Oliver Nelson: Black, Brown & Beautiful

Originally released in 1970, "Black, Brown and Beautiful" saw legendary composer and arranger Oliver Nelson musically address the state of black America in the wake of the assassination of Martin Luther King. Tracks like 'Requiem', 'Lamb Of God' and 'Martin Was A Man, A Real Man' directly address the passing of King, whereas 'Self Help Is Needed' and 'I Hope In Time A Change Will Come' orchestrally and passionately ask questions that still remain unanswered today. Indeed, Nelson, writing about the track 'Self Help Is Needed' stated "I have always felt that the Federal Government wasn't going to do a damn thing and American Blacks were going to have to do it themselves. However, you can't have a foot on your neck making it impossible for you to help yourself. That seems logical - doesn't it?" Sadly, those words still hold true today. Musically, this is a sumptuous, almost big band, banquet with Nelson himself talking the soprano sax solo on the aching 'I Hope In Time A Change Will Come'. Those who are fans of classic Nelson albums like "The Blues And The Abstract Truth" (1961) and the equally polemical "The Mayor And The People" (1971) will find much to enjoy here. This reissue replicates the original high-quality gatefold sleeve of the original and is pressed on 180gm vinyl. "Black, Brown And Beautiful" has never been reissued on vinyl since the original 1970 US pressing. So, more than half a century after it's release, Ace Records are delighted to offer it to jazz collectors and fans worldwide.

1. Aftermath
2. Requiem
3. Lamb Of God
4. Martin Was A Man A Real Man
5. Self-Help Is Needed
6. I Hope In Time A Change Will Come
7. 3 2 1 0
8. Black Brown And Beautiful
9. Requiem Afterthoughts

Shipping is available to the 48 contiguous United States. We are unable to ship to PO Boxes, International locations, or APO/FPO addresses. 

Please ensure your address is entered correctly. We are unable to redirect to an alternate shipping address once an order is placed.If your order contains multiple items, it may ship from different warehouse locations.

Tracking information will be sent as items are shipped.

Allow up to 5 business days for your order to process when calculating delivery dates. 

Note: Additional delays may occur due to severe weather or other carrier delays. 

Standard Shipping: allow 7-10 business days for delivery. Albums will be shipped via USPS Media Mail; all other products via UPS Ground or FedEx Ground.

Expedited Shipping: allow 2-5 business days for delivery. Albums will be shipped via USPS Priority Mail; all other products via UPS 2-Day Air or FedEx 2-Day Air.

Overnight Shipping: allow 1-2 business days for delivery. All products will be shipped via UPS Next Day Air or FedEx Next Day Air. 

We offer a 30-day money back guarantee on all products purchased from Victrola.com. All items must be returned as new in their original packaging, including all accessories and cables. Albums must be unopened to receive a refund. Missing items will be charged based on suggested retail prices.

All returns must be accompanied by a valid return authorization number (RMA) issued by Victrola. If an RMA is not obtained prior to shipping, the returned product will be refused and returned to sender.

If the item is no longer wanted, the shipping cost is not refundable and returns must be shipped prepaid by the customer. There is a 15% restocking fee that will be calculated based on the price of the product once the item is refunded.

If the item is defective, a pre-paid shipping label to return the product will be provided, and no restocking fee applies.

To set up a return for refund please visit Customer Care. Be sure to include your order # and reason for your return when submitting your request.

View more information about returns and warranty here.