VinylAI 
Data as of Aug 9, 2026
Lalo Schifrin – Black Widow
1976 · France · CTI Records · Vinyl LP Album
Offers · 1
- €1ref VA-VTQAKMedia P · PoorSleeve P🇫🇷 Ships from France
The Discogs price estimate is a separate reference; offer prices above are sellers’ own.
New to condition grades like NM or VG? Read our vinyl grading guide →
Pressing identification
Match these against your copy to confirm the exact pressing.
- Matrix / runout
- CTI 87724 ACTI 87724 BCTI 5000 A MC1CTI 5000 B MC1
- Rights society
- SACEM (SDRM)
- Recorded At
- RCA Records
Specifications
- Artist
- Lalo Schifrin
- Genre
- Jazz, Funk / Soul
- Style
- Jazz-Funk, Disco
- Year
- 1976
- Label
- CTI Records
- Catalog number
- CTI 5000
- Country
- France
Tracklist
- A1Black Widow4:15
- A2Flamingo4:28
- A3Quiet Village3:59
- A4Moonglow / Theme From Picnic5:36
- B1Jaws5:47
- B2Baia4:03
- B3Turning Point3:28
- B4Dragonfly5:15
- Producer
- Creed Taylor
- Engineer, Mastered By
- Joe Jorgensen
- Engineer [Assistant]
- Liz Saron
- Engineer [Assistant]
- Matt Murray
- Arranged By, Conductor
- Lalo Schifrin
- Design [Album]
- Rene Schumacher
About this record
The French CTI 5000 pressing of Lalo Schifrin's Black Widow carries four distinct matrix codes—CTI 87724 A, CTI 87724 B on the runout, plus CTI 5000 A MC1 and CTI 5000 B MC1—marking it as a separate manufacturing run from the original US release. Community demand sits at 100 want against 120 have, a tight ratio that signals steady but not frenzied collector interest in this 1976 jazz-funk title.
What drives its value
The French CTI 5000 pressing commands attention because the matrix runout codes (CTI 87724 A and B paired with CTI 5000 A MC1 and B MC1) indicate a distinct pressing plant operation from the American issue. With 120 collectors holding a copy and 100 actively seeking one, supply and demand remain nearly balanced—a marker of moderate scarcity rather than rarity.
The album's 8-track jazz-funk and disco hybrid content, combined with its 1976 date on the CTI label, positions it within a catalog window when Schifrin's orchestral-funk hybrids commanded strong session-musician rosters. Condition variance will drive final value; the French pressing's availability relative to US originals determines whether collectors view it as a desirable alternate or a secondary option.
No barcode presence on this pressing may signal an earlier or region-specific manufacturing protocol.
How to appraise this pressing
Confirm this pressing by the catalogue number CTI 5000 printed on the spine and label. Examine the dead-wax runout on both sides: Side A should read CTI 87724 A followed by CTI 5000 A MC1, while Side B carries CTI 87724 B and CTI 5000 B MC1.
The absence of a barcode is consistent with this French CTI pressing. The label stock and typeface will differ from US CTI pressings; French pressings of this era often used a slightly warmer paper stock and tighter label registration.
Play-grade assessment requires listening to all 8 tracks for surface noise, tracking distortion, and groove wear. The MC1 suffix in the matrix suggests a mastering or cutting engineer identifier; its presence confirms you hold the French variant rather than a US or other territorial issue.
Check the jacket spine for any French distributor imprint or catalog reference.
Further reading: grading a record, how to sell vinyl.
Listen
Hear the album before you buy.
Official videos via YouTube.
Frequently asked
How do I know this is the French pressing and not a US original?
The matrix runout codes are the definitive marker. This French CTI 5000 carries CTI 87724 A and CTI 87724 B on the vinyl itself, paired with CTI 5000 A MC1 and CTI 5000 B MC1—the MC1 suffix and the specific pairing of both code sets indicate the French pressing plant. US originals on CTI Records typically carry different matrix configurations. The absence of a barcode is also consistent with French pressings of 1976.
Why does community data show 120 have and 100 want?
The 120 collectors who own this pressing against 100 seeking it suggests moderate, stable demand without acute scarcity. This ratio indicates the French CTI 5000 is neither a hot commodity nor a dead stock item—it circulates regularly enough that new collectors can find copies, but not so freely that the want list empties. The 3.9 rating from 10 community votes reflects consistent appreciation without hyperbole.
What makes the matrix codes CTI 87724 A, CTI 87724 B, CTI 5000 A MC1, and CTI 5000 B MC1 significant?
These four codes together identify the exact pressing plant and cutting session. The CTI 87724 prefix is the master tape identifier, while CTI 5000 is the catalog number. The MC1 suffix on the catalog codes indicates a specific mastering or cutting engineer pass. This combination does not appear on US pressings, making it the fingerprint of the French manufacturing run.
Does the lack of a barcode affect the value or authenticity of this pressing?
The absence of a barcode is authentic to this 1976 French CTI 5000 pressing and does not diminish value. Barcodes were not standard on all international pressings during this period, particularly in France. Its presence would actually suggest a later reissue or a different pressing entirely. Verify authenticity through the matrix codes and label design instead.
How many tracks are on this album, and does that matter for grading?
The album contains 8 tracks across both sides. When grading, listen through all 8 to assess surface noise, tracking stability, and groove condition uniformly. A track that plays cleanly does not guarantee the others will; jazz-funk records like this one often show wear patterns that vary by side or even by track, so a full play-through is essential before assigning a final grade.