Bill Evans Trio; Explorations; Riverside RLP 9351, Stereo, first DG press

$

258

There's something to be said about Bill Evans records on Riverside. They're smooth ... impeccably recorded. Meticulous. ... a very unique convergence of music, art, and amazing recording quality. And with this copy you'll experience most of that. There's occasional, very lite tick here and there, but overall it's quite an amazing experience. It's VG+, and a well taken care of album.

VINYL: VG+ (7.9 of 10): A great way to hear Bill Evans. His trio is light, delicate, and this recording shows it. To really experience it, you need a solid copy. This one does have some very light paper scuffing, and a small handful of very light "accidental" needle marks. But they're all very light, and the previous owner took quite good care of this album. I suggest it for the collectors in the house, and even audiophiles who are OK going without absolute perfection, and instead willing to settle for "great", as opposed to "best."

COVER: VG (7.3 of 10): Quite nice still. But has some issues. Still retains beautiful texture (I've always loved the texture of Riverside covers, as opposed to high gloss covers). It's got a genuine 60s feel to it. There is some creasing, and rubbing of the art, though it's not awful. The worst part of the cover is probably the bend at the top opening. Seams are generally quite weak and fragile, but all in tact. Still quite nice overall.

COVER SPLITS: None.

Vinyl Weight:  Around 145g

VINYL SPECIFICS: Deep Groove, original Black label, microphone label

VINYL ABNORMALITIES: None.

SPECIAL NOTES: Sure it's not perfect. But it's pretty damn good. A few ticks from absolute perfection. I'd put this copy in the top 20% of copies in existence. All of Bill's Riverside albums in great condition are fairly rare. And this one is no exception. I expect it to be a solid copy, and I hope it goes for a reasonable price to someone who loves Bill Evans ... because they'll love this album.

THE SELLER: I'm an AVID jazz collector (and have been for quite some time). I do have all the pedigree classic rock, and dabble in blues and a few other genres, but overall I'm a jazz vinyl collector. That's my specialty. I try to present each album as a unique piece. I strive for an academic-level quality of evaluation. Every vinyl has its positives and negatives, and I hope to depict that reality in each of my listings. I used to sell for volume, but I now want to focus on quality and presentation. Each of my listings is presented after careful evaluation and note taking. As such, I probably won't have any more than 3 listings up at a time (if that), and they may be few and far between ... but when they do come up, rest assured it's a listing presented by a collector. The only reason I sell is to keep my collection on a rotational basis until I get the exact pieces I want. I recommend any potential bidder evaluate the detail and photos critically to evaluate whether or not to add the piece to their collection. I've attempted to consider album historical importance, vinyl performance, overall aesthetic, and unique character. 

Grading: My scale consists of ... G, VG, VG+ ... NOTHING ELSE. I refuse to use the word "mint." Instead I use words describing luster, paper scuffs, scratches, nicks, gouges, needle drops, etc ... and it's all detailed in the vinyl description area. The only time I'll use "mint" is if the LP is sealed. The number after each G/VG/VG+ scoring is meant to describe general eye appeal in combination with the audio during my vinyl audition. It's meant to give you a better idea of the overall piece presented. In other words, you get a general (then more-specific) idea of what the piece is. I also note any cover splits, pressing abnormalities, or additional notes needed (pressing bubbles, radial hues, inconsistent look, possible water damage, etc.). I will provide as much information as needed such as matrix markings, vinyl weight, stamping marks, or any other attributes of note.

* All vinyl I sell is cleaned with a vacuum system and home crafted, all natural enzyme cleaner. I've created my own vacuum cleaning system and process. It's a 3-step process of clean, vacuum, rinse two times. 

** All covers I sell are sanitized and properly wiped down with a lightly alcohol/de-ionized water solution.

*** If I find a short cover split, I will try to repair it if possible. If I do that, it is noted. If the split is too big, then I'll leave it as is for consideration. Regardless, any splits, or lack thereof, are noted.

**** All vinyl ships in a proper record shipping box, with vinyl OUTSIDE the sleeve to protect the cover. Each piece is sent with a 4mil plastic sleeve.

***** All vinyl I sell has been auditioned IN FULL on a Lenco (Bogen) L70 (B62) with a Denon 103 cartridge, using a (modern) generic Pioneer receiver through Polk speakers. While not a professional HiFi system, it most certainly isn't a beginner's setup.

****** All vinyl shipping is $4 in the USA, via Media Mail (any album over $100 gets free insurance). All overseas shipments are charged by WEIGHT. So check WEIGHT before you bid -- there should be a calculator up to to get a general idea of cost.

******* Generally I have a NO RETURNS policy -- unless you have a damn compelling reason.

******** Each auction starts at $4.99, and I let the market dictate the price from there, based on condition and evaluation from myself. I let the vinyl community tell me what it's worth -- forget Discogs, Musicstack, or past eBay listings. You all need to tell me what it's worth.