second-hand / one-off items

* A note about the mailorder in 2026: Current circumstances frequently take me offline for stretches of time, so that can have an impact on my response time & order turnaround. Thanks for your patience & understanding! *

updated June 1, 2026:

* Nathan Abshire & The Pinegrove Boys: The Legendary Jay Miller Sessions, Volume 13 LP (Flyright). 14-track compilation that includes Abshire classics such as Mardi Gras Song & The La La Blues. Vinyl is clean. Cover shows light wear, including the vertical line that goes down the back of so many Flyright albums from this era, where the lamination used on the front cover stops. UK issue. $15

* Rita Ackermann & Byron Coley: Revelations hardcover book (Rockin’ On [Japan]) 12"x12" "children’s book" that presents some of the story & mythology surrounding Father Yod & Ya Ho Wha 13, with text by Byron Coley & art by Rita Ackermann. Published sometime around 1999, I believe. Quite handsome. Sticker on back cover, as issued. Includes inserts seen in 2nd photo. Approx. half-inch mark on the front cover (see the horizontal white mark to the left in the first photo below, a little more than halfway down). Also a smaller mark around the size of a pinhead on the back cover (see the white dot above the horizontal insert in photo 2). $60

* Arnie and his Soul Brothers: The Prune / Look-Out 45rpm 7" (Emmes Records). Light scuffs, plays fine. $3

* Mack Banks: Sloppy Drunk / I Thought I Heard You Calling My Name 45rpm 7” (Vee-Eight Records). Latter-era (c.'60s?) rockabilly from this Mississippi musician who also ran his own somewhat infamous club as well as a tape distro that I still used to see around truck stops / gas stations in his neck of the woods in the early 21st century. This is a rocking number; the line where he declares, “I’m gonna get sloppy drunk baby / stagger up & down your street…” sounds like a promise / warning. Seems as if this performance might be inspired by Big Joe Williams' version of this song, especially since Banks issued a BJW 45 on his MEB Records imprint. The record is in fine shape, just minor scuffs. A bit of label wear as shown below. Hear all of Sloppy Drunk, taken directly from this copy on offer: https://50milesofelbowroom.com/soundclips/mackbankssloppydrunk.mp3 $25

* Boogie Jake: Early Morning Blues / Bad Luck and Trouble 45rpm 7" (Bandy). '80s reissue of this fine blues 2-sider originally issued on Chess c.1959. Vinyl looks clean but plays with some low-level crackle. Label has some minor wear, more so on the "Bad Luck" side. $3

* Patrick Brennan s0nic 0penings: tilting curvaceous CD (Clean Feed). Sealed. Portuguese import. Hear it on bandcamp. $4

* Ernie Brooks / Matt Mottel / Steve Shelley: don't you know who i thought i was CD EP (vampire blues). 3 song (27 min.) release by Ernie Brooks (Modern Lovers, etc.), Matt Mottel (Talibam!, etc.), & Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth, etc.). 2019 issue on Shelley's vampire blues imprint. Housed in a paper sleeve (no jewel case). Disc is clean & has a blueish sheen that suggests it may be a CD-R, contrary to what is stated on discogs? $4
* Rev. Pearly Brown: You're Gonna Need that Pure Religion CD (Arhoolie); one small scuff on CD, played fine for me. $4

* Robert L. Campbell & Christopher Trent: The Earthly Recordings of Sun Ra book (Cadence Jazz Books). 2nd edition c.2000, 848 pages. Has some shelf & reading wear; front cover shows mild indentation as a result of being snugly shelved next to another smaller book. Includes addendum insert regarding page 44. I believe this heavy document is out of print but would be glad to be corrected. $75

* Charlie Nothing: The Psychedelic Saxophone of Charlie Nothing LP ("Nothing Records"). "Grey area" reissue c.2009 of this 1967 album on Takoma. Record has minor scuffs & plays with a touch of crackle. Cover is in good shape though the paste-on artwork is coming unglued, nearly completely on the back. $15

* Clifton Chenier: Ain't No Need of Cryin' (Every Day is the Same) / Paper in My Shoe 45rpm 7" (Arhoolie). Record is clean, with only a few stray & light marks. $3

* Clifton Chenier: The King of Zydeco DVD (Arhoolie). 58-minute film of Chenier, sometimes with his Red Hot Louisiana Band, including live footage from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 1978 & the San Francisco Blues Festival in 1982, along with rare local Louisiana TV clips, interviews, & so forth. DVD has some light smudges & scratches, plays fine. $8

* Don Cherry: Art Deco LP (A&M). Don Cherry: trumpet; James Clay: tenor saxophone; Charlie Haden: bass; Billy Higgins, drums. Record quite clean. Cover in shrink with one bent corner & some discoloration spots underneath, mostly visible on the back. $20

* Citizens for Interplanetary Activity: CIA Change one-sided LP (de stijl). Soundtrack to Yayoi Kusama's film, Self Obliteration. Same music pressed on both sides of the record. Vinyl shows some superficial paper scuffs / signs of play. Cover is generally clean, with some light wear at some corners such as lower left. Insert included & in good shape. $20

* Cleveland Crochet: Country Women / Listen to My Heart 45rpm 7" (Swallow). Very clean, looks unplayed. $4

* The Coachmen: Failure to Thrive CD EP (New Alliance). 5 song EP; group included Thurston Moore, pre-Sonic Youth. A few light marks to the disc, insert has minor bends from reading & the CD case hub, generic jewel case shows scuffs but is of course replaceable. $5

* Anthony Davis: Hemispheres LP (Gramavision). 1983 album by Davis with a group that includes (Wadada) Leo Smith, George Lewis, Dwight Andrews, & J.D. Parran. Vinyl is clean. Cover has a bit of wear to the corners, especially lower left, along with some light moisture damage in that area as well. $4

