US
September 1961- Label and catalog number
- Impulse! A-8
- Format
- LP, Album, Mono
- Runout / matrix
A8-A LW Bell SoundRunout side A
A8-B LW Bell SoundRunout side B
Vinyl pressings
Percussion Bitter Sweet
by Max Roach · 1961
36 pressings9 countriesPost BopHard BopAfro-Cuban JazzJazz
Percussion Bitter Sweet was first pressed on vinyl in 1961. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.
How to spot a first pressing of Percussion Bitter Sweet
5 pressings came out in 1961, the album's first year, in 2 countries. Compare the label and catalog number on your copy, then the codes etched or stamped in the runout groove (the dead wax around the label): they are the surest sign of an early pressing.
US
1961- Label and catalog number
- Impulse! AS-8
- Format
- LP, Album, Stereo
- Runout / matrix
AS 8 - A LW Bell SoundSide A runout
AS 8 - B LW Bell SoundSide B runout
US
September 1961- Label and catalog number
- Impulse! A-8
- Format
- LP, Album, Promo, Mono
- Runout / matrix
A8-A LWEtched Side 1
A8-B LWEtched Side 2
Bell SoundStamped Sides 1 & 2
Canada
September 1961- Label and catalog number
- Sparton Impulse! Records A-8Impulse! A-8
- Format
- LP, Album, Mono · Gatefold
- Runout / matrix
A8-A LW Bell SoundSide A
A8-B LW Bell SoundSide B
Canada
September 1961- Label and catalog number
- Sparton Impulse! Records A-8
- Format
- LP, Album, Stereo
- Runout / matrix
A8-A LWEtched, side A
A8-B LWEtched, side B
Bell SoundStamped, both sides
Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.
All 36 vinyl pressings
By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.
1960s15 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | US | Impulse! AS-8First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1961 | Canada | Sparton Impulse! Records A-8 / Impulse! A-8First yearLP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| 1961 | Canada | Sparton Impulse! Records A-8First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1961 | US | Impulse! A-8First yearLP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| 1961 | US | Impulse! A-8First yearLP, Album, Promo, Mono · Promo, Mono | LP, Album, Promo, Mono · Promo, Mono |
| 1962 | Italy | La Voce Del Padrone QELP 8053LP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| 1962 | Japan | Impulse! SNY 6 / Impulse! AS-8LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1962 | Japan | Impulse! NY 6 / Impulse! A-8LP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| 1962 | Japan | Impulse! NY 6LP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| 1962 | UK | His Master's Voice CLP 1522LP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| 1964 | Japan | Impulse! SH 3023LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1965 | US | Impulse! AS-8LP, Album, Repress, Stereo | LP, Album, Repress, Stereo |
| 1965 | US | Impulse! AS-8LP, Album, Repress, Stereo | LP, Album, Repress, Stereo |
| 1968 | US | Impulse! AS-8 / Impulse! A-8LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1968 | US | Impulse! AS-8 / Impulse! A-8LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
1970s9 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Japan | Impulse! IMP-88081 / ABC Records IMP-88081LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1972 | Japan | Impulse! IMP-88081 / ABC Records IMP-88081LP, Album, Promo, Reissue, Stereo · Promo | LP, Album, Promo, Reissue, Stereo · Promo |
| 1973 | US | Impulse! AS-8 / Impulse! STEREO A-8LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1974 | Italy | Impulse! 3C 064 95721LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1974 | US | Impulse! AS-8 / ABC Impulse! AS-8LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1976 | Italy | Impulse! IMP 488 / ABC Impulse! IMP 488LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1976 | Japan | Impulse! YP-8546-AILP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1978 | Italy | Impulse! AS-8 / ABC Impulse! AS-8LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1979 | Italy | ABC Impulse! IMPL 5027 / Impulse! IMPL 5027LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
2000s3 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Germany | Speakers Corner Records AS-8 / Speakers Corner Records 589549-1LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 2002 | Germany | Speakers Corner Records AS-8 / Impulse! AS-8LP, Album, Test Pressing, White Label, Stereo · Test pressing | LP, Album, Test Pressing, White Label, Stereo · Test pressing |
| 2009 | US | Universal Music Special Markets B0012607-01 / Impulse! AS-8LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
2010s2 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | US | Impulse! B0027440-01 / Verve Records B0027440-01LP, Album, Club Edition, Reissue, Remastered · Club edition | LP, Album, Club Edition, Reissue, Remastered · Club edition |
| 2019 | Italy | Impulse! A-8LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
2020s1 pressing
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Worldwide | Impulse! AS-8 / Impulse! A-S-8LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
Year unknown6 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | Australia | Impulse! IL-30795LP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| ? | Netherlands | Philips 841 967 BY / Impulse! A-8LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| ? | UK | His Master's Voice CSD 1416LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| ? | US | Impulse! AS-8LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| ? | US | Impulse! AS-8 / Impulse! A-8LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| ? | US | Impulse! A-8LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
Tracklist
- A1Garvey's Ghost7:55
- A2Mama4:50
- A3Tender Warriors6:54
- B1Praise For A Martyr7:13
- B2Mendacity8:56
- B3Man From South Africa5:15
Questions
How many vinyl pressings of Percussion Bitter Sweet are there?
36 vinyl pressings of Percussion Bitter Sweet are listed here, from 9 countries, released between 1961 and 2025.
When was Percussion Bitter Sweet first released on vinyl?
The earliest pressings are from 1961, in US, Canada. One of them is Impulse! A-8, released September 1961.
How do I tell if my copy of Percussion Bitter Sweet is a first pressing?
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use A-8, AS-8) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, A8-A LW Bell Sound and A8-B LW Bell Sound. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.
How much is Percussion Bitter Sweet on vinyl worth?
It depends on which pressing you have and on the condition of the record and its sleeve. Early pressings from the album's home country in near mint condition are usually worth the most; common later reissues are worth far less. Scan your copy with VinylLens to see its value for every grade.
