Friday, October 26, 2012

Rumasuma - Sonny Simmons [Contemporary S7623]






















Side A
Rumasuma
Back To The Apple
Side B
Reincarnation
For Posterity

Sonny Simmons - alto saxophone
Barbara Donald - trumpet
Mike Cohen - piano
Jerry Sealund - bass
Bill Pickens - bass
Billy Higgins - drums



Recorded Los Angeles - August 1969


So a copy of this just sold for $172 on Ebay - plus shipping .
Fucking Mad.

The $ figure of course is a reflection of it's out of print, desirable and 'colectable' status - and not it's musical worth.
Like crazy little creatures, we seem compelled [as a species really] to covet, collect, obsess and fetshize over that we dont have or is hard to obtain. I'm as guilty as anyone. Really though, all that 'desiring the object' and the burning need to to be in possesssion of a 'near mint rare legendary disc' is mostly about a different area of human psychology than that which relates to the inner joy that the best art brings us.
It's all bullshit and has nothing to do with the music in other words.
How does the artist feel - when recent releases struggle to sell 1000 copies worldwide, on tiny little profit margins?

If you were in the luxurious position of having $172 to spend -and you wanted some of the music of the exceptionally creative vibrant and beautiful alto saxophone and english horn player Sonny Simmons - I would go here http://www.sonnysimmons.org/ to check out his in-print discography. And then spend the lot.

This is a great little session - dare I say it, quite 'boppish' in tone and feel. Sonny directly weaves a Bird phrase in to one of his tunes here, Contemporary's Lester Koenig produced, and ex-Dial records man Ross Russell wrote the liner notes.
It's a much more 'inside' record than the excellent Manhattan Egos from the same year - but thoroughly enjoyable on its own terms.

Hope you enjoy the music

http://www.sonnysimmons.org/

This is for sotise - who has managed to eliminate 'desire of the object' from his psyche.(well, almost)

29 comments:

serviceton said...

These are FLAC files.
There are large cover scans included.
As well as an ebullient charming and witty text file. Just a text file actually.

https://www.rapidshare.com/files/3380299149/RumaSimmons69.rar

Anonymous said...

awesome - thanks a ton, serviceton!!

l:)

Roxanne of Love and Hate said...

Much thanks! I'm a huge fan of Mr. Simmons

SOTISE said...

Serviceton, you are a pal ,appreciation gratitude etc etc
MERCI!!!!!

SOTISE said...

OH the auction Ended at $162.50 to be precise, something that does absolutely nothing for Mr Simmons , i cant imagine why this record has not been reissued by OJC@ Fantasy inc ,who have the Contemporary catalogue, given the Stature of the Artists involved, the only explanation must be that the masters have dissapeared... perhaps someone who knows could elaborate.

gilhodges said...

This is spectacular. I am a deep Simmons appreciator and this one is new to me. Loving it. Deeply. Thank you.

Wallofsound said...

I have never managed to remove desire of the object from my psyche either. Very glad to share the music until the object becomes obtainable. Thanks, S.

kinabalu said...

Commodity fetishism, yeah. There was something in the way the Apple CEO was brandishing the new Ipad Mini that got me thinking of Moses and the tablets of stone. Sign of the times, our times, I suppose.

I stayed out of that race. Got me reasonably priced John Carters instead. Oh and thanks for this one.

Newk said...

Thanks so much for this! I found a copy of this at the Salvation Army in the Tenderloin in San Francisco however many years ago, but I had to sell it to one of those fetishists of the rare when times were rough.

Peter said...

Excellent serviceton! Never heard of this before. ... thx!

Erberken said...

Thank you!!!!!!!!!

E-mile said...

new to me aussi [:-) thanks for another Sonny Simmons Serviceton!

Igor said...

Among the best finds this year, as I'm concerned.
Many thanks, serviceton.

Calisan said...

New to me too! I'm very curious. Thanks serviceton

Solomon said...

Just listened to it. Amazing! Thank you!

Nick said...

Thanks for this. Having sometimes spent a lot on LPs over the years, all I can say is that it is nicer to share than to hog them.

Newk said...

Sorry for doing this in the comments here: Do either of you have the Black Spirits LP on Black Forum you wouldn't mind posting? I have the book, but I've never heard the record. So many people mention Amus Mor's reading on that LP, but I've never had the opportunity (nor the cash) to experience it.

kingpossum said...

Thanks for all your comments, everyone. I've managed to largely remove desire of the object...it's become limited to micro-releases independents. These are talismans for me, which I do enjoy seeing and holding physically.

Strangely, in the digital age I am now more enamored having the mp3 and a digital image of the limited edition colored vinyl, than having the colored vinyl itself. Can't really explain it, as I was always a sucker for splatter vinyl and stuff like that.

And I do enjoy supporting the artists. I go to the shows and I buy tour-only cdrs and stuff at the merch table.

serviceton said...

Newk - although I can't speak for Sotise i think the answer is 'no' on the Black Forum title - sorry. Years ago, a friend's brother had what I think was a compendium of bits and pieces from the Black Forum LPs - on a cassette (a C120!). I seem to remember Langston Hughes, Elaine Brown & Amiri Baraka. I don't remember Amus Mor though. It was a long time ago..

Anonymous said...

Newk , no i dont have them either, they are pretty rare , not many made it to these shores, i know one guy who has a Black forum lp , but alas we are estranged

Newk said...

Thanks for the responses! Although I didn't find the rest of the LP, which is of course loaded with a lot of good poets, I found a compilation called Beat Jazz (yeah, I know) Vol. 2 that has the Amus Mor poem collected on it, so at least I got to finally hear/own that!
And, related to Sonny, it's nice to see him playing with Sunny in this documentary, which you can watch for free:
http://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentary/watch-online/play/8970/SUNNY-S-TIME-NOW

sasha said...

Amazing response to this post..Just goes to show how much respect folk give S Simmons..Yea like wise to many I'd clocdked the contemporary catalogue and wondered if I would ever see and hear some items such as this..Then again I used to feel the same about Blue Note and look at how that catalogue has become available..In the meantime blogs such as this makes its mark..Many thanks.

mark said...

Excited to hear this. Thanks!

Bill said...

Great post! Many thanks!

Anonymous said...

… and here again, thank you.

pepper67 said...

thanks for the post. I keep hoping this is re-issued. Does OJC even exist anymore? If it ever does I'm buying it right away....thanks

TEO said...

Thanks very much for this LP!!!!
...but it's possible to restore the download link? Thanks again in advice!

Anonymous said...

New Link, thanks to Serviceton for his glorious rip!

https://mega.nz/#!sBdlnCCJ!L7-TnQFpoPoK7qziEh_ncRQPOHyFLJJ9Y3-oda0dXsg

Anonymous said...

Big thanx!