* Dissipated Face with Daniel Carter: Live at CBGB 1986 7" (Roaratorio). Rare glimpses of renowned multi-instrumentalist / writer / artist / philosopher Daniel Carter (TEST, Other Dimensions in Music, countless others...) collaborating with an eager young hardcore band. Unplayed, vinyl & picture sleeve (with art by Raymond Pettibon) both clean. I have a few copies of this out-of-print release so feel free to order more than one. Hear Nazi with a New Name (<- not this specific copy, of course) $5

* The Dixie Doodlers: Best of Friends / She Was All I Had ("Excello"). UK repro from several years ago. Best of Friends is especially lively, with Blind James Campbell (hear too his great Arhoolie album) on vocals. Allegedly very few originals are known to exist, possibly even just one, & that's on 78. Record is clean. The center hole has a bit wrinkling around its interior (more so on the Best of Friends side), which in my experience is characteristic of many of these repros. $4

* Willie Dixon: The Chess Box 3LP box set (Chess/MCA). All 3 records very clean, box shows light stains/discoloration & bows inward slightly. 36 songs, so many classics by Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Bo Diddley, Little Walter, Koko Taylor, Dixon himself, etc. $30

* Arthur Doyle: Plays and Sings from the Songbook Volume 1 LP (Audible Hiss). Solo (home?) recordings with Doyle on tenor saxophone, voice, flute, & piano. Vinyl shows rubbing / light paper scuffing. Cover has some discoloration, especially near the spine. $20

* Arthur Doyle & His New Quiet Screamers: First House LP (Amish Records). Black vinyl edition of 300. Record is clean but there is a touch of crackle in playback of the brief quieter passages. Gatefold cover is sharp. Download card present & unused but I have no intel regarding whether it is still valid. Very nice record. $25

* Huseyin Ertunc Trio: Musiki LP (Holidays Records). 2016 reissue of this classic 1974 session originally issued on the Intex Sound label, with Ertunc (drums), Michael Cosmic (many reeds, organ, percussion), & Phill Musra (many reeds, percussion). Edition of 400 with printed inner sleeve. The vinyl & cover to this copy are both very clean, still in shrink with hype sticker. Italian import. $25

* Jimmy Glover: Wabble to the Moon / I Want Your Arms Around Me 45rpm 7" (Universal Artists). Uncommon small label R&B; I feel like I have heard the backing music for "Wabble..." on another record? Maybe I'm wrong. Light wear to the record; music soars far above. Seemingly inscribed by the artist on the "I Want Your Arms..." side. $30

* Robert Gordon: Can't Be Satisfied: The Life & Times of Muddy Waters hardcover book (Little, Brown, & Company) Book is in good shape; dust jacket has some waviness, more so in the back (note: some of the "wear" seen below, such as along the right side of the front, is actually part of the art/design). Seemingly autographed by Robert Gordon. $8

* The Gospel Writers: Blind Barnabas / Oh, My Lordy Lord 45rpm 7" with picture sleeve (High Water Recording Company) Blind Barnabas has an unsightly scuff but plays through without incident for me; just light/minimal surface noise overall. Paper picture sleeve shows some handling/storage wear. $8

* Milford Graves: Grand Unification CD (Tzadik). Solo recordings. Man, I remember rushing to Other Music, through the rain, to buy this disc the day it was released. CD is clean. Insert shows a touch of wear, as does the OBI. Generic plastic CD case cracked/scuffed. $10

* Fannie Lou Hamer: The Speeches of Fannie Lou Hamer: To Tell It Like It Is paperback book, 221 pages (University Press of Mississippi). Edited by Maegan Parker Brooks & Davis W. Houck. Light bends to a couple corners, which in one case (upper right, front) extends to the first several pages of text. $10

* The Hammons Family: The Traditions of a West Virginia Family & Their Friends 2CD (Rounder); both CDs show light marks & played fine for me. Includes 120-page booklet insert. Slipcase shows some shelf wear & tears, particularly along the bottom: $20

* The Harmonizers: I'll Be Satisfied / Trampin' 45rpm 7" with picture sleeve (High Water Recording Company) Record is clean, plays with light/minimal surface noise. Paper picture sleeve shows some handling/storage wear as shown below. $6

* Charles Hersch: Subversive Sounds: Race and the Birth of Jazz in New Orleans hardcover book (The University of Chicago Press). Dust jacket a bit ragged, ~1.5" tear at top corner, price sticker on back (when it was $35 at Borders). $7

* Roscoe Holcomb: The High Lonesome Sound LP (Smithsonian Folkways). Reissue c.2009 or so of classic recordings captured by John Cohen in April 1964. Record shows some paper sleeve scuffs. Classic Folkways-style paste-on/wraparound cover shows some discoloration on the back. Insert included & in good shape. $15

* Jimmy "Duck" Holmes: Christmas Alone / Merry Christmas, Baby 45rpm 7" with picture sleeve (Broke & Hungry Records) 2 original acoustic blues with Christmas themes from celebrated Bentonia blues artist & Blue Front Cafe owner/operator. Pressed on red vinyl which can be tough to visually grade but looks clean, played with occasional soft crackle. Picture sleeve has one bend, mostly visible from back, where it starts to come unglued a bit. $8

* Keith Hudson: Entering the Dragon LP (Sunspot). 2011 reissue. Vinyl very clean. Cover shows slight bends at a couple corners. Insert present & crisp. UK issue. $25

* Keith Hudson: Furnace LP (Sunspot). 2012 reissue, edition of 1000, 180-gram vinyl. Record is quite clean. Cover shows minor bends / use. Insert shows signs of respectful perusal. UK issue. $15

