It’s Spring in Melbourne. The weather tends to be varied—drizzle, downpours, showers, storms, occasional sun—but when time and inclemency allow, I’ve been taking some records for walks. They need a change of scenery after the long lockdowns.
*
The adventure began in the back garden, celebrating Joni Mitchell’s 78th birthday (7 November) during a break in the rain. More The Squelching of Spring Lawns, really.
On many days, my favourite Joni LP. I imagine many might choose Blue or Court and Spark?
*
Willow Weep For Me (1968) was the first Verve original I bought. It was early in my jazz journey and my first Wes Montgomery LP too.
The shop was Bentleigh Sewing and Records, mentioned previously in these pages, at some point in the mid-70s. Behind the Singer sewing machines was a densely packed collection of second hand records (and cassettes) including a lot of jazz. I bought this for the beautiful cover and was not disappointed.
Did you have a gateway album to the world of jazz? Would love to hear.
*
Here we have West Australian band PsychedelicPornCrumpets 2019 LP And Now For The Whatchamacallit, nestling into some wattles.
Popol Vuh were included under the ‘krautrock’ umbrella, but that’s rather misleading. Florian Fricke and his colleagues created luminous, spiritual music of great delicacy and beauty. This 1975 album fits that description well.
*
The Hollies Butterfly from 1967. This is the 1978 re-issue, with a different cover.
*
This excellent jazz album from organist Larry Young has elements of funk, gusts of free jazz and plenty of groove.
It’s also my favourite #recordsandflowers photograph.
Any of these bring a bloom to your cheeks?
*
vinylconnection.com.au 
Hissing of Summer Lawns is hands down my favourite Joni Mitchell album. It was the first Joni album I bought and I fell in love with all the tracks but the 3 song sequence of Edith and the Kingpin, Don’t Interrupt the Sorrow and Shades of Scarlett Conquering blew me away when I first heard it and still does to this day. 🤘
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great to hear from a fellow ‘Summer Lawns’ fan! It’s a good-un, that’s for sure.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You should experiment with ways to show your collection of albums. This combination of your hand and the greenery behind it was pretty cool, It seemed sort of Terry Gilliamesque (by way of Wes Anderson), even if was done so only because of this week’s theme. Nevertheless, I think it deserves repeating. Why not stand against the same greenery, balance the album on your head and take the photo from the eyes up? Haha. Idk. Just a thought.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There is plenty of room for creativity and I thank you for your worthwhile suggestions. I did experiment briefly with #bathandrecords, with disastrous results, so keep those ideas a’comin’!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll have ten more for you within the next hour.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And then five every hour after that until Christmas
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s the spirit!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice! I should do the same here with every grey, rainy, dull grey LP cover I can find.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A te-entry point to Jazz rather than the starter’s shot – Oscar Peterson’s Night Train, which I asked for out of the blue when step daughter asked what I would like for a 60th birthday present. It kicked off a now eight year run of steady acquisition. Still going ….night and day.
With suitable apologies,
DD
LikeLiked by 1 person
‘Night Train’ is great! My copy is the Aus WRC release so the cover is low contrast, but the music is bright as heck!
LikeLike
I reckon I have a picture of a B&O 800 Locomotive bursting out of the night into predawn on the front of my Verve reissue CD.
Mr P, underrated I reckon
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agreed. Thank you for inspiring tonight’s “after the others have retired for the night” listen.
(Last night it was Jarrett’s Solo Concerts Bremen-Lausanne)
LikeLike
I’ve got Jarrett’s Live in Hungary sitting in the sunroom waiting for a listen; just Waiting for the Sun.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some time next week, then? 😉
LikeLike
Cool post:) My gateway album to the world of jazz would be Miles Davis – Bitches Brew. I was heavily into psychedelia (I mean for real, like Ummagumma) and progressive rock and somebody said it would be Miles weirdest record, so I’ve looked no further and just started there 🙂 It was a good advice, it’s my favourite of his albums ’till this day.
What a nice Hollies cover! I’ve never seen it. Gotta find this album on vinyl finaly. Not having it bothers me much to often.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, our ‘grail’ lists, iwarti!
That is very cool regarding Miles Bitches Brew as a jazz entry point. Kind of like entering a church by driving a tank through the wall.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hah what a comparison! It wouldnt had popped in my mind but I guess it’s pretty accurate 😀 Are you talking from experience? 😛
Also love this Popol Vuh! There is a second box of their vinyl reeditions on the way (release date is last week of November). After amazing first one this a no brainer for me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I saw that Popol Vuh box #2. As I have most of those, that will be one I can pass on (thank goodness).
My first Miles was a comp of early material (from Birth of the Cool and other sources) called ‘Basic Miles’. It took me quite a while to love Bs Brew!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think I would likely be among the many that would choose Blue &/or Court and Spark!
LikeLiked by 1 person
And thus in excellent company, Geoff!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I could take a few of those for a walk.
LikeLiked by 1 person
They are well trained, CB. And you don’t need to carry a plastic bag to clean up after them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is a plus. Just to stay on this vibe, I might take Larry for a walk this weekend. Different record though. I want the one you have.
LikeLiked by 1 person
LY is great, isn’t he? Our interchange has me pulling out the CD of “Fuel” for a listen later.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I will give ‘Fuel’ a listen. ‘Unity’ or his work with Lifetime will be going for the stroll. I guess Ill be going down this rabbit hole for awhile. Thanks fella.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yah Yah! Unity, bro! Added to the pile. And Lifetime, what a frickin’ amazing unit! Thank YOU, fella.
LikeLiked by 1 person
While we’re on this vibe. Ive been listening to Spectrum Road. I might have picked them up from you.. If not check out. I think you’d dig it. Music with a Tony Williams slant with a few folks you will be familiar with.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Will investigate, pronto.
LikeLike
Lovely photos! I can’t even remember a gateway record into jazz. I grew up listening to my grandparents’ swing and big band music, And Duke and Ella and Louis and Cab… I dunno. It just always was there, for me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Inculcated young. That’s the way!
LikeLike
I think it was inadvertent but I’ll take it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agree heartily with Geo.Raymond: the photos are absolutely stunning and show off the album art (and the flora) to great effect! I know it won’t surprise you when I say that blue is my favorite Joni Mitchell album. As for my entry into jazz I’d say it was probably the Dave Brubeck Quartet’s Take Five… is that a hopeless cliché?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not at all. It is an extraordinarily creative and innovative album. Still a top jazz seller!
LikeLike