For Jazz Lovers

[topoftheworld]

I love flea markets & antique stores, 'cause you can get all sort of oddball stuff or find replacements for stuff you lost. On one such trip, I picked up a group of used albums for a couple of bucks each. Some I really never looked at until a couple of weeks ago. And, yes, I still have a LP.

Imagine my surprise when, instead of finding the record I thoughtt I had purchased, I discovered a jazz album.

Now, I'm not a huge jazz fan, so I wasn't familiar with Benny Golson. But the first thing I noticed was that the record was marked "Demonstration-Not for Sale". The collections of records might have come from some radio station.

I did a web search on Golson, and discovered that according to the history, he did not produce a record between the 60's and the 80's.

The date on this Columbia record demo is 1977. It is "Benny Golson-Killer Joe" and includes "The New Killer Joe Rap" by Benny Golson and the "New Killer Joe" by Quincy Jones.

Benny, as I discovered in my surfing, is responsible for a lot of TV soundtracks and themes, including the one from the final year of the Cosby Show.

Is an album marked (Demo) worth anything to anybody-especially one that was apparently never released but the artist has gone on to some noteworthiness. Don't have the cover (if their was one) but the album is in good shape. And not bad to listen to, either.

Any experts out there have an idea?

[Bluzeman]

I can't really answer your question, but I know a site that can. As Mr. Music

Rick(Who LOVES Jazz, by the way!)

[topoftheworld]

Thanks-I'll let you know what he says.

[George Aar]

I'm a pretty hard-core jazzophile, and, sorry to say, I've never heard of Benny Golson.

The Quincy Jones reference may be a bit telling though. I think Quincy has tried to promote quite a few marginal talents over the years. I remember guys like Billy Cobham and David Sanctious and a few others.

Good musicians for the most part, but maybe without a lot of depth. They put out an album or two and then quietly fade away.

I think the value of the album would be entirely dependant on whether or not anybody knows the guy, and on that count I'd have to say, I don't think so...

[Bluzeman]

HERE is his official website.

It gives me so much pleasure to welcome you to my official website. As you know, I started my career in jazz about 50 years ago. I was privileged "to cut my teeth" with the renowned Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Earl Bostic and Art Blakey. Travelling all over the United States, Europe, Asia and South America, I have been playing the music I love so much. To those of you who are just hearing about me, please read my bio in the Artist's Profile.

Rick

[topoftheworld]

Thanks, Bluz. I had already found it this weekend and enjoyed the info. It's what really peeked my curiosity about my "find", since this album wasn't listed, and the only song from the album mentioned was "New Killer Joe".

Maybe I'll drop him a line about it-he should know, huh? I really wanted to make it available to you guys first, if anyone had any interest.