* I/S/M: R LP (zOaR Records). Late 1982 recording on the no-wave side, issued on Elliott Sharp's zOaR label. Personnel: Sharp, Michael Brown, David Linton, & Al Diaz. Record looks clean, cover shows some ring & spine wear. $8

* Rev. Charlie Jackson: You Got to Move: Live Recordings, Vol. 1 LP (50 Miles of Elbow Room) Unplayed stock copy with minor shelf/storage wear. Details, soundclips, etc. available here. $30
* Rev. Charlie Jackson: Lord You're So Good: Live Recordings, Vol. 2 LP (50 Miles of Elbow Room) Unplayed stock copy with minor shelf/storage wear. Details, soundclips, etc. available here. $30
* Betty James: I'm a Little Mixed Up / Help Me to Find My Love 45rpm 7" ("Cee-Jay"). UK repro from several years ago. That an artist as talented as Betty James only got to record a few singles is indeed frustrating. Never even seen a photo of her! At least we can take some consolation that they have had staying power, especially I’m a Little Mixed Up, her first single, originally released on the Cee-Jay label in 1961 and subsequently picked up by Chess. It stands to reason that she end up on that label since it fit right in with a lot of their output: catchy blues tunes, tight and creatively arranged, leading the way to r&b. Vinyl is clean. The center hole has some wrinkling, which in my experience is characteristic of many of these repros. $4

* Blind Lemon Jefferson: King of the Country Blues 2LP (Yazoo). Both records show light paper scuffs. Gatefold cover has some rounding & one ding at the corners. $20

* Blind Willie Johnson: Dark Was the Night Cold Was the Ground 2LP (Mississippi). Justly celebrated but probably worthy of even more praise. Very mild paper sleeve scuffs to the vinyl. Unfortunate sticker residue at top right of the front cover, perhaps removeable if you know what you are doing(?) (I don't) & some mild rubbing. $40

* Rev. Johnny L. "Hurricane" Jones: Jesus Christ from A to Z LP (Parlortone). Powerful live/congregational recordings from the aptly nicknamed Rev. Jones. Very light wear to both the record & its cover. Still in shrink, with hype sticker. $8

* J. Gale (Kilgore) and the Games: A Million Nothings / Suds 45rpm 7” (Eyeball Records). Strong rocker / weeper pairing here from this Big Spring, Texas, musician. Suds is my preferred side, though many seem to favor the brooding / embittered A Million Nothings. The record shows only minor wear & plays pretty well, just a pesky loud-ish pop near the start of Suds (after the opening drumroll) & occasional other quieter ones. Hear full audio of both sides of this record, taken directly from this copy: https://50milesofelbowroom.com/soundclips/jgalesuds.mp3  &  https://50milesofelbowroom.com/soundclips/jgalemillionnothings.mp3 . Includes a promo photo seen below, peeking through the 45 label. $20

* Fela Kuti: Box Set 1 6LP (Kalakuta). Collects the albums Open & Close, Gentleman, Upside Down, Yellow Fever, J.J.D. (Johnny Just Drop!!) Live, & I.T.T. (International Thief Thief). Records are quite clean, with the only noteworthy issue being a scuff on the second side of Gentleman that played fine for me. Each record comes in its own sleeve. The exterior case shows some shelf & other wear as well as rubbing along the spines, especially the bottom one that moved along the shelf &, to a lesser degree, along the top. The sleeve to Open & Close has a printing flaw where there is some horizontal “creasing” across front & back. The J.J.D. gatefold sleeve has almost but not quite split through for ~1.5" along the bottom center, probably the result of the LP being inside the sleeve during shipment. Insert & postcards all present & in good shape. A numbered edition, this copy is 6190. $120

* Iry Le June (Lejeune): La Fille La Vove The Widow's Daughter / Convict Waltz 45rpm 7" (Goldband). Of course, one of the all-time greats. This pressing is presumably from the '70s due to the presence of overdubbed bass on Convict Waltz, which gets me uptight but I suppose it is pretty tastefully done as far as such things go. Record has some marks but plays fine. Name written in marker on one label. $6

* John Lee: Down at the Depot LP (Rounder). Vinyl shows light signs of play. Cover has bend at lower right & some wear along the seams (none split, though). Name written in ink on back. $8

* Julius Lester: Search for the New Land: History as Subjective Experience hardcover book (The Dial Press). Ex-library copy that once resided in the Queens Borough Public Library, with the usual stamps & stickering found on books that have gone through the system (including a "discard" stamp on the back page, so we're in the clear). Other signs of wear not so bad, overall. Inner page states, "First Printing, 1969." $8

* James Brandon Lewis / Red Lily Quintet: Jesup Wagon LP (Tao Forms). Celebrated 2021 album with Lewis (tenor saxophone), Kirk Kniffke (cornet), William Parker (bass, gimbri), Chris Hoffman (cello), & Chad Taylor (drums). Vinyl is clean. Gatefold cover has a ~2.5" split seam at top, seemingly the result of the record being housed in the sleeve during transit, rendering this a solid "you don't play the cover" bargain at $8

* Little Bob: I Got Loaded / King Carl: I'm Just a Lonely Man 45rpm 7" ("La Louisianne"). Repro from several years ago, combining 2 Louisiana swamp classics. Record & label are clean. $4

* Little Howlin’ Wolf (James Pobiega): Pain in My Heart / Dog on Down 45rpm 7” (Knight). Vinyl quite clean, light label wear around center hole. Hear Pain in My Heart in full, directly from this copy on offer. $15

* Little Howling Wolf (James Pobiega): Baby Farina / E.T. Blues 45rpm 7” (Solidarity Solidarnosc Records). Very light wear on the vinyl, a bit of discoloration to the label on one side, possibly due to a drop of fluid from a beverage? (certainly possible, I can't lie, especially since the 45 was purchased at a concert at the Hint House, in those days) To my eyes, the lighting on the picture makes the mark look more prominent than it does otherwise, but I would rather that be the case than the other way around so expectations are calibrated. $8

