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Verve Acoustic Sounds Series Reissues

I’d love to see the Pharoah Sanders, Sun Ra, Archie Shepp, Alice Coltrane side of the Impulse catalogue given the treatment they so deserve, but I suspect we’ll be waiting a while for that. Chad seems very conservative which is why I was surprised to see the Roy Haynes (which prominently features Roland Kirk).

That Roy Haynes was reissued on the Verve Vital Viynl series a couple of years ago (and sounds great btw), along with the Mingus x5, and maybe a couple of others Chad is reissuing. Makes me wonder if they’re from the same masters but with nicer jackets?
 
Just doing the Blues And The Abstract Truth comparison and it is very interesting, almost two different mixes! My Japanese copy is this one from 1976. I guess in many ways the comparison conforms to stereotypes; the Japanese copy is crisp, forward, right in yer face, crazy dynamic and arguably a little thin and bright, the Acoustic Sounds far warmer, a really nice balance, but also noticeably less dynamic and possibly a touch dark. Haynes’s snare just doesn’t smack with the same impact, the brass isn’t anything like as close and present. The Japanese cut is a bit louder too, which obviously makes comparison harder.

I would love to hear an RVG-stamped original copy of this one as I’m prepared to bet the Japanese copy gets closer to his master/intent. Digging out the rest of my Oliver Nelson Impulse finds a US original stereo copy of Sound Pieces (with a Bell Sound stamp, not RVG, though it is the 1st press), and Michelle, which is a pretty dreadful album (not even funny kitsch big-band versions of pop tunes) that has got the RVG stamp. I bought Michelle NOS sealed ages ago. Both these sound superb to my ears. They have all the ‘in yer face’ presence and dynamic hit of the Japanese Blues And The Abstract Truth but with more body, weight and heft. I know this is a daft comparison using different titles, but there is unquestionably something in common with all RVG cuts I’ve heard, and it is something I wish the modern reissue companies would understand and replicate.

To conclude: for my taste, preference it is almost always US original or early pressing first, then Japanese, then everything else. I’m only talking mastering here; US vinyl quality can be pretty poor and noisy compared to UK, Japan, audiophile etc.

PS I’ll keep them both for the cover differences and as they are such an interesting mastering comparison!
 
I’d love to see the Pharoah Sanders, Sun Ra, Archie Shepp, Alice Coltrane side of the Impulse catalogue given the treatment they so deserve, but I suspect we’ll be waiting a while for that. Chad seems very conservative which is why I was surprised to see the Roy Haynes (which prominently features Roland Kirk).

Hear, hear, Tony! (Though to willy-wave a bit, I have an original US pressing of Karma that's in time-warp condition and sounds fabulous.)

I just got my copies of Black Saint and Mingus x5 this week and listened to them last night. While I only have the CDs of same for comparison, I thought the new LPs sounded really, really great. Highly recommended for those who don't have originals.
 
I picked up my pre-order of Black Saint and the Sinner Lady today. From the couple of first spins it's a worthwhile upgrade to the Great Moments vinyl and CD copies I already had.

Mind you, it does seem that each time I get one of these it's £1 more than the previous one. It might be time to draw a line under these ( after I get the reissue of Crescent that is :D).

I have Black Saint and the Sinner Lady sitting next to my rack next to Blues and the Abstract Truth. Irrespective of the great music, have there been two better album titles?
 
I picked up my pre-order of Black Saint and the Sinner Lady today. From the couple of first spins it's a worthwhile upgrade to the Great Moments vinyl and CD copies I already had.

Mind you, it does seem that each time I get one of these it's £1 more than the previous one. It might be time to draw a line under these ( after I get the reissue of Crescent that is :D).

I have Black Saint and the Sinner Lady sitting next to my rack next to Blues and the Abstract Truth. Irrespective of the great music, have there been two better album titles?
My copy of Black Saint and the Sinner Lady has also arrived now from Amazon and although it dropped a little in price during the preorder period it was still higher in price than previous AS Verve reissues. I believe Universal have put prices up across the board so it seems we will likely be stuck with higher prices for sometime.

This is a quite lengthy but interesting video about demand and delays affecting vinyl production between Chad Kassem - QRP and heads of Stoughton and RTI with Michael Fremer. Increased costs because of shipping and supply and demand are right across the industry. All Tone Poets and AS Verve are not supposed to be going out of print it seems most will not be repressed for a year or two.
 
I am still catching up on recent purchases and have just given the AS Verve Black Saint And The Sinner Lady a spin. Maybe I’m just having a good day listening to some great jazz after a fairly s**ty and problematic week, but like the Horace Silver BN Classic that preceded it this sounds fabulous has well. I was going to compare it to the MCA version I have, but I don’t need to as I am certain this is much better. The best of the few of these AS Verve reissues I have bought and the best out of any comparisons I made previously. OK my earlier versions of this one are not US or UK first pressings where previously on balance I found the originals still won, but the mastering and pressing on this one is so good I think it might even challenge a near mint US original of this? Anyone done that comparison?

It is cut at quite a high level and there has probably been a little compression, but this adds to the powerful envelopment of the sound of a 10 piece band in your room if played loud (and I suggest you do). The dynamics are then still more than good enough as well. I love how the ‘sourness’ of Charlie Mariano’s Alto and Quentin Jackson’s Trombone (I obviously under appreciated how good he was. Must find more with him on) now comes across on this and add to Mingus’s composition and conception. I’m liking the added clarity and ‘real’ sound of Jay Berliner’s Guitar as well that is much more apparent than I previously heard.This has always been one of my very top favourite jazz records and this version moves it towards the very top.

