Mercury · in the Kissa Kissa racks

Bold Conceptions

Bob James Trio

Recorded	Aug 13-15, 1962
Label	Mercury
Released	1962
Personnel	3 credited players
Discogs	master 272985

The record

A young trio testing the outer edges of early-60s piano jazz, with James already probing the abstract textures and rhythmic freedom that avant-garde currents were opening up. Brooks and Pozar push hard against convention here, making this a fascinating look at James years before his smoother Verve and CTI turns.

Session personnel

Ron Brooks — double bass
Robert Pozar — drums
Bob James — piano

Contemporary reception

No period review located yet. The vintage-press pipeline searches DownBeat, Cash Box, and Billboard for this session.

Pressings

The earliest copy we list is the 1963 US Mercury stereo, SR 60768; the mono MG 20768 appears that same year in our data only as a promo. Japan pressed a stereo, SM-7198, in 1963 as well. Mercury reissued MG 20768 in 1973, and Japan returned in 1985 with 195J-48. That Japanese pressing is the easiest clean copy, but original Mercury stereo stock is the one to hunt.

1963	Mercury · SR 60768 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo earliest on file
1963	Mercury — MONO
1963	Mercury · MG 20768 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Promo, Mono
1963	Mercury · SM-7198 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
1963	Mercury · SR 60768 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Promo, Stereo
1973	Mercury · MG 20768 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Mono
1973	Mercury · MG 20768 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue
1985	Mercury · 195J-48 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
1985	Mercury · 195J-48 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Promo, Reissue, Stereo
1998	Verve Records · 557 454-2 — CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo
1998	Verve Records · 314 557 454-2 — CD, Album, Reissue
1999	ArsNova · AN990104 — CD, Album, Reissue, Unofficial Release
2014	Doxy · ACV2036 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Numbered, Reissue, Stereo, Mono, Clear Vinyl
2022	Mercury · UCCU-5925 — CD, Album, Reissue, Stereo, SHM-CD