* Little Howling Wolf (James Pobiega): D'Mau Mau / James Sweet Jimmy 45rpm 7” (Solidarity Solidarnosc Records). Light, stray marks on the vinyl. $10

* Little Women: Throat LP or CD (AUM Fidelity). Circumstances here no longer allow for keeping releases on multiple formats, so I will float both versions up here. When one sells, I will keep the other. LP cover in (slightly tattered) shrink & clean [see photo below], download card present & unused (no idea if it still works), vinyl has minor superficial paper scuffs. CD is clean all around. Darius Jones: alto, Travis Laplante: tenor, Andrew Smiley: guitar, Jason Nazary: drums. Same music on both formats. $20/LP or $6/CD

* Moo Lohkenn Source of Sound: Trace in Mirror CD (Konnex). With Leonard Jones (bass) & Lou Grassi (drums). Most tracks recorded at Andrei Strobert's Strobe Light Sound Studio. German import. Sealed. $4

* Lonesome Sundown: Lonesome Whistler LP (Flyright). Vinyl is clean. Cover shows some wear, including a slight bend (see top right of photo) & 2 "x" marks written on the back cover, presumably songs favored by a previous owner. UK issue. $10

* Frank Lowe, Michael Marcus, & James Carter: Fire on the Fifth Floor / Bay Area All Stars (incl. Sonny Simmons): Now's the Time 7" (Not Two Records). Fire on the Fifth Floor has Lowe & Carter both on tenor sax, Marcus on bass clarinet, recorded in NYC in 1999. Bay Area All Stars personnel & info shown in the picture below. Clean record & picture sleeve; very light signs of use. Has a bit of crackle on playback (an issue with the pressing, perhaps?). Polish import. $8

* Brother Joe May: Singing "Songs of the Gospel" LP (Nashboro). Fine album by this renowned gospel singer, "The Thunderbolt of the Middle West." Some scuffs & light scratches to the vinyl that generally have little impact on playback; it was an enjoyable listen for me. On the cover, there are some light tears at the opening along with some rubbing & almost the beginning of a split seam; see below. Original green & black label pressing, which puts it c.1964 if discogs is to be believed. $10 SOLD

* F. J. McMahon: Spirit of the Golden Juice LP (Accent / The Circadian Press) ~2012 reissue, edition of 500, lovingly put together. Record shows light signs of play / paper scuffs. Cover still in shrink, with some discoloration (rubbing?) along left side of front. Risographed insert included; light wear on that. $45

* Memphis Minnie with Little Joe & His Band: Me and My Chauffeur / Jessie Knight: Nothing But Money 45rpm 7" ("Checker"). UK repro from several years ago that combines 2 tough sides from the Checker Records empire. The Memphis Minnie side is especially fine, revisiting one of her classics with a band that includes Little Walter. That's a particularly tough one to find as an original. This record is clean. The center hole has some wrinkling around its interior, which in my experience is characteristic of many of these repros. $4

* Middle Class: A Blueprint for Joy 1978-1980 CD (Velvetone Records). 22-song collection issued c.1995 that includes their barnstorming classic "Out of Vogue." Insert shows signs of being read but is clean. CD has a few light marks. CD case is cracked on front & back but the clear inner tray is fine. $20

* Joe Morris: Sweatshop CD (Riti). Trio with Sebastian Steinberg (electric bass) & Jerry Deupree (drums). Disc & insert both very clean. $5
* Musica Elettronica Viva: Leave the City CD (Spalax2). Late 1990s French issue of this session originally issued on BYG/Actuel. Very light signs of use to the CD & insert. $8

* The Night Riders: Pretty Plaid Skirt / I'll Never Change 45rpm 7" ("Sue"). UK repro from several years ago. Barnburner of a side (hear it; audio not from this specific record, of course). Vinyl is clean but some waviness in the pressing; plays fine for me. $3

* O.K. Jazz: The Loningisa Years, 1956-1961 2LP (Planet Ilunga). Both records clean, with just light signs of respectful play. Gatefold cover has one corner ding. Insert booklet present & crisp. Belgian issue. $30

* Lee Perry and the Upsetters: High Plains Drifter: Jamaican 45s 1968-75 2LP (Pressure Sounds). All 4 sides of vinyl are quite clean, very slight wear to the corners of the cover. UK issue. $25

* Buster Pickens: s/t LP (Flyright). Edward "Buster" Pickens (1916-1964) was a quite fine blues pianist & singer. These recordings were made in Houston, TX, in 1960-61 by Chris Strachwitz & Mack McCormick. Liner notes by Paul Oliver. Vinyl is quite clean. The sleeve has some wear as shown, with bends at the corners & at the opening. A bit of bubbling up on one of the center labels. UK import. $12

* The Pilgrim Wonders: Lord I am Holding On / Trust in Jesus 45rpm 7" (Sunrise Productions). Fine & scarce gospel 45 issued on the sometimes-desirable Sunrise Productions label. There have been a number of groups who recorded as the Pilgrim Wonders over the years; this may be a Memphis record/group? Some wear to the vinyl & label such as shown below. Lead vocals are by Greg Crowder (Trust in Jesus) & Ramond Crowder (Lord I Am Holding On). More surface noise present on the ballad side, Trust in Jesus. Hear clips of both sides, taken from this copy on offer: https://50milesofelbowroom.com/soundclips/pilgrimwonderslordiamholdingonclip.mp3 & https://50milesofelbowroom.com/soundclips/pilgrimwonderstrustinjesusclip.mp3 . $25

