Mark Smotroff
LightNews LightNews
banner
marksmotroff.bsky.social
Mark Smotroff
@marksmotroff.bsky.social
1.4K followers 66 following 4.2K posts
Mostly music including my reviews on Analog Planet and eCoustics.
Music is love...
Posts Replies Media Videos
marksmotroff.bsky.social
My listening report on the new "straight from the vault" series archival reissue of Antonio Carlos Jobim's classic 1963 debut from Verve Records/UMe is on eCoustics (dot com). #musicsky #music #jazzsky #jazz #brazilianjazz #bossanova #jobim
www.ecoustics.com/music/compos...
My listening report on the new "straight from the vault" series archival reissue of Jobim's classic 1963 debut from Verve Records/UMe is on eCoustics (dot com). https://www.ecoustics.com/music/composer-desafinado-plays/
November 10, 2025 at 6:02 PM
marksmotroff.bsky.social
Tip-toeing into Monday with Judee Sill's 1971 debut. Another gift from one of the my vinyl angels (again, thank u!). The cover is well loved but the vinyl very clean.. and.. it included her 2nd LP inside (no sign of that cover in the box). Cont'd #musicsky #music #JudeeSill
Tip-toeing into Monday with Judee Sill's 1971 debut. Another gift from one of the my vinyl angels (again, thank u!). The cover is well loved but the vinyl very clean.. and.. it included her 2nd LP inside (no sign of that cover in the box). I'd never heard of Sill as a kid growing up in the '70s, but like Karen Dalton and Nick Drake, she's become post-humously popular in recent years. This was Asylum Records' 1st release.
November 10, 2025 at 5:47 PM
marksmotroff.bsky.social
Wishing you all a great week ahead… (unretouched pic taken at 6:30 a.m.) #sunrise #sanfrancisco #oakland #MtDiablo
Wishing you all a great week ahead… (unretouched pic taken at 6:30 a.m.)
November 10, 2025 at 3:08 PM
marksmotroff.bsky.social
1st spin, fab upgrade copy of Ann Peebles' 1974 soul classic, "I Can't Stand The Rain." Another gem gifted by one of my vinyl angels (!). I've never seen this on a striped Hi/London label before. I thought London put that label design to bed in the late '60s. #musicsky #music #soul
Sunday night vibe, first spin of a fabulous upgrade copy of Ann Peebles' 1974 soul classic, "I Can't Stand The Rain." Another gem gifted by one of my vinyl angels a couple weeks back (Thank U again!). I've never seen this on a striped Hi/London label before. I thought London put that label design to bed in the late '60s....
November 10, 2025 at 2:30 AM
marksmotroff.bsky.social
Fun cardboard flexi discs from the flea market for pennies this a.m. From a flexi magazine called Echo (just four issues 1959-60). They featured the 1953-54 Norman Granz' Astaire Story series pairing the dance legend w/ Oscar Peterson & JATP pros. Non essential but cool to have. #musicsky #jazzsky
Fun cardboard flexi discs found at the flea market for pocket change this morning, turns out these were from a flexi mazazine called Echo which ran for four issues in 1959-60. Curiously they featured the 1953-54 Fred Astaire Story series from Norman Granz which paired the dance legend with Oscar Peterson and luminaries from that period on Mercury and Clef Records. Non essential but cool to have.
November 9, 2025 at 10:42 PM
marksmotroff.bsky.social
Recharging with Gil Evans' homage to #Hendrix. I have a regular copy but couldn't leave a Quad behind in the bargyn bin. Haven't compared yet, so not sure if mixes any different. Fun album, some great players here. Works much better than you might think. #musicsky #jazzsky #jazz #music
Recharging with Gil Evans' homage to Hendrix. I have a regular copy but couldn't leave a Quad behind in the bargyn bin. Haven't compared yet, so not sure if mixes any different. Fun album, some great players here. Works much better than you might think.
