VIA PRESS RELEASE | As purportedly the first Black-owned jazz imprint since the ’20s, the Black Jazz label had its roots in the Black Power movement of the late ’60s and early ’70s. But not every album on the label had a social message. Kellee Patterson’s Maiden Voyage was simply an extremely tasteful, mellow jazz vocal album, recorded with the top-notch sidemen that characterized Black Jazz sessions.
Patterson first gained fame as the first Black woman (entered under her real name Pat Patterson) to win the Miss Indiana contest, culminating in a performance of “My Funny Valentine” at the Miss America pageant. Her success led to some acting gigs (the TV shows The Streets of San Francisco and The Dukes of Hazzard, and the movie Demolition Man), a brief brush with Hollywood fame (she was briefly linked romantically to talk show host Johnny Carson), and her signing with Gene Russell for her recording debut on Black Jazz (Russell went on to produce subsequent LPs for Patterson on the Shadybrook label).
1973’s Maiden Voyage is highlighted by a beautiful vocal performance by Patterson of Herbie Hancock’s title tune, backed with such premium players as long-time George Duke sideman John Heard on acoustic bass and Ray Charles touring band member George Harper on flute.
Our Real Gone reissue is remastered for CD and vinyl by Mike Milchner at Sonic Vision, with LP lacquer cutting by Clint Holley and Dave Polster at Well Made Music, and features new liner notes by Pat Thomas, author of Listen, Whitey! The Sights and Sounds of Black Power 1965-1975. An essential, though uncharacteristic, entry in the Black Jazz catalog.
San Francisco, CA | Popular SF record store closes permanently: ‘There just isn’t a way forward in the city.’ Stacks of colorful indie comics have slowly begun to replace the massive collection of vinyl records sold at 1-2-3-4 Go! Records on Valencia Street. On Monday afternoon, owner Steve Stevenson announced the San Francisco location would shutter after five years in business, with comic book shop and former DIY record label Silver Sprocket taking over for the remainder of the lease. “Given the uncertain direction of the pandemic and the heavy revenue losses we’ve sustained over the last 5 months there just isn’t a way forward in the city,” Stevenson wrote in a Facebook post, encouraging his clientele to support the comic book publisher in the coming months. Silver Sprocket, previously located on Haight Street, moved into the record shop in late February after a seismic retrofit taking place at their former location prevented them from resuming operations. Since the comic book shop was operating out of the building as a pop-up business without a formal lease, they knew that once the renovations were over, their landlord would likely begin the search for 
Athens, AL | Vinyl Revival: Record store keeping it old school in Athens: The music industry has undergone many changes over the years when it comes to keeping up with the modern digital age. Most people stream music from one of many apps on their smartphones these days, but not so long ago, music was found primarily on physical media. Even CDs have been largely phased out, but there’s still those who prefer something more than a digital file. That’s where record stores like Vinyl Revival in Athens comes in. Places like this small, local shop cater to clientele who like to keep things old school and still get their music on physical media like vinyl records. “I think records, above all other mediums, are pretty unique,” said owner Keith Montgomery. “It’s a hands-on experience. You have a jacket. It’s got its own artwork and lyrics. It’s 
The Welsh Cale will forever be chiefly remembered for his work with The Velvet Underground, but he was playing experimental music—you know, the usual, like an 18-hour piano marathon of a piece by Erik Satie—with the likes of John Cage and La Monte Young before he joined the Velvets, and has recorded in a mad variety of styles since then. I’m loath to call any one a genius, because I prefer to reserve the title for myself, but for John Cale I’ll make an exception. He’s put out many an amazing and influential record—and produced just as many for other artists—and you never know what he’ll do next.
Austin, IL | ‘Austin is where we want to be.’ Despite pandemic, looting West Side small businesses still loyal to community. On June 6, less than a week after the wave of looting swept through West Garfield Park’s Madison Street corridor, Out of the Past Records store, which has been operating at 4407 W. Madison St. since 1986, was open for business. Marie Henderson, who founded the store with her husband, Charlie Henderson, said that the store has been struggling throughout the pandemic. And while it wasn’t looted, in the month after the reopening, the business hasn’t fully rebounded to where it was pre-COVID-19. The Hendersons are among a handful of small business owners on the West Side who were interviewed about how they’ve fared since the pandemic and the death of George Floyd. Some of the entrepreneurs reported an increase in profits while others found their business model completely disrupted. The Hendersons said that at one point they owned 12 record stores throughout Chicago, but as tapes and later CDs became popular, the demand for records plummeted and they wound up 
Everett, WA | Pop into this Everett pop-up store for new vinyl records: Upper Left Records will offer albums from local bands and new pressings of classic recordings. Success for Ryan Taylor and Brooks Smothers would mean a six-foot folding table and, if sales really take off, an eight-footer. The two partners recently launched Upper Left Records, a pop-up store that sells new vinyl records. “Our store is a four-foot table. We’re just going to be a little pop-up table,” Smothers said. “We’re starting small, but our goal is to grow to a six-foot and then an eight-foot table,” Smothers said. The two friends, who share a love of music, were camping with their families in June. Over a campfire, they began musing about how rare it is to find places in Everett that sell new records. “I said, ‘Let’s do a little research and see if this is viable,’” Smothers said. What they found is that recent music industry studies suggest that vinyl records are 
