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Tear To A Smile
LP (Item 9008) Polydor, 1975 — Condition: Near Mint-
One of the best early soul albums by Roy Ayers! Roy's working here with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Edwin Birdsong, William Allen, Harry Whitaker, and other hip players – a perfect crew to forge Roy's unique blend of jazz and soul. This is perhaps the first record to really have Roy stretching out in this mode – moving more fully away from funky jazz, into a ream of vocal tracks that would make him one of the most unique artists of the 70s. This mid 70s period of Roy's career was remarkably fertile, creatively as well as for sheer productivity – and Tears To A Smile is one of them that shows some the most artistic growth, and also a deeper sense of soul! Features righteous cuts like "2000 Black", "Ebony Blaze", "Time & Space", and "A Tear To A Smile" – plus the mellow "Magic Lady", and a great remake of Earth Wind & Fire's "That's The Way Of The World". © 1996-2024, 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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