Author Archives: Richard Capeless

Shellac Spotlight: Max Roach Quintet, “Maximum” / James Moody Quartet, “Just Moody” (Blue Note 1570)


Original 1949 pressing “Maximum” recorded May 15, 1949 at Studio Technisonor, Paris “Just Moody” recorded April 30, 1949 in Lausanne, Switzerland Selection: “Maximum” (Dorham-Roach) There is something to be said about the role exclusivity plays in record collecting and even in music appreciation in general, with this 78 being a prime example. If … More→

Origins of Bop: Charlie Parker / Miles Davis, “Ah-Leu-Cha”


Welcome to Origins of Bop, a new Deep Groove Mono series that aims to explore the lineage of some of my favorite hard bop recordings. I have always been interested in music history, and with jazz, that has meant finding out more about where my favorite compositions came from. This series is therefore intended to provide some backstory… More→

RVG Legacy: Preserving the Legacy of Rudy Van Gelder


It is with great pleasure that I announce the launch of RVG Legacy, a new website dedicated to preserving the legacy of Rudy Van Gelder. Since the pandemic has taken away all opportunities for me to give my presentation on Rudy in person, I decided to build a website that would essentially deliver all the content of my talk virtually. In the spring I wrote the narrative, then over the summer I put everything together and developed the site. More→

Confessions of a Vintage Jazz Record Collector, Part 2


While I have never felt apologetic about my sincere adoration for music, sometimes I do struggle with feelings of guilt related to how important collecting is to me. I spend a lot of time thinking about and partaking in this hobby, and my propensity toward anxiety and obsession has made my active participation … More→

Shellac Spotlight: Louis Armstrong & His Hot Seven, “Willie the Weeper” / “Alligator Crawl” (Okeh 8482)


Original 1927 pressing Personnel: Louis Armstrong, cornet Johnny Dodds, clarinet John Thomas, trombone Lil Hardin Armstrong, piano Johnny St. Cyr, guitar Pete Briggs, tuba Baby Dodds, drums Recorded May 7 and May 10, 1927 at Okeh Studios, Chicago Selections: “Willie the Weeper” (Melrose-Bloom) “Alligator Crawl” (Waller) So far, Deep Groove Mono’s coverage of … More→

Jazz Collectors of Instagram: Interview with @gstvinyl


Wrapping up the second season of Instagram interviews with our fourth and final episode, we turn to a West Coast collector with an early presence in the online jazz community. As a result, I have long had a ton of respect for @gstvinyl or just “GST”, a humble collector with a deep collection … More→