Straight Ahead - Abbey Lincoln (1LP Vinyl)

Straight Ahead by Abbey Lincoln.

Recorded on a single February day in 1961, "Straight Ahead" captures Abbey Lincoln at a defining moment, her voice both instrument and statement. The session took place at Nola Penthouse Sound Studios in New York on February 22, 1961, a date that places this music squarely in one of the most electric periods in the history of the form. Candid Records issued it then, and the label has returned to it again with a fresh presentation for a new generation of listeners.

The album opens with its title track, "Straight Ahead," followed by "When Malindy Sings" and "In The Red" to close out the first side. The music carries a directness that matches its name, a set of songs delivered with intention and gravity rather than mere polish. Lincoln's phrasing turns each piece into something conversational and confrontational at once, an artist unwilling to smooth over the edges.

Side B broadens the palette considerably. It leads with "Blue Monk," a nod to the language of the blues and the modern jazz vocabulary that surrounded Lincoln in these years. From there the record moves through "Left Alone," "African Lady," and "Retribution," a run of songs that ranges from aching intimacy to something more sweeping and declarative. The publishing credits trace a spread of houses behind these compositions, from Melotone Music to Totem Music, Bar-Thel Music, and E.B. Marks Music, a reflection of the varied sources feeding into a single, cohesive vision.

This edition has been remastered by Bernie Grundman from the original master tapes, a pairing of catalog and craftsman that speaks for itself. Grundman's work brings the room and the players back into focus, giving the pressing the clarity and weight that a session of this caliber deserves. It is cut to 180 gram vinyl, the kind of heft that lends stability and presence to a record meant to be played and replayed.

The package honors the original design intent while delivering modern manufacturing quality. It arrives in a tip-on jacket, with the album housed in a plain white poly-lined inner sleeve that protects the surface while it sits on the shelf. Three catalog numbers thread through the presentation: the first appears on the front and back cover, the second on the spine, labels, and hype sticker, and the third on the labels and sticker, a detail collectors will appreciate when confirming the pressing.

Carrying its original 1961 phonographic mark alongside a 2022 copyright from Candid Records and made in the U.S.A., this is a record that bridges eras. For anyone drawn to Abbey Lincoln's fearless artistry, it is an essential addition.

Pressing Details:
[From cover back]
Candid Records, LLC.
Recorded at Nola Penthouse Sound Studios, New York February 22, 1961
℗ 1961, © 2022 Candid Records, LLC [...] Made in U.S.A.
{Publishers}
A1, A3, B4 <> Melotone Music, Inc. - BMI
A2, B3 <> Totem Music, Inc. - BMI
B1 <> Bar-Thel Music Corp. - BMI
B2 <> E.B. Marks Music Corp. - BMI

[From labels]
Candid Records, Inc.
℗ 1961, © 2022 Candid Records, LLC [...] Made in U.S.A.

[From hype sticker]
Remastered by Bernie Grundman From Original Master Tapes
180 Gram Vinyl

Tip-on jacket and plain white poly-lined inner sleeve.

First catalog number appears on front and back cover; second on spine, labels and sticker; and third on labels and sticker.

Track Listing:
A1. Straight Ahead
A2. When Malindy Sings
A3. In The Red
B1. Blue Monk
B2. Left Alone
B3. African Lady
B4. Retribution

Artist: Abbey Lincoln

Format: 1LP

Genre: Jazz

Label: Candid

Catalog Number: 30151

Release Year: 2022

Country: United States

Condition: Sealed (New)