* Van Preston & the Nite Rocker's: Baby You Got Soul / Mama's Little Girl 45 (Goldband Records). Clean copy, very minor smudging. Baby You Got Soul is a quite fine song; hear it (<- audio on that vid is not derived from this particular copy). $30

* Ramblin' Thomas: 1928 LP (Biograph). 12 sides by Ramblin' Thomas, probably most renowned today for his transfixing "Poor Boy Blues," as heard on the Anthology of American Folk Music. Vinyl shows some light scuffing. Cover has corner bends & rubbing, plus some discoloration on the back. $8

* Rats in the Street: issue #5 zine, 10 pages, stapled (Rats in the Street). Compact (approx. 3" x 4.5") zine with "second printing" & "March 1983" indicated on the cover. Also on that first page, apparently handwritten in ink at the top, is "Cometbus #9 - 1983." I confess that I know very little about this. To the best of my recollection, I purchased it at the basement location of See Hear in NYC long ago, part of a bagged batch of zines that appeared to be retailer returns since many of the other mags that were included had an array of different price tag stickers on them (just to clarify: this copy of Rats... has no such sticker). Definitely out of my depth here but as far as I can tell this seems to be fairly scarce. Some wear as shown, seemingly the result of age & attempts to read the tiny & dense text inside. (see the quarter next to the photo below for some context) $60

 
* Jack Rose & the Black Twig Pickers: s/t LP (Klang Industries). Record shows light use & plays well overall, just a few pops here & there. The cover has some issues, such as a hint of ringwear/rubbing, sticker residue at top right, bending such as at lower right. Another of those “you don’t play the cover” copies/situations, I suppose. $8

* Doctor Ross & the Orbits: Cat Squirrel / The Sunnyland 45rpm 7" ("Fortune"). UK repro from several years ago. Cat Squirrel is, to me, among the best rocking blues performances ever cut. Vinyl & labels are clean. $5

* Second Stutter: Volume 1 book (Second Stutter). Debut issue of this poetry journal edited by Colin Partch & Solomon Rino. Contribuitions by Gillian Conoley, Will Alexander, Matt Shears, Dylan Morgan (see the Earl Freeman retrospective for more about & from him), Hugh Behm-Steinberg, Chloe Veylit, Bill Hughes, & Manuel Vazquez Montalban (translated by Gerard Maristany & Solomon Rino). Very nice shape all around. Handsome letterpress cover, numbered edition of 100 copies, this one being #86. $15

* Dave Sewelson: More Music for a Free World CD (bandcamp) & Smooth Free Jazz CD (bandcamp) (both Mahakala Music). Sealed copies. $7 each or $10 for both

* Elliott Sharp: Virtual Stance LP (Dossier Records). 1986 LP with Sharp on double neck "guitarbass," voice, mirage, & drum computer and Bobby Previte on drums. From the notes: "The mirage sampling keyboard was used to expand the timbres & ranges of both homemade instruments (including slab, pantar, violinoid, & rack) and voice. It was also used to create new sounds based on my extended techniques on various clarinets & saxophones. Some rubbing/surface scuffs on the vinyl, mild wear/discoloration on the cover, mostly visible on the back. German issue. $5

* Charles Sheffield: It's Your Voodoo Working / Rock 'n' Roll Train 45rpm 7" ("Excello"). UK repro from several years ago. Voodoo is of course an all-time classic. Vinyl & labels are clean, with little signs of use. $5

* Johnny Shines: Rambling / Cool Driver 45rpm 7" ("JOB"). UK repro from several years ago. Rambling is an especially intense performance. For my money, the slide guitar intro that segues into his quavering moan is one of the most thrilling sounds in postwar blues. Superficial scuff on that side does not impact playback for me. The center hole has some wrinkling around the Rambling side, which in my experience is characteristic of many of these repros. $3

* Al Simmons, Slim Green, & the Cats from Fresno: Old Folks Boogie / You Ain't Too Old 45rpm 7" ("Dig"). Al Simmons hooks up with Slim Green and The Cats from Fresno for two takes on this all-time rocker, later covered by Captain Beefheart.  The version with the guitar solo really cuts loose with abandon and has been in the top-tier of my want list for years.  (I am still in the market…) Vinyl has light smudges. The center hole has some wrinkling, which in my experience is characteristic of many of these repros. $5

* Sonny Simmons: Jewels CD (Boxholder Records). Solo recordings made at the home of Dr. Sheldon I. Morton in San Francisco in 1991, issued in 2004. Disc & insert show very light signs of use. $8

* Frankie Lee Sims: She Likes to Boogie Real Low / Well Goodbye Baby 45rpm 7" ("Vin"). UK repro from several years ago. Boogie is an enduring big favorite here, as is Sims' output in general. Vinyl is clean. The center hole has some wrinkling, which in my experience is characteristic of many of these repros. $5

* Frank Stokes: With Dan Sane and Will Batts (1927-1929) LP (Roots). Collection of tracks from one of the greats of the pre-war period, still seemingly somewhat slept on? Record is clean with occasional stray surface marks. The condition of the 78s used as source material is a mixed bag. Insert present & folded in half (which seems to be how it was issued?). Cover shows some wear such as an old price tag sticker top left & corner wear such as lower right (more visible on the back). Austria issue. $10

* Supreme Dicks: Cuchulain (alt version) / Maticomi: Umibe-No Ikimono 45rpm 7" (E.H.E. / OZ Disc). Split single. Record looks clean, plays with minor crackle, as well as a couple pops toward the very end of the Maticomi side. Center labels are switched. Handsome sleeve shows some handling / storage wrinkles. Includes label catalog insert. Japanese issue. $6

