Artie Brooks Appraisal

Jammin' The Oldies" LP Record Album by Ray Alley & Artie Brooks

This item is a vintage LP (Long Play) record album titled "Jammin' The Oldies" featuring Ray Alley on Banjo and Artie Brooks on Bass & Guitar. The album cover is made of standard cardboard and primarily features a cream or off-white background with bold red typography and line art. The title "JAMMIN' THE OLDIES" is prominently displayed at the top in a distressed, blocky red font. Below the title, abstract or sketch-like representations of musical instruments, specifically a banjo and what appears to be a guitar or bass, are rendered in red line art with splatters, giving it a somewhat dynamic or energetic feel. The names of the artists and their instruments are printed in smaller red text: "Ray Alley - Banjo" on the left and "Artie Brooks Bass & Guitar" on the right. A 'MONO' designation is visible in the bottom left corner, indicating a monaural recording, which suggests an earlier production period, likely 1950s or early 1960s before stereo became ubiquitous. The cover shows visible signs of wear consistent with age and handling, including scuffing, discoloration, and potential ring wear, though the lighting makes it difficult to ascertain the extent of the latter. There is a bright pink rectangular label or sticky note affixed to the lower right quadrant of the cover, obscuring a portion of the artwork or text in that area. The overall aesthetic is characteristic of folk, bluegrass, or early country music album art from the mid-20th century. The craftsmanship of the cover, while simple, reflects the typical production quality of LP sleeves of its era.