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Tone Poet Blue Notes

I've played it three times through now, they pulled out all the stops on this one for sure. It was a bit of an ordinary album for me before but now I can't put it down!
 
Do you have any other versions to compare to? If so go with one of them. I have not had a chance to listen or compare yet, but have always preferred the Mono.

I have the BN75 issue and the AP stereo SACD.

Just opened them both and they both have a dented corner where the package must’ve been dropped in transit. Should’ve ordered them for collection rather than mail order.
 
I've played it three times through now, they pulled out all the stops on this one for sure. It was a bit of an ordinary album for me before but now I can't put it down!

This makes it even more tempting :rolleyes:.

I'd be interested to hear whether people think there are marginal gains or significant improvements over, say, the BN 75 stereo - which I can quite happily enjoy.

As I said somewhere above, I'm becoming increasingly cautious of shelling out £40 for records I've already got in a good enough format got rather than exploring music I've not heard before.
 
This makes it even more tempting :rolleyes:.

I'd be interested to hear whether people think there are marginal gains or significant improvements over, say, the BN 75 stereo - which I can quite happily enjoy.

As I said somewhere above, I'm becoming increasingly cautious of shelling out £40 for records I've already got in a good enough format got rather than exploring music I've not heard before.

I don't have the 75 only the 1985 CD, which is AAD stereo. The dynamics are much improved on the LP, particularly on side 1. I'd guess that's the reason for my greater enjoyment. It may well be that the 75 is good enough!
 
Do you have the Optimal European BN75 or the US United. The Optimal lacquer was cut by MK at Optimal and I think they used the Ron McMaster digital transfer that DeAgostini used for their stereo release. I have the DeAgostini and it is one of the better ones so may be could enough. I expect the Kevin Gray mastering will be better especially the mono. I have always preferred the mono to the stereo out of those I have. As soon as I have time I’ll compare the Tone Poet mono to the DeAgostini Stereo and feed back here.
 
Blue Train has landed - Juno honoured the lower price :) I only bought the mono and it's stunning...
I picked up the Stereo 2LP yesterday - for some reason the Mono hadn't arrived yet at the local indie emporium. Haven't played the Stereo yet - will do so this pm. Apart from the SACD I only have the Music Matters Mono - so I'll be really interested in comparing the Tone Poet to the MM (I'm hoping that the TP is much superior to the MM so I can sell the MM and help refill the piggy bank :rolleyes:)
 
Do you have the Optimal European BN75 or the US United. The Optimal lacquer was cut by MK at Optimal and I think they used the Ron McMaster digital transfer that DeAgostini used for their stereo release. I have the DeAgostini and it is one of the better ones so may be could enough. I expect the Kevin Gray mastering will be better especially the mono. I have always preferred the mono to the stereo out of those I have. As soon as I have time I’ll compare the Tone Poet mono to the DeAgostini Stereo and feed back here.

I can never remember which is which. I have the one with the download - I think the non-downloads versions were the weaker pressing.
 
I don't want to know. :eek: I already have the MM mono and can't be bothered to acquire yet another reissue of Blue Train. I have 3 versions!
I picked up the Stereo 2LP yesterday - for some reason the Mono hadn't arrived yet at the local indie emporium. Haven't played the Stereo yet - will do so this pm. Apart from the SACD I only have the Music Matters Mono - so I'll be really interested in comparing the Tone Poet to the MM (I'm hoping that the TP is much superior to the MM so I can sell the MM and help refill the piggy bank :rolleyes:)
 

Worth dropping this analysis of Elvin’s playing style in. Even for those of us without any drum theory it is fascinating stuff.

Browsing in a charity shop on my hols I just just invested a Euro in the Dear Old Stockholm compilation CD on Impulse - two sessions Coltrane recorded with Roy Haynes when Elvin Jones was 'otherwise engaged'.

I think I have some of the tracks on other compilations but nice to have them all together. Looking forward to a proper listen and hearing how the group sounds with a very different style of drummer behind the kit.
 
I picked up two TPs today - Dexter Gordon's Clubhouse and Joe Henderson's State of the Tenor Vol 2. They don't seem to be readily available online, so it seemed like a good idea. (I also picked up Blue Train in stereo second-hand, a DMM version, so I have an excuse to buy only the mono Tone Poet.)
 
Both Blue Train Tone Poets are reference quality I do not have a mono cartridge at the minute so am probably not getting the best from the Mono version but even through my stereo set up it's incredibly good.

The stereo set is so good the alternate versions are a fascinating window into the building process of these iconic tracks Joe Harley and of course Kevin Gray have produced something very special and as a set these two records are superb.
 
I ordered the Stereo Blue Train because I have the Music Matters Mono. My first impression was that the TP sounds very bright and direct, and I wondered why I thought it was a good idea having the stereo version when the hard pan technique was, in 1957, at its most naive sounding, with all the horns and piano in one channel and the rhythm section in the other.

I think this has been mastered to sound fast and exciting. It brings out Lee Morgan's intensity, but for me it detracts from the depth of Coltrane's tenor and has just a bit too bright an edge to be completely natural. It is emphasizing the space around the instruments, but I think that is the sign of a bit of treble lift.

The first comparison I made was with the D'Agostini version, because it's also 'stereo'. I use quotation marks because I don't know what is going on with this one. Some tracks are hard panned, but others, like the title track, are a sort of squashed stereo that is almost mono. Bizarre. Tonally it could hardly be more different than the TP, like it's mastered to make Coltrane sound like Sonny Rollins - emphasizing the lower octave where the TP is emphasizing the upper register of the tenor.

Then I listened to the Music Matters Mono. Tonally, I think this gets it just right, as with every Music Matters release I have. I can't really fault it - Coltrane has depth and groove, Lee Morgan has intensity and swing. I can hear the blues at the heart of it all in a more relaxed way.

Saying all that, I'm just listening to 'I'm Old Fashioned' on the TP Stereo and it does sound lovely. Both Coltrane and Lee Morgan's solos have a lot of space and freedom and I think the spotlit mastering works well on this slow ballad.

I'll keep listening.
 
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Not sure about the Stereo mix of Blue Train. It sounds brighter than the SACD which, to my ears anyhow, sounds a bit more natural.
Mike,
This would make an interesting comparison to the Japanese 2 disc UQHCD Complete Masters due in October. Not that I’m suggesting you buy yet another version. ;)
https://www.juno.co.uk/products/john-coltrane-blue-train-mono/893176-01/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B7QQH2P4/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
Or there is a 24/96 download of the KG, JH version.
https://www.prostudiomasters.com/#quickview/album/148719

If I was lucky enough to have the Music Matters 2x45rpm or SRX I am fairly certain I would be more than satisfied. I just missed out on the SRX a couple of years back.
 
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Michael Fremer review of Tone Poet Blue Train:
https://trackingangle.com/music/tangled-up-in-blue-train

paragraph 4 especially for @Graham H ;)
243405-DB-0-D91-4-BD2-921-F-BB414676-E728.jpg
 


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