DON RENDELL "Shades Of Blue" massively rare 1965 UK LP

	£		620
	$		822

This is an original, UK 1st pressing of the incredibly rare and highly sought after "Shades Of Blue" by

The Don Rendell & Ian Carr Quintet

UK 1965 MONO on the COLUMBIA record label catalogue number 33SX 1733 

MATRIX NUMBERS : Side 1 - XAX 2&&0 - 1U, Side 2 - XAX 2771 1U

The outer sleeve is in very good condition with just some scuffing on the corners (though not on the top and bottom edges, which are each excellent), the spine is also very nicely intact though there are some surface creases emanating from the front edge of the spine which each protrude about 1cm horizontally from the spine into the front cover. The laminate at the bottom right edge is a little frayed and there is a small 1cm split right at the bottom right hand side corner. I have to say, though, that these are each relatively minor aberrations and do nothing to diminish the overal charm, mystique, enticing and even sensuous front cover photo which itself is virtually unblemished. The reverse side of the sleeve is in good - very good condition : the flip backs are all intact but there is some discolouration around the sides, with a little fraying on the left opening edge. There is also some faint, but clearly noticeable, hand writing in the top left and right hand corners ("Hope you enjoy this Mum, Love Trev" and "S ARGLES"). The inner polythene lined protective sleeve is in excellent condition with just some light discolouration around the edges, is fully functional, and has the original British Patent No. printed along the bottom.

 The condition of the vinyl (which is beautifully thick and heavy - why don't they make them like this anymore?!) is very good : much of the original sheen has been retained and on first appearance the vinyl comes across as being in truly excellent condition. Holding it up to a bright light does inevitably reveal hairlines and a number of surface scuffs, however, but certainly nothing to stop you wanting to immediately place it onto your turntable. 

 The record labels are both very good+  with just some minor spindle wear around the centre on each side and when held up to light the written initials "SA" can be seen on the side 1 label - no doubt these could be removed but I haven't tried. The "M" and "T" tax codes on side 2 are clearly visible.

The quality of the audio is also very good : there is some mild background crackle throughout most (but not all) of the tracks and there is a half centimetre scratch on side one resulting in about two minutes of light clicking towards the end of track one and overlapping into track 2, and a similar light clicking for about the same time between tracks 2 and 3 on side 2. Neither are loud clicks but they are there and they are noticeable. Having said that I can honestly say that having just played the entire LP for the first time in goodness knows how many years the whole listening experience was a joy, and has just reminded me of how groundbreaking this album was and how far ahead of their time Don Rendell (has there ever been a better saxophonist?) and Ian Carr were. Simply superb!

TRACK LISTINGS :

Side 1

1. Blue Mosque
2. Latin Blue
3. Just Blue
4. Sailin'

Side 2

1. Garrison '64
2. Blue Doom
3. Shades Of Blue
4. Big City Strut

In summary I have no hesitation as grading the overall condition of this package as "VERY GOOD". It would serve any serious record collector/collection proud and just the very sight of the vinyl, and especially the outer sleeve, is haunting. No wonder this is such a prized and highly valued piece. It will, of course, only increase in rarity and value.

A bit about myself : I have been collecting UK vinyl for over 40 years and have a huge collection. A combination of space requirements and a need to help fund my imminent retirement has prompted me to "rationalise" my collection and sell some of my much loved gems. My ebay feedback speaks for itself so rest assured that you are buying from a trusted seller and in the very unlikely event that you are unhappy with your purchase just e-mail me and I'll sort out the problem. I offer a "no questions asked" refund policy. If you require any further information, including photos, then let me know and I'l do my best to oblige. Richard

Descriptions of any records I sell comply with the Rare Record Price Guide grading guidelines :

Mint

Description: The record itself is in brand new condition with no surface marks or deterioration in sound quality. The cover and any extra items such as the lyric sheet, booklet or poster are in perfect condition. Records advertised as Sealed or Unplayed should be Mint. Excellent Description: The record shows some signs of having been played, but there is very little lessening in sound quality. The cover and packag­ing might have slight wear and/or creasing. Very Good Description: The record has obviously been played many times, but displays no major deterioration in sound quality, despite noticeable sur­face marks and the occasional light scratch. Normal wear and tear on the cover or extra items, without any major defects, is acceptable. Good Description: The record has been played so much that the sound quality has noticeably deteriorated, perhaps with some distortion and mild scratches. The cover and contents suffer from folding, scuffing of edges, spine splits, discoloration, etc.   Fair Description: The record is still just playable but has not been cared for prop­erly and displays considerable surface noise; it may even jump. The cover and contents will be torn, stained and/or defaced. Poor Description: The record will not play properly due to scratches, bad surface noise, etc. The cover and contents will be badly damaged or partly missing. Bad Description: The record is unplayable or might even be broken, and is only of use as a collection-filler.

 

On 03-Jun-11 at 06:20:46 BST, seller added the following information:

NOTE : IF YOU'RE INTO DON RENDELL THEN YOU MAY WISH TO LOOK AT MY OTHER AUCTION ITEM : AN ORIGINAL 1st COPY PRESSING OF THE INCREDIBLY RARE AND HIGHLY COLLECTABLE 1955 UK 10inch  LP "Meet Don Rendell" by DON RENDELL on the TEMPO RECORD LABEL!!