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DeAgostini Classic Jazz on 33 1/3 Collection

Rob998 said:
Getz/Gilberto now, love the opening track, a lovely version of The Girl From Ipanema.

Wonder where these are being pressed? They really are great quality.
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The matrix numbers on most pressings were/are the same that DeAgostini used when they started issuing this series in Italy in August 2011 (see Discogs). They started with a series of 40 then extended to 70 and then 100, but not sure if they ever issued them all. From this I would guess they are probably pressed by Phonopress - Paullo in Italy. no idea about the quality reputation of Phonopress and I don't think I have anything else pressed by them, but all mine with the exception of one Ella & Louis that had a noisy ripple warp so I returned, have been good, clean & flat 180g pressing. Amoung the best I have.
 
Having now received and fitted my nice new Audiomods Series V arm, with a low mileage DV17DII, I can only express utter astonishment at the sound I'm getting. Working my way through some unplayed D'Agostini discs and very pleased.

Currently playing is Julian 'Cannonball' Adderly's 'Somethiin' Else'. Don't recall ever hearing this before.. at least in it's entirety, but it is just beautiful.

The tonearm is a gem. Best I've had on any of my decks by a country mile.

Mull
 
P.S. I bought 'Time Out' (Brubeck) from a newsagent before subscribing. So I have a sealed spare, plus magazine for sale. Tenner plus postage?

Mull
 
This thread is too long to catch up on, so can I ask a question by way of summary. Has anyone who owns early pressings or good reissues of these titles compared the D'Agostini titles and found them to be commendable?

As I stated earlier in the thread, the KoB was significantly inferior to an 80s Dutch copy I have which can be found for a tenner or so on Discogs, and more inferior to the Classic Records pressing or Sony SACD. The Blue Trane was better, but still not as good as the early cd, never mind the best recent pressings. Have the others improved?

I'm not asking this to be disparaging; it's great that so many good titles are available as an introduction for new jazz listeners who don't have the time to seek out older pressings, and it's good that they are being pressed without flaws. But I'd like to know if anyone who already has a significant jazz collection has found any of them worthwhile?
 
Bob McC said:
Why would anyone who already had them be buying them?
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I can't speak for people's reasons, but people do seem to be giving opinions about the quality of these reissues, so I'm trying to asertain what they are measuring them against. Or are people simply judging the music positively?

I do see a lot of remarks that they are 'good pressings', so I presume people are just meaning that they aren't flawed or warped, rather than commeinting on their relative quality as reissues.
 
I agree that most of the comments have been about the pressing quality and groove silence.
I have only listened to two so far despite subscribing, for reasons I won't go into, but the Getz Gilberto vinyl is outstandingly good.
 
I don't have a jazz collection so it's a no brainer for me. I had a few Jazz albums, a couple of copies of KOB, Blue Train and one or two others.

The fact that it's a curated series that appears to have a lot of very well regarded stuff in it helps, It's nice to not have to um ah over what to buy for someone who isn't very knowledgeable.

Also I'm not very interested in CDs, don't have a SACD player and just prefer vinyl over other formats.

Even if I did have a bit more knowledge, I'd rather not play the 2nd hand vinyl lottery. Paying £10 plus p&p (so lets call it £13.50) for used vinyl that might have issues as opposed to a pretty well mastered, well pressed new item that includes an informative (to me) booklet and which has a fantastic no questions asked replacement policy if there are any problems for an extra £1.45? Again it's a no brainer.

I had 2 copies of KOB previously, a Not Now Music pressing and a 1980s Dutch CBS pressing. The DeAgostini pressing is much better than both. I also have a Blue Note 75 pressing of Blue Train, and the DeAgostini, whilst a stereo version, is just as good to my ears.

Maybe those with an existing Jazz vinyl collection might want to buy these to preserve their potentially valuable Blue Note, Verve etc records?
 