November 9, 2025 at 2:14 AM
marksmotroff.bsky.social
Two mid-1960s big band jazz classics have been repackaged into a tasty 2LP set, The Giants Of Jazz: Frank Sinatra, with Count Basie & Duke Ellington. My review is on eCoustics (dot com). #musicsky #jazzsky

www.ecoustics.com/music/giants...
Two mid-1960s big band jazz classics have been repackaged into a tasty 2LP set, The Giants Of Jazz: Frank Sinatra, with Count Basie & Duke Ellington. My review is on eCoustics (dot com). https://www.ecoustics.com/music/giants-jazz-2lp/
November 7, 2025 at 9:14 PM
marksmotroff.bsky.social
First spin of a brilliant UK comp of 1966-72 singles from Louisiana's Lanor Records, tracks by Willie Mallory, Hugh Boynton, Phil Phillips and Ella Brown. Big love for the label design too (I'm a fan of Krazy Kat!). Another gift from one of my vinyl angels, a keeper. #musicsky #soulmusic #music
First spin of a brilliant UK comp of 1966-72 singles from Louisiana's Lanor Records, tracks by Willie Mallory, Hugh Boynton, Phil Phillips and Ella Brown. Big love for the label design too (I'm a fan of Krazy Kat!). Another gift from one of my vinyl angels (thank u again!), this is a sure keeper.
November 7, 2025 at 7:19 PM
marksmotroff.bsky.social
Spinning "The Giants Of Jazz" : Frank Sinatra, with Count Basie & Duke Ellington. New reissue/repackaging of two mid-1960s big band jazz classics into a tasty 2LP set. My review on eCoustics (dot com). #musicsky #jazzsky #music #jazz
Spinning "The Giants Of Jazz" : Frank Sinatra, with Count Basie & Duke Ellington. New reissue/repackaging of two mid-1960s big band jazz classics into a tasty 2LP set. My review on eCoustics (dot com).
November 7, 2025 at 5:01 PM
marksmotroff.bsky.social
Friends sometimes don't believe me when I tell them that the orange beastie was loathed back in the days before that TV show whitewashed him into some sort of business guru. Even R. Crumb was taking him down back then!
Friends sometimes don't believe me when I tell them that the orange beastie was loathed back in the days before that TV show whitewashed him into some sort of business guru. Even R. Crumb was taking him down back then!
November 7, 2025 at 4:01 AM
marksmotroff.bsky.social
Grabbed this nifty 1981 pop sampler at a local thrift last week for the cover alone. Turns out its from Iceland! How did that get out to San Francisco? Includes one of my favorite early synth pop singles, Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin's cover of "It's My Party." #musicsky #music
Grabbed this nifty 1981 pop sampler at a local thrift last week for the cover alone. Turns out its from Iceland! How did that get out to San Francisco? Interesting track list too (Debby Harry, Bad Manners, Madness, Tenpole Tudor, Icehouse, Simpleminds, etc. Best of all it includes one of my favorite early synth pop singles, Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin's cover of "It's My Party." But that cover....
November 7, 2025 at 3:59 AM
marksmotroff.bsky.social
First spin of one of the several obscure #reggae albums I found at that off the beaten track thrift shop last weekend: The Many Moods Of #AltonEllis. This is really great so far. Turns out to be pretty rare too in this original label form on Tele-Tech Records. Cont'd #musicsky #music
First spin of one of the several obscure reggae albums I found at that off the beaten track thrift shop last weekend: The Many Moods Of Alton Ellis. This is really great so far. Turns out to be pretty rare too in this original label form on Tele-Tech Records. If Discogs is accurate, the label only put out two LPs and one 12-inch between 1980 and '82. Just four copies posted there, none in the US.
