Re: [ARSCLIST] Dating LPs ?

["D. Blake Werts" <bwerts@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Although I'm not sure that I'll be as successful as Mr. Fitzgerald in
enunciating my thoughts around knowing release dates, I'll admit that I have
always had this desire to know when "something was made."  I'm with the
group of people that are as much a "collector" as "researcher" and with that
I have interest in both the music that is on a disc as well as the actual
disc itself as a tangible package--a medium for which that recording is
presented.  And with this we have the jacket, jacket design, a record sleeve
if there was one provided, etc.  I believe that knowing these dates can
prove beneficial for various research projects.

D. Blake Werts

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Fitzgerald" <mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, December 17, 2006 9:54 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Dating LPs ?


> Tom Fine wrote:
> >I ask again, why is album release date particularly important? I
> >would think session date/info is enough.
>
> I find it very important to know when the public first encountered a
> recording. It is not good enough to assume that taking recording date
> and adding a certain number of months for pressing and administrative
> procedures will equal release date. There are cases when issues were
> held back and not released in a timely fashion after recording. I
> have seen plenty of published books and articles that make the
> incorrect assumption that a 1961 public would have heard a recording
> made (recorded) in 1961, but which in fact was not issued until, say,
> 1987 (and even catalog numbers can be misleading). This applies not
> only to first issues but also to foreign releases. When was an
> alternative take first heard? Release date, not recording date, gives
> the answer. Even recent reissue release dates are important. Knowing
> that an LP was rare and little-heard until a CD reissue says
> something to the researcher.
>
> To this end, the discographical database I use allows for the storing
> of issue release date, down to the day if known (in addition to
> session recording date), and I have devoted several bookcases to
> storing nearly 50 years worth of Schwann catalogs.
>
> Mike
>
>
> mike at jazzdiscography.com
> www.jazzdiscography.com