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Toshiko At Top Of The Gate

LP (Item 786096) Takt (Japan), 1968 — Condition: Near Mint-
One of the best 60s albums ever from the legendary Toshiko Akioshi – a session recorded back in the US, with help from a quartet of American musicians! The album's got a strongly boppish feel overall – as Toshiko's piano comes into play with trumpet from Kenny Dorham, tenor and flute from Lew Tabackin, bass from Ron Carter, and drums from Mickey Roker – all working in a style that has a lot of dark corners and very subtle edges. Hints of Toshiko's later arranging styles creep into some of the tunes, but overall the work is relatively spontaneous and open – quite lyrical and points, especially on some of the original numbers that have some slightly Japanese themes alongside more conventional jazz progressions. Dorham's trumpet is obviously a great asset in a setting like this – and the record is one of his rarest appearances from the time. Titles include "The Night Song", "How Insensitive", "Phrygian Waterfall", "Let's Roll In Sake", and "Opus No Zero".  © 1996-2023, Dusty Groove, Inc.

Near Mint - (minus)

  • Black vinyl that may show a slight amount of dust or dirt.
  • Should still be very shiny under a light, even with slight amount of dust on surface.
  • One or two small marks that would make an otherwise near perfect record slightly less so. These marks cannot be too deep, and should only be surface marks that won't affect play, but might detract from the looks.
  • May have some flaws and discoloration in the vinyl, but only those that would be intrinsic to the pressing. These should disappear when the record is tilted under the light, and will only show up when looking straight at the record. (Buddah and ABC pressings from the 70's are a good example of this.)
  • May have some slight marks from aging of the paper sleeve on the vinyl.
  • Possible minor surface noise when played.

Additional Marks & Notes

If something is noteworthy, we try to note it in the comments — especially if it is an oddity that is the only wrong thing about the record. This might include, but isn't limited to, warped records, tracks that skip, cover damage or wear as noted above, or strictly cosmetic flaws.



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