* Clifford Thornton New Art Ensemble: Freedom & Unity LP (Goody). French issue of this noted session recorded in 1967. Personnel: Clifford Thornton (valve trombone), Sonny King (alto saxophone), Don Moore (bass), Jimmy Garrison (bass on one composition), Tyrone Crabb (bass on two compositions), Edward Avent (cornet on two compositions), Harold "Nunding" Avent (drums), Karl Berger (vibes), Joe McPhee (trumpet, one composition; his first issued recording, I believe?). Record generally plays well, with a few pops here & there. The cover shows mild wear, with the primary issue being some of the lamination starting to bubble up on the back, seemingly a rather common situation. Two stickers are on the back as well, seemingly of the vintage from when it went out into the world; "Distribution Exclusive R.C.A." & "T" on a gold sticker. French issue. $50 SOLD

* John E. Tinsley: Country Blues Roots Revived LP (Outlet Records). Quite fine acoustic blues with occasional tasteful piano (by John W. Tinsley) & harmonica (by J. P. Young) accompaniment, issued on a small label based out of Rocky Mount, Virginia. Really quite nice. This is an original pressing c.1978. Later reissued by Steady Sounds & Manufactured Recordings.  Light paper scuffs on the record with occasional soft pops on playback. Cover has a few small & light stains on both front & back, bend at top left. $15

* Ali Farka Toure: s/t CD (Disques Esperance). 1988 French issue of this classic. CD insert has a fold along the left side as shown in the photo below. CD is clean, just a couple stray light marks. $12

* Henry Townsend: Hard Luck Stories LP (Swingmaster). Vinyl & cover are clean. Center label on side B is bubbling up. Netherlands issue. $5

* Two Poor Boys: The Complete Recordings of Joe Evans & Arthur McClain 1927-1931 LP (Blues Documents). Vinyl is clean but the quality of the source 78s is variable. Cover has slight wear, such as a bend at top right. Austrian import. $15

* Big "T" Tyler: King Kong / Sadie Green 45rpm 7" (Aladdin). Reissue estimated to be from sometime in the '70s of this high energy two-sider originally issued c.1957. Light wear & pressing dimples, plays fine for me. $4

* United Sacred Harp Convention: The Alan Lomax Recordings, 1959 LP (Mississippi/Change). Vinyl in fine shape; occasional crackle on playback seemingly due to the pressing. Front cover has mild price tag sticker residue at top right. Mild wear along the opening, more visible from the back. Insert present & clean. $20

* Various Artists: Baton Rouge Harmonica: The Legendary Jay Miller Series, Volume 49 LP (Flyright). Strong comp with tracks by Lazy Lester, Slim Harpo, Sylvester Buckley, Jimmy Dotson (including his superb Looking for My Baby; here an unissued take but not so different from the 45), & Jimmy Anderson. LP is clean. Pressing bubble on side A played through without incident for me. Cover shows light signs of use. UK issue. $15

* Various Artists: Bayou Rhythm and Blues Shuffle Vol. 3 LP (Charly). Previously unissued songs recorded for Goldband Records, including from Guitar Junior, Tal Miller, Elton Anderson, Big Walter Price, Good Rockin' Bob, Charles Perrywell, & Lionel Prevo. Cover shows very slight signs of use, vinyl quite clean. UK issue. $10

* Various Artists: Chicago Slickers Vol. 1 1948-1953 & Vol. 2 1948-1955 LPs (Nighthawk). 2 separately-issued albums of strong Chicago blues of the '40s & '50s. Personal favorites include the songs by Willie Nix, Johnny Shines, Homesick James, Big Boy Spires, & Robert Nighthawk, but there are plenty more. Both records are clean. Surface noise is present but seems to always stop between tracks, so surely it must be from the source material most if not all the time. The cover of vol. 1 has a discoloration mark at top left & a bit of a corner crunch at lower right. The vol. 2 cover looks good. $10 each or $15 for both

* Various Artists: Country Blues Collector Items, Vol. 2 LP (RST). Spark Plug Smith, Sophisticated Jimmy La Rue, Andrew Hogg, Jimmie Rodgers & Clifford Gibson, "Papa" Charlie McCoy, & Blind Squire Turner (Teddy Darby). Vinyl is clean, very slight wear to the cover. Austrian import. $10

* Various Artists: The Devil is Busy in Knoxville LP (Mississippi). Comp of prewar blues, gospel, & country classics, including Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Elder Richard Bryant's Sanctified Singers with the great Bozie Sturdivant, the Carter Family's version of Fifty Miles of Elbow Room, Mother McCollum... Vinyl & cover both quite clean, few touches of wear / signs of use, including some price tag sticker residue at top right that for me was only visible when I really searched for it. This is the first edition / pink cover variation that features a photo of Sister O.M. Terrell. $12

* Various Artists: Down Santic Way 2LP (Pressure Sounds). Santic Jamaican Productions 1973-75, with tracks by Augustus Pablo, Leonard Santic All Stars, King Tubby, Jah Lloyd, I Roy, William Shakepare, Jah Mojo, Big Joe, & more. Both records are clean. The cover shows wear, mostly on the edges & spine (no split seams, though). $25

* Various Artists: Five Minutes to Midnight 10" EP (Mississippi). 6-song EP of wonderful gospel music, including Missionary Mamie Sample's " This May Be the Last Time" & Rev. R. Henderson's "Stop Living on Me." Vinyl clean, cover has a paper tear of approx. 1/3" (that is, one-third of an inch) at top right. $8 

* Various Artists: Get Your Ass in the Water and Swim Like Me! Narrative Poetry from the Black Oral Tradition LP (Rounder Records). Collection of ribald "toasts" recorded by folklorist/photographer/filmmaker/documentarian/etc. Bruce Jackson. Includes tales such as the Signifying Monkey, Titanic, Stackolee, & the celebrated Dance of the Freaks. Issued mid-1970s, I believe? Vinyl is pretty clean, just a few spots. Similarly the cover has minor wear on the corners & just a touch of mild discoloration (rubbing?) in a couple places. Insert booklet present & in good condition. $30 ON HOLD

