MILES DAVIS KIND OF BLUE IMPOSSIBLE 2-TRACK REEL TAPE

$

570

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·       MILES DAVIS with JOHN COLTRANE, BILL EVANS, WYNTON KELLY, CANNONBALL ADDERLEY, PAUL CHAMBERS AND JAMES COBB - KIND OF BLUE – MONSTROUSLY RARE ORIGINAL 1959 COLUMBIA STEREO 2-TRACK REEL-TO-REEL MAGNETIC TAPE GCB-60

·       NOTE: FOR PURELY TECHNICAL REASONS AND OUT OF TECHNICAL NECESSITY, ALL ORIGINAL 2-TRACK VERSIONS OF THIS ALBUM PLAY ‘EDITED’ (ABRIDGED) PROGRAM OF THE ALBUM: 3 TRACKS, INSTEAD OF 5 TRACKS FOUND ON LP ALBUM (FREDDIE FREELOADER AND FLAMENCO SKETCHES ARE OMITTED)

·       THIS IS NOT, REPEAT: NOT A 4-TRACK REEL-TO-REEL TAPE RELEASED A FEW YEARS LATER

·       ORIGINAL U.S.-MADE 2-TRACK , REEL-TO-REEL MAGNETIC TAPE.

·       ORIGINAL COLUMBIA LABEL

·       THIS IS THE ORIGINAL, AUTHENTIC, FIRST U.S. ISSUE; THIS IS NOT A REISSUE, AN IMPORT, OR A COUNTERFEIT PRESSING.

(►PLEASE SEE THE IMAGE OF THE MAGNETIC TAPE, SHOWN BELOW)

(Note: this is a REAL image of the ACTUAL item you are bidding on. This is NOT a "recycled" image from our previous auction. What you see is what you’ll get. GUARANTEED!)

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You are looking at one of the rarest and most coveted versions of Miles Davis’ legendary Kind of Blue album in existence; a proverbial “Holy Grail” of both Jazz and Reel-to-Reel collectors. And, yes, there is a very good reason why this humble magnetic tape is so coveted by anyone and everyone.

The Jazz’ greatest album was beset from its inception by recording and mastering problems, and experts claim that it is off by a fraction of the note, due to the fact that it was recorded at a fraction off the normal speed (a moot point, because we are all familiar with the “wrong speed” version, which has long since become a classic), causing many musicians to conclude that Miles was using some odd, heretofore unknown scale or tonality. This mastering problem would not be corrected until SONY/Columbia came up with a remastered version of the album in the mid-1990s.

Ah, but wait, that’s not the end of the story. When Columbia released the album in 1959, the company did something quite unusual at the time: they issued a reel-to-reel version of the album, and not only was it a reel-to-reel, it was a rather unusual, truncated (three songs only) TWO-TRACK version of the tape. This was unusual for a number of reasons: firstly, the reel tape players were rather expensive and scarce in the late 50s; what exactly prompted Columbia to conclude that they would be able to sell sufficient number of these to justify the production costs, is beyond me. The second oddity is even more baffling, though: for some odd reason, the 2-track version of the magnetic tape managed to avoid the mastering problems the record suffered from: namely, this bizarrely rare reel-to-reel version was mastered AT A PROPER SPEED, being the only such original version in existence.

About two years later, Columbia terminated the 2-track format (GCQ-60) and replaced it with a more conventional, 4-track reel-to-reel (CQ-379), which had both advantages and disadvantages (this would not be the first time the label would pull the rug from under us collectors – just look at what they recently did to the SACDs). The obvious advantage was that the new 4-track format supported a longer length of the program, so the new version was able to accommodate THE ENTIRE album, not only three tracks (on the 2-track version, two tracks were missing: Flamenco Sketches and Freddie Freeloader).

Unfortunately, the new format also had a major disadvantage: Columbia used the same production tapes for the 4-track version they used for the record, meaning that the 4-track tape suffered from the exact same problem as the record: it was mastered at wrong speed.

