I wanted to do this as an unboxing video. But I couldn’t find any of the gear I have for holding my iPhone like a camera, so I can use both hands.
Anyhoo… this batch turns out to be a total GB fest, as in George Benson. I didn’t realise, until unpacking/reading, but he’s even on the Esther Phillips disc that is part of this shipment.
Give Benson albums, and one Esther Phillips. The latter I got for several reasons: it’s a ‘72 release (which I collect); I love all the players; I love CYI/KUDU, etc. The Benson stuff is the result of my ongoing and ever growing love for George and his music. In particular his 1960s-‘70s (and even a little ‘80s) stuff.
The wonderful interview with Benson that Rick Beato did (below), fairly recently, was another factor. It was a reminder of what an absolute legend and mega-dude George is. And compelled me to go back to my Benson catalogue, revisit, re-listen, and expand it.
I already had near enough all of what I’ve just acquired. But mostly only as mp3s (or similar). And I don’t listen to much in that format. I’m a bit old school, and like a real physical object. CDs, in my case.
I’m a bit of a collector/hoarder. To the extent it may be borderline disorder! I’ve been collecting a fair number of Mainstream Records reissues (also via Japan*). And I’m very chuffed with them. I feel similarly drawn to these CTI 50th Anniversary reissues. So much so I’m compiling a list of as many of them as I can find. With a view to getting more, in future.
The above mini-gallery above is me looking at the packaging of just one item from this latest Nipponese order. I was a bit surprised that, unlike the Mainstream and Groove Merchant reissues I’ve got, which have multi-page booklets (albeit they’re in Japanese), these CTI 50th ones only have a single sheet; cover facing front, and a tiny bit of generic info on’t back! Mildly disappointing.
But as the above gallery also shows, they do, on the back of the jewel cases, list personnel. And that’s the info’ I’m most keen to have. Anything further I might be able to glean online?