* Various Artists: Giants of Country Blues Guitar, 1967-81: Legendary Blues Artists in Informal Settings LP (Wolf Records). Heavy lineup: Jack Owens (4 songs), Sam Chatmon (3 songs), Mott Willis (3 songs), Eugene Powell (3 songs), Son House (1 song), Furry Lewis (1 song), Mager Johnson (1 song). Recording quality variable, as suggested by the title. Vinyl very clean. Cover is in loose shrink with a hype sticker about the album being an award winner (this is on the cover, not the shrink), minor corner wear, otherwise clean. $45

* Various Artists: Happy in the Service of the Lord: Memphis Gospel Quartet Heritage - The 1980's LP (High Water Recording Company). This collection delivers what it promises in the title, with six very fine largely unaccompanied singing groups (with occasional piano). I am particularly fond of the Holy Ghost Spirituals and the Gospel Writers. Produced by Kip Lornell. Vinyl has just minor scuffs. Cover is in shrink & has in fine shape. Insert booklet present & also in good condition. $15

* Various Artists: I Woke Up One Morning in May LP (Mississippi). Comp of prewar blues classics, including Sam Collins, Robert Wilkins, Henry Spaulding, Lottie Kimbrough, Elvie / LV Thomas, Blind Blake... Vinyl & cover both quite clean, just minor touches of wear / signs of use. $12

* Various Artists: In the Spirit: Alabama's Sacred Music Tradition 128 page paperback book, plus CD (Alabama Folklife Association). Featueres essays on shape-note singing, Dr. Watts hymns, Psalm singing, bluegrass gospel, a cappella gospel quartets, moaning, & more. (see list below) Comes with a CD of related music. All elements in fine shape, just minor wear. $8
- "The African-American Covenanters of Selma, Alabama" by Henry Willett
- "The Moan-and Prayer Event in African-American Worship" by Willie Collins
- "Singing 'Dr. Watts': A Venerable Hymn Tradition Among African Americans in Alabama" by Joyce Cauthen
- "Sand Mountain's Wooten Family: Sacred Harp Singers" by Buell Cobb
- "Judge Jackson and the Colored Sacred Harp" by Henry Willett
- "The Deasons: A Christian Harmony Family" by Anne H. F. Kimzey
- "Seven-shape-note Gospel Music in Northern Alabama: The Case of the Athens Music Company" by Charles Wolfe
- "Shape-Note Gospel singing on Sand Mountain" by Joyce Cauthen
- "Of Related Interest--Convention Gospel Singing in Alabama" by Fred C. Fussell
- "Community and the Jefferson County, Alabama, Gospel Quartet Tradition" by Doug Seroff
- "Cry Holy Unto the Lord: Tradition and Diversity in Bluegrass Gospel Music" by Jack Bernhardt
- "Of Related Interest--Margie Sullivan: Mother of Bluegrass Gospel" by Erin Kellen

* Various Artists: Italian Treasury: Sicily, The Alan Lomax Collection CD (Rounder). "The voices & instruments of peasants, fishermen, shepherds, salt & sulfur miners, cart drivers, storytellers, & strolling players bring us murder ballads, dance music, lullabies, & a tale of battling knights; songs of love, work, & devotion connected to the yearly round. Recorded in the field in the 1950s, this historic document restores us to the colorful & dramatic universe of sound of the Sicilian past. ... In 1954, Alan Lomax & Diego Carpitella set out on a yearlong voyage of discovery that resulted in an exhaustive documentation of Italian folk music." CD & booklet show very light/minimal wear. $10

* Various Artists: Kassidat: Raw 45s from Morocco LP (Parlortone). Includes Mohamed Bergam, Adbellah el Magana, Cheickh Mohamed Riffi, & more. Some light paper scuffs to the vinyl, cover clean & in shrink with hype sticker, insert present & in good shape. $10

* Various Artists: Last Kind Words LP (Mississippi). Comp of prewar blues & gospel classics. Not sure the pressing on this; doesn't seem to fully align with any on discogs. My best guess is it is from ~2008, as that is when it was first sold here at the shop. My foggy memory is that it was a repress back then. Nothing especially "exotic," to this one, I wouldn't think, but record collectors have baffled me before & surely will again. In any case, the vinyl has mild surface scuffs & the cover has little bends at a couple corners. Insert present & in good shape. $12

* Various Artists: Benjamin Lloyd's Hymn Book: A Primitive Baptist Song Tradition 120-page paperback book & CD (Alabama Folklife Association) "Scholarly essays on Benjamin Lloyd's Primitive Hymns with a CD featuring 20 recordings of hymns sung by Primitive Baptists in Alabama." "Benjamin Lloyd (1804–60) was a Primitive Baptist preacher, who in 1841 published some 535 hymn texts under the title Primitive Hymns. Lloyd’s Hymnal (as it is often called now) has been a small but consistent seller ever since, finding wide use among Primitive Baptists throughout the South. The CD [as well as the book] appropriately uses Lloyd’s as a point of reference from which to navigate the varied landscape of folk worship in the South. Those who find beauty in the music & worship of the southern folk will be overwhelmed by the sounds & the spiritual intensity; those who grapple with the tangled biracial culture of the South will find a key to understanding the devotion of southerners, black & white, to this small book." - Alabama Review. Pages show some age discoloration along the border but otherwise in fine shape, as is the accompanying CD. $8 SOLD

* Various Artists: Memphis Sessions 1956-1961 LP (Wolf Records). "Featuring Furry Lewis, Will Shade, Gus Cannon, Laura Dukes, and Others." Most songs recorded by Don Hill at a private party in Memphis in 1961. Will Shade's ribald "Dirty Dirty Dozen" is a standout. Record & cover quite clean. Austrian import. $45

