United States, Scott #4349, used(o), 2008, Celebrating Latin Jazz; Latin jazz is an improvisational and rhythmic style of music that combines elements of jazz with musical traditions rooted in America, the Caribbean, Africa, and the Americas; it has blended the improvisation of American jazz with the intense drums of Latin American and African dance rhythms; a distinctive dance music energized by European string, brass, and keyboard instruments infused with African, island, and native drums; the two distinct categories of Latin jazz are Brazilian, typified by the bossa nova and samba, and Afro-Cuban, typified by the salsa, merengue, songo, mambo, timba, bolero, charanga, and the cha cha; in the jazz groups you will find many unique percussive instruments such as the guiro, the claves, and, of course, the drums; the conga, timbale, bongos, and tambora drums; much of the music is improvised, guaranteeing audiences will never hear the same performance a second time; the stamp shows a bold, graphic design by San Francisco-based artist, and Latin jazz fan, Michael Bartalos; eager to capture the upbeat, energetic and romantic spirit that characterizes much of Latin jazz, he has created a tropical evening scene that depicts three musicians playing bass, piano, and conga drums which conveys the multicultural aspects of the music, its percussive and improvisational nature, and its rhythmic complexity, 42 cents, photogravure printed by Avery Dennison, issued with non-water soluble self adhesive gum, serpentine die cut simulated perforations: 11x10¾, multicolored, Scott 2019 Catalog Value: 25¢, nicely centered, a triple strike cancel, all light, large, red-inked, circular, double-rimmed, hollowed-out and broken-up cancellations, the main, a half circular cancel centered at the upper middle and extending down over most of the stamp, the second and third, quarter circular cancels on the upper left and upper right corners, the lightness of the cancels and their broken-up and hollowed-out effects leave the main image remarkably clear, good perforations, stamp was soaked from the mailing envelope using the Bestine solvent and placed on a piece of black trimmed card stock for an attractive album mounting; centering, mounting, and largely image free cancel warrant a selling price premium. This is not a 'bait-and-switch;' the stamp you see will be the one you receive.
Please review my terms of sale. If you are not ordering from the United States, there is a $US1.55 additional postage expense that needs to be added to the price of the stamp. If you are ordering from the United States, there is only a $US0.68 added postage expense. Also, if you make additional purchases from my offerings, they can all go in one mailing at no extra shipping expense for the added purchases. I will send the purchase by US first class mail, since the relatively low value of the stamp does not warrant signature or tracking mail. Hence the buyer assumes risk of loss or non-delivery. I will keep a scan of my mailing to verify that the correct mailing address was used. If not satisfied, return the stamp to me at your own expense, and I will refund the cost, but not my postage to you. If the stamp is not as described, I will refund the cost and reimburse you for postage both ways.
By way of reference, I am an American Philatelic Society (APS) member (195176) and an American Stamp Dealers Association (ASDA) member. Thank you for looking, and I hope this is the perfect stamp to fill that gap in your collection.
