Well if I thought ‘Where is Brooklyn’ sounded top rate this one is one of those all to few HO WOW! moments. I always regretted not having the Music Matters 2x45rpm of this and fairly recently almost bought a copy that was in the UK at a £125, more than I have ever spent on a single LP, but I saw this Classic version was coming and hoped it would be good, but it has exceeded all my expectations. I don’t really want my enthusiasm to run away with me on just one play though, but it is hard not to. I thinking at this stage this must as good or better sounding for recording, mastering and pressing quality as anything I own. OK I love the music and this helps, but this is like taking your system up a few notches, but just with a slab of vinyl.
The dynamics, detail, snap (transient attack), presence and front to back depth is astounding. Jackie is way out into my room on the left with Grachan not far, but a bit little further back on the right with Bobby roughly in the plane of my speakers with Larry Ridley and Roy Haynes stretching further behind, but still with great presence. The snap of Roy’s repeated drum ’wack’ on ‘Esoteric’ is quite startling and on ‘Kahlil The Profit’ when both Jackie and Grachan solo, blasting the music out quite loud you can still hear low down in level underneath and way back (I think it is Larry Ridley, but it could be Bobby, but you can hear it elsewhere behind his solo as well at times*) making encouraging Arrr Arrr and Oooh vocalising all adding to the sense of this sounding real. Mine is a totally silent pressing as well even in the dead wax. Anyone holding fire on this one shouldn’t.
I just need a Classic copy of ‘One Step Beyond’ as good as this now.
*actually I now think it is Roy Haynes as I am just playing ‘It’s Time’ that Haynes is on as well and again although Jackie is in the left channel and Haynes the right you can here a similar voice (but not as clearly) bled in behind Jackie.