[Jazz in Japan] Davis, Miles. (1926–1991) & Gordon, Dexter. (1923–1990) & Simone, Nina. (1933–2003) & Evans, Bill. (1929–1980) & Vaughan, Sarah. (1924–1990)
Collection of Signed Japanese Pressing LPs, including KIND OF BLUE
An extraordinary collection of five Japanese pressed LPs, each signed by the primary artist while on tour in Japan 1973-78, and including an especially rare signed copy of Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue."The support for jazz in Japan has long been immense and also, remarkably consistent. Even during a slump in the United States in the 70's that threatened to put many American jazz labels and musicians out of business, American jazz artists flocked to Japan to perform, with many releasing "Live in Japan" albums, including Miles Davis, Bill Evans and Sarah Vaughan. ''Japan almost singlehandedly kept the jazz record business going during the late 1970's,'' said a producer with Blue Note Records, Michael Cuscuna. ''Without the Japanese market, a lot of independent jazz labels probably would have folded, or at least stopped releasing new material.'' (NY Times "In Japan, Jazz Resurges As a National Passion," 1/7/88)
Each album includes the original obi strip (spine card), the piece of paper wrapped around the spine of Japanese LPs, the term obi designating the sash around a kimono (Kimono no obi). Japanese pressings generally feature very high quality vinyl and the present examples are all in fine condition, rated individually below. Four of them are dated by the obtainer of the signature or by the artist (Simone).
BILL EVANS - NEW CONVERSATIONS.
Label: WARNER P-10516
Cover : E,W/ Record : E+
Obi stripe: E
Obtained 13 September, 1978, signed, dated and inscribed in black ink on the front cover.
SARAH VAUGHAN WITH CLIFFORD BROWN
Label: MERCURY BT-1324
Cover : E,W/ Record : E,DJ
Obi stripe: E
Obtained 26 April, 1975, signed in black ink on the front cover.
NINA SIMONE - SPELL ON YOU
Label: PHILIPS SFX-7167
Cover : E,W/ Record : E-,W
Obi stripe: E
Obtained 1973, signed and dated in black ink on the record label and to an interior page of the album booklet
DEXTER GORDON - APARTMENT
Label: STEEPLECHASE RJ-7101
Cover : E,W/ Record : E+
Obi stripe: E
Obtained 25 September 1975, signed in black ink on the front cover by Dexter Gordon, Kenny Drew, Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen and Albert "Tootsie" Heath
MILES DAVIS - KIND OF BLUE
Label: CBS/SONY SOPL-155
Cover : E,W/ Record : E+
Obi stripe: E
Obtained 1975, signed in silver ink "Miles Davis" on the front cover.
The present collection includes several remarkable rarities, but the highlight is surely the exceedingly rare signed copy of what is widely regarded to be the greatest jazz album of all time, Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue." Davis was notoriously prickly and a generally reluctant autograph signer. Though authentic autograph signatures are certainly obtainable, we are aware of only one other extant authentically signed copy (also sold by Schubertiade) of Davis's greatest masterpiece. Of the previous example sold by Schubertiade, noted jazz collector and dealer Larry Rafferty noted that in his 40+ years of collecting jazz autographs, this is "absolutely the only copy I have ever seen -- or heard of" and our research further confirms that no signed copies have appeared at auction or in trade catalogues.
The best-selling jazz record of all time is universally acknowledged as a masterpiece, revered as much by rock and classical music fans as by jazz lovers. Kind of Blue brought together seven now-legendary musicians in the prime of their careers: tenor saxophonist John Coltrane, alto saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, pianists Bill Evans and Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, drummer Jimmy Cobb and, of course, trumpeter Miles Davis. To the musicians who recorded it, Kind of Blue was just another session when it was released in August, 1959. But the disc was quickly recognized by the jazz community as a classic. Jazz musicians were startled by the truly different sound on an album that laid out a clear roadmap for further modal explorations. "So What" became the tune, the one that every musician -- not just the practitioners of jazz -- simply had to know. The other tracks also quickly became standards and the individual solos throughout the record continue to inspire musicians to this day. Drummer Jimmy Cobb puts it all down to simplicity -- the reason Kind of Blue has remained so successful for so long. And because of its inherent balance, historian Dan Morgenstern adds, the album never wears out its welcome. (12689)
Signed Document/Item Jazz