November 7, 2025 at 3:23 AM
marksmotroff.bsky.social
Steadily amassing the Doug Sahm / Sir Douglas Quintet catalog (w/o going broke!). Found this near mint original of his 1968 first formal LP at that off the beaten track thrift for 2$ last weekend. Pleased to see the great Marin Fierro here (misspelled "Ferrio" in liner notes)! #musicsky #jazzsky
I'm slowly but surely amassing the whole Doug Sahm / Sir Douglas Quintet catalog (without going broke!). Found this near perfect original copy of his 1968 first formal LP at that off the beaten track thrift shop for 2bux last weekend. So pleased to see the great Marin Fierro on this as well (misspelled "Ferrio" on the liner notes)!
November 6, 2025 at 8:22 PM
marksmotroff.bsky.social
Interesting 1969 LP by an artist I've never heard of before, Joanne Vent (bargain bin find). Well produced, I suspect A&M wanted an answer to Janis Joplin, but this was pobably just a bit too similar and maybe too late to make significant impact. 1of2

#musicsky #music
Interesting 1969 LP by an artist I've never heard of before, Joanne Vent (bargyn bin find). Well produced, I suspect A&M wanted an answer to Janis Joplin, but this was pobably just a bit too similar and maybe too late to make significant impact. It's a good record. She could certainly sing. But especially after Monterey Pop and Woodstock, Joplin was a force then. Plus there was competition from groups like Cold Blood, Mother Earth and Delaney & Bonnie, all of which featured bluesy white female singers.
November 6, 2025 at 7:03 PM
marksmotroff.bsky.social
Sweet shuffle into Thurs. w/ a tasty Basie tribute from Amoeba's new arrivals bin for 5$. These players were Basie alums. #PaulQuinichette was dubbed "Vice Pres" due to his close style to #LesterYoung,"The President" (as named by Billie Holiday), a '30s alum. #musicsky #jazzsky #music #jazz 1of2
Sweet shuffle into Thursday with a tasty Basie tribute from the new arrivals bin at Amoeba for a fiver yesterday. These players were Basie alums. Paul Quinichette was dubbed "The Vice Pres" due to his close style to Lester Young, "The President" (as named by Billie Holiday), a '30s alum. This is a 1963-64 reissue of the late 1957 LP which had a weaker cover. The LP was heavily fingerprinted so it took 3 good washings to reveal a clean disc beneath. Record rescue...
November 6, 2025 at 5:28 PM
marksmotroff.bsky.social
First spin of the new Guided By Voices album: "Thick Rich & Delicious." So far, that title feels like truth in advertising. Welcoming incoming #GBV earworms. Exact energy I needed right now... #musicsky #music #guidedbyvoices
First spin of the new Guided By Voices album: "Thick Rich & Delicious." So far, that title feels like truth in advertising. Welcoming incoming GBV earworms. Exact energy I needed right now...
November 6, 2025 at 3:07 AM
marksmotroff.bsky.social
Welcome To Schlager's - Thrift find bought for the groovy cover, keeping for the last track: Charly Cotton und seine Twist-Maker's "Wilhelm Tell Twist." Oh so special. You're welcome. #musicsky #music
Welcome To Schlager's - Thrift find bought for the groovy cover, keeping for the last track: Charly Cotton und seine Twist-Maker's "Wilhelm Tell Twist." Oh so special. You're welcome.
November 5, 2025 at 8:40 PM
marksmotroff.bsky.social
Another gem gifted by a vinyl angel: The #Beatles 1963 Twist & Shout EP, the earliest of a series of UK EPs I was given, all of which I've never had. 2nd/3rd pressings (1965-68), mostly top shape. This has some scuffs but plays well. Thank you vinyl angel. These are cherished. #musicsky #music
Another gem gifted by one of my vinyl angels: the 1963 Twist & Shout EP. This is the earliest of a series of UK Beatles EPs I was given, all of which I've never had the chance to own. 2nd or 3rd pressings (1965-68), mostly in top condition. This one is more well loved (some scuffs) but plays beautifully. Thank you again, vinyl angel. These EPs are already cherished.