* Various Artists: Play It Like You Did Back to George St.: An Anthology of Cincinnati Blues 1924-1936 2LP (Shake It). Comp with Bob Coleman, Jesse James, Sam Jones/Stovepipe No. 1, Cincinnati Jug Band, Walter Coleman, Kid Coley, King David's Jug Band, etc. Vinyl, cover, & insert are clean. Download code card present & unused (no idea if it is still functional). $10

* Various Artists: Possum Up a Gum Stump: Home, Field, & Commercial Recordings of Alabama Fiddlers (Alabama Traditions) 24 songs; 12 by "nineteenth century fiddlers" & 12 by "twentieth century fiddlers". CD is clean. 24-page booklet has been read respectfully, has a slight imprint from the center of the CD case. The generic plastic case itself has some scuffs, mostly on the back. $5 

* Various Artists: The Rain Don't Fall on Me LP (Mississippi). Comp of mostly prewar blues & gospel. Personal favorites include Lightnin' Hopkins' "Needed Time," Texas Alexander's "Levee Camp Moan," Bayless Rose, Eddie Head... Vinyl has mild paper scuffs/discoloration, & the cover has light wear / signs of use. Black marker applied on the back cover to obscure some text, which seems to be the case on all copies. $12

* Various Artists: The Secret Museum of Mankind, Vol. II: Ethnic Music Classics 1925-48 2LP (Outernational). Records show some smudges/scuffs but play fine (the source material sometimes offers modest surface noise, though). The gatefold cover also shows light wear, mostly at the corners. $14

* Various Artists: Slide Guitar Gospel, 1944-64 CD (Document). Technically a comp but solely Rev. Utah Smith (6 tracks) & Rev. Lonnie Farris (16 tracks). The title is also something of a misnomer since Rev. Smith did not play with a slide. All that aside, top-notch music here from 2 longtime favorites. CD & insert show light signs of use. $7

* Various Artists: Texas Country Music Vol. 3 LP (Roots). I would have put "blues" in the title but nobody asked me. Includes Lewis Black's remarkable "Corn Liquor Blues," as well as tracks by Little Hat Jones, Texas Alexander, Black Ace, Blind Percy & his Blind Band, Bernice Edwards, Jesse "Babyface" Thomas, Texas Bill Day, Bo Jones, Oak Cliff T-Bone, & Joe Pullum. Sleeve has Saydisc Records sticker at top right & signs of use, most prominently the corner ding seen at top left in the photo below. Record is clean, only minor signs of use. Austrian issue. $10

* Various Artists: Too Hot to Handle LP (Flyright). "The Legendary Jay Miller Sessions Vol. 21" with artists that include Little Bob, Classie Ballou, Lionell Torrence, Dukes of Rhythm, & Joe Carl. Record is quite clean. Cover has some issues that include mild ringwear, starting to become unglued at top, corner bends such as lower right, & writing on back where a previous owner was presumably noting their favorite tracks. UK import. $10

* Various Artists: Yonder Come the Blues paperback book, 358 pages (Cambridge University Press). Collects the books Savannah Syncopators: African Retentions in the Blues by Paul Oliver, Blacks, Whites, and Blues by Tony Russell, & Recording the Blues by Robert Dixon & John Godrich, all originally issued by Blues Paperbacks. New afterwords added for each. Published in 2001. Promo states the book "collectively confront[s] the problem of how, when and from where the blues emerged & developed. It emphasizes the significance of the African heritage, the mutuality of much white & black music & the role of recording in consolidating the blues. Redressing some of the misconceptions that persist in writing on African-American music, it will be essential reading for all enthusiasts of blues, jazz, & country music." Light signs of reading & shelving over the years. UK issue. $15

* Various Artists: Your Car Machine: Hot Blues 1956-1964 LP (Black Arts Record Co., Inc). Featured artists include Little Sonny, Cousin Leroy, Guitar Tommy Moore, & more. Includes insert, which is clean. Cover shows minor wear with a few short creases along the spine. Vinyl looks clean but plays with low-level crackle & occasional pops, perhaps due to the quality of the pressing? French issue. $10

* J. J. Wallace: Looking for Lee / True Love Was Never Meant for Me 45rpm 7" (Booker Records). Top notch & little-heard New Orleans R&B / deep soul, one of the relatively few secular records on Rev. Robert Booker's Booker Records label (hear, of course, the Rev. Charlie Jackson 45s on his label). Very clean copy, only light signs of wear / use. Hear clips of this strong two-sider: Looking for Lee: https://50milesofelbowroom.com/soundclips/jjwallacelookingforleeclip.mp3 & True Love Was Never Meant for Me: https://50milesofelbowroom.com/soundclips/jjwallacetrueloveclip.mp3 . $75

* Andrew White: Live at the Foolery in Washington, D.C., Vol. 5 LP (Andrew's Music). Hot 1974 live recordings, with White & his band offering versions of "Wabash" by Cannonball Adderley & "Red Cross" by Charlie Parker, along with two of White's compositions. Issued on White's label, Andrew's Music. Record is clean. Cover shows light wear & a couple bends, especially the one at lower right in seen in the pic below. $20

* Gene Wyatt: You Bug Me Baby / Good Try 45rpm 7" (Aetna). Early '60s rock 'n' roll, possibly out of Shreveport? Light scuffs & scratches, plays fine. $4

* Young Jessie: I Smell a Rat / Lonesome Desert 45rpm 7" ("Modern"). UK repro from several years ago. I Smell a Rat is a classic (as is Big Mama Thornton's version, of course). Superficial scuff on I Smell a Rat does not impact playback for me. The center hole has some wrinkling around its interior, which in my experience is characteristic of many of these repros. $3