In short, the original 2-track reel tape of this monumentally important album is the ONLY way you can hear the album the way Miles Davis originally conceived it, and intended it to be heard. We comfortably estimate that less than 300 copies of the 2-track reel-to-reel tape were ever made (possibly as few as 200); we would be absolutely SHOCKED if more than 20 copies survive worldwide in playable condition.

WE PROUDLY PRESENT HERE WHAT WE FIRMLY BELIEVE IS THE BEST-PRESERVED COPY OF THIS RARE TAPE IN THE WORLD.

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What we have here is Jazz equivalent of the Grand Canyon. The album which, for the next four decades, pretty much defined everything that's spontaneous, improvisational , modal and otherwise genuine in music. This music truly has no equivalents, peers or points of reference in modern music, whether before or after its conception. Word has it that Duane Allman played nothing by "Kind of Blue" for many days and months on end, and the list of Jazz musicians profoundly affected by its spontaneity, mood, gentle blue tinge and supreme musical competence (to put it mildly) goes on and on and on. Plus, how many times do you get to hear the interplay between Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans and Cannonball Adderley - all assembled in one place?. This is not music, this is pure aural ambrosia.

For additional historical or discography information on this album, including track listing ►click here

TO SEE IF WE HAVE OTHER LISTED ITEMS BY THIS GROUP OR ARTIST ►CLICK HERE

THIS IS A NO-RESERVE AUCTION!

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·       CONDITION:

·       TAPE

(a)            THE TAPE IS NEAR MINT. The lead tape (the beginning of the tape), as is to be expected, has a few minor, and totally superficial, wrinkles, but, in any event, this part of the tape is blank (not recorded). Plastic case is in beautiful condition and only shows minor signs of wear and tear; absolutely NO cracks or dents in it.

·       CARDBOARD BOX:

THE BOX IS NICE --- ABOUT EXCELLENT OR VG++.

The following flaws or imperfections are noted on the box:

-         Box has some ring wear (nothing significant)

-         Box has some light ring wear (nothing significant); On the scale from 1 to 10 (1 being the least, and 10 being the most severe), we assess the severity of ring wear as 4

-         Box shows some yellowing on both sides, apparently from aging.

-         Box has a partially split spine (between 1 and 2 inches / 2.5 to 5 centimeters) and bottom edge (about the same)

NO OTHER IMPERFECTIONS ON THE COVER (BOX):

-         No cut-out holes

-         No cut-out corners

-         No drill marks or indents

-         No stains

-         No writing

-         No mold or mildew spots

-         No stickers or labels

-         No water damage

-         No wrinkles/creases

-         No pressure marks, lines, streaks, or razor cuts.

-         No stamps

-         No warping

-         No glue traces or wax residue.

-         No bar codes

-         No RIAA stamps

-         No peel-off marks

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POSTAGE & SHIPPING:

Generally, US POSTAGE is $5.80 FOR THE FIRST ITEM shipped via USPS PRIORITY MAIL (this includes a small $1.00 packaging surcharge).

INTERNATIONAL POSTAGE- and insurance rates vary from country to country. For SPECIFIC international and domestic postage and insurance rates ►click here. While you can be rest assured that our packaging is careful, sturdy and impact-proof, please note we are NOT responsible for uninsured items.

Media- and Surface Mail rates are available ONLY to orders of $200.00 or more. NO EXCEPTIONS.

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OUR REFUND POLICY :

Cash refund will be granted only for DEFECTIVE items, but we are flexible and reasonable in reviewing the merits of each individual case. We do NOT play-grade records and can only make reasonable inference on the item's condition based on its visual appearance. Every bid carries a risk that purchased item might play worse than its visual grade may indicate. Still sealed items MUST be returned sealed in order to be eligible for a refund. Please read our complete refund policy before placing a bid. ►Click here for the full text of our policy .

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