November 5, 2025 at 7:50 PM
marksmotroff.bsky.social
After yesterday's events I was going to post John #Lennon 's "Power To The People," but his other early activist hit "Instant Karma!" also applies. This also gives me a chance to share a nifty 45 I received from another vinyl angel recently: a rare 1-sided early pressing! Cont'd #musicsky #music
After yesterday's events I was going to post John Lennon's "Power To The People," but his other early activist hit "Instant Karma!" also applies. And besides, this gives me a chance to share one of the super neat 45s I received from another vinyl angel recently: a rare one-sided early pressing of Instant Karma! While not marked as a promo copy it obviously was made to send out early to radio and retail to drive excitement for the A-Side. I've never seen a one-sided Apple single before. In the back of this pic are UK and French (red) picture sleeve covers for the single which I already owned. This song was and is an interesting wake-up call which remains timeless, timely and (perhaps sadly) still relevant to the now times. "Instant Karma's gonna get you Gonna knock you off your feet Better recognize your brothers Ev'ryone you meet Why in the world are we here Surely not to live in pain and fear Why on earth are you there When you're ev'rywhere Come and get your share Well we all shine on Like the moon and the stars and the sun Yeah we all shine on Come on and on and on on on..."
November 5, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Reposted by Mark Smotroff
rbreich.bsky.social
We need a new generation of leaders who are the voices of democracy, freedom, social justice, & the rule of law.

A new generation that renews the “we” in “we the people.”

Instead of fretting over Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Party should embrace him as part of its future.
November 5, 2025 at 4:17 AM
marksmotroff.bsky.social
Another fascinating gem from one of my vinyl angels who gave me three boxes of LPs from his basement... I initially thought this was a pirate soundtrack of an obscure film but it seems to be an "Ennio #Morricone Private Pressing" according to Discogs. Cont'd #musicsky #music
Another fascinating gem from one of my vinyl angels who gave me three boxes of LPs from hos badement... I initially thought this was a pirate soundtrack of an obscure film but it seems to be an "Ennio Morricone Private Pressing" according to Discogs. There was a formal soundtrack with fancy cover art issued in Italy back in the day but that must have had super limited distribution as the one original copy listed is super pricey. Musically, this is kind of fun, quirky, mod-leaning pop sounds for a film about Cave men and women! Thanks again to the vinyl angel.
November 5, 2025 at 5:06 AM
marksmotroff.bsky.social
Yes on 50 passes! Blue wave surge. Keep it going!
Yes on 50 passes! Blue wave surge. Keep it going!
November 5, 2025 at 4:39 AM
Reposted by Mark Smotroff
rbreich.bsky.social
Over half of the corporations bankrolling Trump’s vanity ballroom are facing (or recently faced) federal investigations into wrongdoing — including violating workers’ rights or misleading consumers.

They also have a combined $279 BILLION in federal contracts.

Follow the money.
November 4, 2025 at 11:15 PM
marksmotroff.bsky.social
Please welcome Percival the rescue Persimmon (a.k.a. Percy). Not sure if Percy is part dachshund or hedgehog, but he's clearly not your standard #Persimmon! What do you think? We rescued Percy from a bag of imperfect farmstand #Persimmons. Personally, I think Percy is perfect! #food #foodie
Please welcome Percival the rescue Persimmon (a.k.a. Percy). Haven't figured out if Percy is a hybrid dachshund or hedgehog, but he's clearly not your standard Persimmon! What do you think? We rescued Percy out of a big bag of imperfect looking Persimmons from a farm stand over the weekend. Personally, I think Percy looks quite perfect!
November 4, 2025 at 10:05 PM
marksmotroff.bsky.social
Gosh, this is so nice. I'd forgotten about The Meters' fine cover of Neil Young's Birds. Covering Neil is not easy, especially when its a song from the landmark 1970 hit After The Goldrush.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5R7...
The Meters - Birds
YouTube video by themetersfunk
www.youtube.com
November 4, 2025 at 7:41 PM