MASTERS OF DECEIT – HENSLEY’S ELECTRIC JAZZ BAND Vanguard LP US PSYCH ROCK rare

	£		20
	$		26

MASTERS OF DECEIT - HENSLEY'S ELECTRIC JAZZ BAND & SYNTHETIC SYMPHONETTE, US VANGUARD VSD 6522, 1969.

ORIGINAL US ISSUE with unipak G/F Sleeve, Orig Gold Label.

Superb US Psych Rock…with jazzy touches, which is full of inventive tracks and some fine acid guitarwork. The group featured Tom Hensley, Steve Blum, Gary Campbell & Stan Gage.

Highlights are numerous…“Shining”, the Soft Machine-like “Boxes”, “The Grand Illusion”, the superb 7+ minute “Long Hard Journey”, “Mirror” are all fabulous tracks with the remaining track, the slightly overlong 15 minute “Pieces: Together: Pieces” still having some interesting moments.

Saw this review: “It's Psych in the sound and Prog in the song structure. The jazz influence is also quite strong. Rather nice, with crisp drums and some urgency in the songs. It was with a certain trepidation that my eyes alighted on the sleeve of this disc. The faintly absurd long-winded title, and the somewhat out-of-it expressions on the faces of the protagonists, particularly the sideways glance of the obliquely-coiffed gentleman at the front who looks uncannily like Paul Giamatti impersonating a member of Soft Machine, suggested that this could either be an elaborate hoax (kind of a prog take on the Rutles) or a lost classic in the making.  But lo! It turns out that the record does sound a lot like Wyatt-era Soft Machine, actually. Which is remarkable enough coming from an American band, even more so considering that this was actually made in 1969, when the Canterbury Sound was still in its birth pangs. There are clavinets galore (always a good sign) and plenty of slightly askew harmonies and tricky time signatures to set the pulse of the committed Brit-prog fan racing. Particularly appealing is the whimsical jazz-rock of "Boxes", making like a prototype for Hatfield & The North's jolly japes. Even the portentously titled 14-minute closer "Pieces: Together: Pieces", almost hinting at Magma in its middle section before straying into Caravan territory, doesn't outstay its welcome.

This record is really cool, long and deceptively strong. I think I'll be returning to it often.”

One the rarer Vanguard Psych LPs which is particularly hard to find with copies usually $50/$60+…it gets an R1 ($40-$80) rating in Joynson’s ‘Fuzz Acid…’ book but is probably rarer now.

Condition is VG+/VG+ (cover/record), cover has slight wear, no cutout, light spindle marks on labels.

POSTAGE:

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UK: £4 for the first 2 or 3 single LPs under 1Kg (signed for add £1.20), then £6 for 1 to 2 Kg with a value up to £50, £8 for weights 1 to 2Kg with a value up to £100.

For 2 to 5 Kg prices range from £7 for values up to £50, £9 for values up to £100, £10 for values of £250.

For urgent/high value items, special delivery is reasonable for weights up to 2Kg, cost is £12 for values up to £500.

CDs & 7" Singles are £1.35 for the first then 50p each after. Thicker CD Box Sets are the same as LPs due to the size/weight.

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EUROPE: 6.50 GBP for the 1st LP (under 500g), then additional single LPs are 2 GBP each up to 5 or 6 LPs in total (under 2Kg).

2LP sets: 8.50 GBP, additional LPs are 2 GBP.

1st CD/Single is 4.50 GBP then additional CDs/Singles are 1.50 GBP each.

For larger orders over 6 LPs, it is now cheaper to send altogether in one package by courier rather than separate packages but depends on the destination.

Generally the basic cost for 7+ LPs (over 2Kg, under 10Kg) to most EU destinations is around 25 GBP plus any extra for insurance (50 GBP of insurance is inclusive, higher insurance works out at 1 GBP extra for every 20 GBP of value).

REST OF WORLD: 9 GBP for the 1st LP (under 500g), then additional single LPs are 3 GBP each up to 6 LPs in total (under 2Kg).

2LP sets: 12 GBP, additional LPs are 3 GBP each.

1st CD/Single is 5.50 GBP then additional CDs/Singles are 2 GBP each.

For larger orders over 6 LPs, for many countries, it is now cheaper to send altogether in one package by courier rather than separate packages but depends on the destination and weight.

Surface mail is available on request for cheap LPs only, to the Rest of the World but delivery times are 6 to 8 weeks minimum!

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PAYMENT:

PERSONAL CHEQUES IN UK STERLING/ PAYPAL.

GRADINGS:

I DO TRY TO PLAY/TEST GRADE ALL THE LPs I SELL.

MINT:

RECORD: PERFECT....AS NEW CONDITION, SO NO DETEORIATION IN THE SOUND QUALITY…..bear in mind that not all ‘new’ LPs are Mint because of the quality of the pressing etc....also SEALED/UNPLAYED LPs are sold as is.....

COVER: AS NEW CONDITION WITH NO OBVIOUS DEFECTS.......except maybe a deletion hole/cutout on a SEALED LP.

M- :

RECORD: SLIGHTY WORSE THAN M, LP may have several surface marks due to removal from it's sleeve etc....but certainly NO audible scratches....LP may have the occasional light crackle/hiss...but still in great condition.

COVER: SHOWS SIGNS OF BEING HANDLED WITH SLIGHT CREASING/WEAR...or may be a M cover with a very slight split seam or very slight showing of ring wear or a very slight sticker tear, but not all of these together.

EX:

RECORD: MOST REGUARLY PLAYED LPs KEPT WITH CARE FALL INTO THIS CATEGORY....LP may play with more hiss/crackle but not louder than the music......sometimes it may be a M or M- LP with one slight audible mark or a very slight edge warp but not affecting it.

COVER: SLIGHTLY MORE WEAR/CREASING/BENDING even some slight ring wear.....or may be a M or M- cover with a split seam(s) and minor sticker tears, but still nice.

VG+ :

RECORD: LP PLAYS WITH MORE NOISE DUE TO EITHER DIRT OR SLIGHTLY STRONGER SURFACE MARKS BUT STILL IS IN A VERY LISTENABLE CONDITION.....or it may be an LP which plays say M- but has one or a few audible marks/slight warp etc.....but still no skips/jumps.

COVER: HAS QUITE A LOT OF CEASING/BENDING often with FADING/RING WEAR/ STICKER TEARS/TEARS....or may be an EX cover with a split seam(s), but still acceptable.

VG:

RECORD: THE SOUND QUALITY OF THE LP IS AFFECTED BY SURFACE MARKS/ AUDIBLE MARKS or DIRT etc....but still plays through and is still in quite a REASONABLE condition.....it may be an LP which plays EX but has audible marks.....

COVER: PLENTY OF CREASING/BENDING/FADING/RING WEAR but still in one piece.

G: LP still plays through but is very noisy due to scratches/dirt etc....but still not totally trashed!!!

COVER: AS VG BUT TORN and starting to fall apart.

F/P: LP is trashed...for ornament purposes only...

+/-: Slightly better/worse than stated.