Rob998 said:
Paying £10 plus p&p (so lets call it £13.50) for used vinyl that might have issues as opposed to a pretty well mastered, well pressed new item that includes an informative (to me) booklet and which has a fantastic no questions asked replacement policy if there are any problems for an extra £1.45? Again it's a no brainer.

I had 2 copies of KOB previously, a Not Now Music pressing and a 1980s Dutch CBS pressing. The DeAgostini pressing is much better than both.
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I take what you're saying in the first sentence here and understand your point of view. However I'm surprised by the statement in the second sentence here; if your Dutch CBS pressing doesn't sound as good I'd suggest you've been very unlucky and it's got inner groove damage, because some of those reissues were very good. The Dutch one I have is much better than the DeAg. However if you have been unlucky with your purchase, that just goes to back up your first point, so I do quite see the attraction of this series.
 
Having listened to jazz since my youth I have all the titles from this list I need, (about 40 or more), so there is no need for me to invest or compare these reissues with early pressings, Music Matters reissues, etc.

The picture emerging that they are excellent and worth the money, and introducing some great jazz titles to people who otherwise may not have had the opportunity. I have a few friends who are collecting the set, (Stephen Bennett posts here and so far has been impressed, and he ain't deaf), so I may out of interest ask them to bring a few over for a brief comparison. I wouldn't expect any of these to be as good as early analogue pressings, Music Matters or AP reissues, but that doesn't mean to say they aren't worthwhile or excellent.

I hope the program continues to completion, and I'm really looking forward to reading the responses to Albert Ayler (because I'm a great admirer). Long may it continue.
 
From the ones I've heard I think the least that can said for them is that care has gone into the pressing. Beyond that I guess a lot is down to the licensers: Columbia and Blue Note seem to care about the quality of reissues of their titles, but I've heard that Universal, for one, are completely indifferent to such things, and licensees really have to be prepared to press the issue. So if the Ayler (Impulse!) makes it onto the list at all it will be interesting from SQ perspective as well.
 
I've just finished listening to issue 12 'GO!' by Dexter Gordon - this is a brilliant album and another great pressing. If you think you don't, or won't, like jazz this one is a great place to start.
 
misterc6 said:
I've just finished listening to issue 12 'GO!' by Dexter Gordon - this is a brilliant album and another great pressing. If you think you don't, or won't, like jazz this one is a great place to start.
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I tend to have only one CD in my car at a time, as I find that I really get to know the tunes this way.

"Go" has been that Cd for 3 weeks now. Love it.

I expect this vinyl pressing will sound really great.
 
I just picked up GO in my local ASDA, no longer mounted on a the card so nearly missed it.
Good pressing but wouldn't say it was a particularly good recording.
 
Just got around to listening to Ella and Louis, plus Eric Dolphy 'Out to Lunch', which landed a week or so back.

The Ella and Louis is divine. Sounds fab and is just beautiful music. Sadly, a bit of a glitch half way through last track side 2, which may result in me requesting a replacement if a good clean doesn't shift it.

Eric Dolphy. Well... err.. Certainly a good sounding disc, and not as 'out there' as it might be. But, my reference point for music is very simple. Do I enjoy listening to it? (On the basis that, at approaching 70, I don't have time to **** about with stuff I don't like.)

It may grow. If not it's not much of a loss and at least I have an idea about Eric Dolphy in the unlikely event that the topic comes up in my local, in a small village, in the less 'trendy' areas of Lancashire.... :)

Mull
 
It seems that the Ella & Louis is the one people have had problems with. Mine had a noisy ripple warp and I returned it to my newsagents, but they were unable to get me a replacement. There was probably a whole bad batch of poor pressings for this record? I could not initially find a replacement under the back issues on their website as the page only went to issue 5, but the page is duplicated elsewhere and is upto date, so I will try another copy. Every other issue I have had from them has been as good or better than some of the quietest flattest pressings I own.

Ho! and I'm approaching 70 as well and love Eric Dolphy, but then I was listening to him when I was 20! ;)
 
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