What a find...

So I am getting my old faithful turntable up and running this weekend - and sorting through some old vinyl - in anticipation of listening to Herbie Mann's sultry take on the Beatles' tune:  Come Together.  It comes from one of my favorite 1970 albums:  Muscle Shoals Nitty Gritty - a follow-up to his stunning Memphis Underground. (check it out: http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7432624)  And what a GREAT album it is:  funky soul saturated with cool jazz and just enough hip attitude to make you smile and maybe even shake your booty.

Well sports fans, in addition to brother Mann's record in MINT condition (after all these years) I discover a few collections I don't remember ever owning:

+ An original copy of Miles Davis' Bitches Brew

+ Vince Guaraldi playing a live Bossa Nova set w/Bola Sete from El Matador in San Francisco's North Beach.  (The place still exists - I've walked by it a number of times - but now it is a strip club.)

+ Duke Ellington's Sacred Music Concert albums.

+ A Blue Note reissue of Thad Jones and Mel Lewis

+ My favorite New Age Oregon album:  Distant Hills

+ And a six album - 12 side - unopened box set called:  The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz (which the NPR guide to jazz says is THE boxed set to own - as it starts with Scott Joplin and ends with John Coltrane!)

What a blast!  What a find!  Who knew?!!?  I've been groovin' all weekend to some incredible sounds - and there is NOTHING like vinyl to bring out the warmth of a music collection - in my humble opinion.