You Are" and "Trotting" are clearly audible as real challenges for the old hands. And the younger musicians - several of them who were counted among the avant-garde - follow admirably in their footsteps: for example Stan Getz yet free from bossa nova clichés; Cannonball Adderley, full of soul and a funky sound; and a groovy and grooving J.J. Johnson. Although the JATP jam sessions had undoubtedly reached their zenith in the Forties, the recordings made in November 1960 for Norman Granz's Verve label offer a wealth of great listening and points of discussion.

Included with the LPs is a booklet on the series that features excerpts from an interview with Fritz Rau, the tour director of the European JATP concerts. He paints an admiring portrait of the driven and temperamental Granz. "He taught me to think," Rau said, but "I never wanted to be like him."

Condition:

Box: Mint, only opened once!

Sleeves: Mint

Records: Mint, never played!

Here are the grading guidelines I aspire to:

Mint or M: Still sealed or opened once but as new, never played, with no scuffs. The perfect record.

Near Mint or NM: I define NM as being almost mint. This grade is for the most part, the most widely used grade for records that appear virtually flawless. Virtually flawless records are not perfect. A very minor scuff and very little else can appear on the vinyl. The flaw should be very hard to see.

Excellent or EX: This is truly not my defined grade, however it is becoming more and more mainstream among collectors and sellers. It is also a very conservative grade for those who don't want to grade NM, for fear they may over grade the record. An excellent condition for vinyl will allow minor scuffs which are visible but only slightly. The wear should be minimal. Any scratches that can be felt with your fingernail can NOT be called scuffs. Scuffs lay on top of the grooves. If any break in the grooves are felt, they ARE scratches. No scratches can make this grade!
Very Good or VG: If the flip side is not NM but still plays well (or great, no noise), VG is a conservative grade and will show wear, surface scuffs and some very light scratches. Surface scuffs are caused from blunt (not sharp) objects. Often the minor scuffs are caused from inner sleeves. The vinyl should still have a great luster, but the flaws will be noticeable to the naked eye. Sometimes holding the record up to a very bright light, you will see many tiny lines across the surface

Good or G (including the G+ and VG- grades): A good record will look very well played, dull, grayish and possibly abused. However a Good record should still play. It will have distracting surface noise.

I try to describe precisely and grade conservatively: if you have any doubts check my feedback and bid in confidence. I can provide more detailed pictures, please feel free to ask!

Guarantee: This is a private transaction and under EU law no guarantee is stated or implied. But if the buyer feels that an item has been misdescribed, he may return it as it was sent within three days of receipt for a full refund minus shipping.

Postage

I am NOT responsible for unregistered packages lost on the way.

Registered air mail with tracking number (provided)

Europe - 15€

Rest of the world - 20€

Note that I will refund (via PayPal) any substantially overstated postage charged.

Payment to be made by PayPal or Bank Transfer (in Euros).

Thanks for looking.