A rare, never-before-heard Bob Marley recording will be auctioned at Christie's Auction House in New York City on Dec. 16, 2002. It will appear in Christie's catalog in mid-November. Here's a description of the tape and auction info below. The Bob Marley Bronx Jam The Bob Marley Bronx Jam.an original audio tape recorded in 1968. represents a pivotal day in the life of one of the world's most popular musical artists. When Bob Marley visited songwriter Jimmy Norman at his New York City apartment in early 1968, he wanted to be an American-style rhythm and blues singer. Not yet a star, Marley, then 23, had just come under contract with pop music pioneer Johnny Nash. Norman, at 31 already a veteran Tin Pan Alley composer and R&B singer, was asked by Nash to work with the promising Jamaican artist on his first trip to New York. The day began in apartment 6-H at 2119 Valentine Avenue in the Bronx with Marley and Norman sharing songs. Marley, a fan of James Brown, wanted to learn as much from Norman as he could about R&B. Norman learned from Marley about Rock Steady, soon to evolve into Reggae. During the day, the pair worked together on eight songs. Norman played an old upright piano. Marley played his guitar. There were various instruments, including part of a drum set, in the six-room apartment and they all were used from time to time throughout the day. That night.after a long collaboration.Marley; his wife, Rita; Norman; his wife, Dorothy; and his co-writer, Al Pyfrom, recorded the songs on a cassette tape recorder. The jam session was such a success that Norman was invited by Marley to join him a week later in Jamaica to work with the Wailers on their first major recordings. Remarkably, all eight songs from the Bronx jam session recording'several written by Norman and Pyfrom and several by Marley.would eventually be recorded in some form for commercial release. However, they appeared on Marley's albums not as R&B, but as Reggae. The Bronx recording is a remarkable illustration of Marley's rapid musical evolution from R&B to the Reggae sound that made him an international star. Yet, the Bronx jam is virtually unknown in Marley lore. Outside of a select group of less than a half dozen people, the tape has not been heard, and its existence is unknown to collectors within the Marley community. The original master tape from 1968, a standard audio cassette, runs about twenty-four minutes in length and is in fragile, but playable condition. The recording was made on non-professional equipment owned and operated by Jimmy Norman. The song list includes: 1) Wings of a Dove (I Need Your Love So Much) . Bob Marley 2) Stranger on the Shore . Bob Marley 3) One Love, True Love . Bob Marley 4) Splish for My Splash . Bob Marley 5) I.m Hurting Inside . Bob Marley 6) Falling In and Out of Love . Jimmy Norman and Al Pyfrom 7) Stay With Me . Jimmy Norman and Al Pyfrom 8) You Think I Have No Feelings . Jimmy Norman and Al Pyfrom Auction: Entertainment Memorabilia - Dec. 16 Place: Christie's New York (W. 49th St. between 5th & 6th Avenues) Time: Dec. 16, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Viewing: Dec. 11-15 at Rockefeller Center Inquiries: Margaret Barrett (212) 636-2272 or mbarrett@christies.com Web: www.christies.com (access sale #1145 on the site starting in mid-Nov.) To order catalog: (800) 395-6300.ask for catalog for sale #1145 Bidding Dept.: (212) 636-2436 to register to bid