One of those days when good music makes you appreciate life so much more. :)
 
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I was going to compare it to the MCA version I have, but I don’t need to I am certain this is much better. The best of the few of these AS Verve reissues I have bought and the best out of any comparisons I made previously. OK my earlier versions of this one are not US or UK first pressings were on balance I found the originals still won, but the mastering and pressing on this one is so good I think it might challenge a US original of this. Anyone done that comparison.

Is your MCA Black Saint the ‘80s DMM with the light blue rainbow label nice tip-on gatefold sleeve? If so I think that is a surprising decent copy so I’d be interested in your findings. My Mingus x5 is still one of those and I don’t see the need to swap-out now unless I find a US original. I felt the DMMs bettered the Speakers Corner versions of both (too warm and ‘hi-fi’ for me), though I now have an RVG-stamped US original of Black Saint so consider that one closed. I’d be interested to compare the new Verve but can’t see myself doing so unless one comes in as part of a collection at any point. I’ve yet to find any reissue of any audiophile label that I prefer to any US RVG-stamped Blue Note, Impulse, Verve etc. Once I’ve got that stamp in the run-off I’m done!

PS I hope Acoustic Sounds do ‘Plays Piano’ as I’d rather like a really nice vinyl copy of that one (I’ve got the CD).
 
Is your MCA Black Saint the ‘80s DMM with the light blue rainbow label nice tip-on gatefold sleeve? If so I think that is a surprising decent copy so I’d be interested in your findings. My Mingus x5 is still one of those and I don’t see the need to swap-out now unless I find a US original. I felt the DMMs bettered the Speakers Corner versions of both (too warm and ‘hi-fi’ for me), though I now have an RVG-stamped US original of Black Saint so consider that one closed. I’d be interested to compare the new Verve but can’t see myself doing so unless one comes in as part of a collection at any point. I’ve yet to find any reissue of any audiophile label that I prefer to any US RVG-stamped Blue Note, Impulse, Verve etc. Once I’ve got that stamp in the run-off I’m done!

PS I hope Acoustic Sounds do ‘Plays Piano’ as I’d rather like a really nice vinyl copy of that one (I’ve got the CD).
Yes light blue label with rainbow. I think 1981 and seems pretty much the same as Disk 1 in Great Moments With Charles Mingus from 1981 that I have. Perhaps I’m in a generous mood today :). I think I said further back in this thread I thought the MCA was very good so it might be a waste of money upgrading. I will at least do a part comparison at some point.
 
It’s this range I’m on about (discogs), so a bit later at 1986 and German pressing. Has DMM inner and stamp in run-off. I’ve got a few of them and like them a lot. Nice tip-on gatefold sleeves too, about the same quality as early 70s non-laminated US sleeves, though with a thicker spine.
 
It's funny how DMM seems to have been rehabilitated into society after years of people claiming they sounded terrible. It makes me suspect the ear and taste of the engineer are far more important than any specific technology.
 
It's funny how DMM seems to have been rehabilitated into society after years of people claiming they sounded terrible. It makes me suspect the ear and taste of the engineer are far more important than any specific technology.

It is odd. It was an interesting technology, one that did away with the acetate. Many very good sounding ‘80s records used it. Some details here on Wikipedia.
 
I've only joined this party recently, what's the relationship between Acoustic Sounds and Analogue productions? Is it simply that AP was a division of AC? They don't seem to be releasing any further Analogue Productions titles...
 
Slightly but not completely off topic. I posted this in the What are you listening to now thread’, but I thought I would also post this here as this sounds so good and there would possibly be more interest.
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This was originally released in 1963 by Phillips. This is a recent Verve UK reissue, but not part of the AS Verve reissues, but seems to be a start of a new Verve reissue series called NewLand (numbered 001) Mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes and pressed by Pallas. I was a bit worried at first as there was a light scratch visible across one track, but it is totally inaudible and the sound quality on this reissue is fabulous with totally silent background even in the dead wax. Needed as this is melodic laid back jazz and on this mastering its like having the musicians playing intimately in my room.
Mulligan, Art Farmer on Trumpet and Flugelhorn, Bob Brookmeyer on Trombone, Jim Hall Guitar, Bill Crow Bass and Dave Bailey drums. Wonderful quality solos particularly from Farmer and Mulligan.

As good as any of the Verve AS ones and cheaper. Only thing that could be better is the cover reproduction.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09HNDG93C/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
This was originally released in 1963 by Phillips. This is a recent Verve UK reissue, but not part of the AS Verve reissues, but seems to be a start of a new Verve reissue series called NewLand (numbered 001) Mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes and pressed by Pallas

The way I read it, New Land is the label? They seem to have a web page but just this release so far.

https://newlandrecords.co.uk/
 
The way I read it, New Land is the label? They seem to have a web page but just this release so far.

https://newlandrecords.co.uk/
That's what I thought as well. Licensed from Universal.
  • Mastered from the original analog tape transfers by Kevin Gray
  • 12” insert featuring rare photographs and words from Bill Crow
  • Includes rare bonus track ’Night Lights - 1965 Version’
  • Officially licensed from Phillips / UMG with thanks to the Mulligan Estate
 
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