Verve Acoustic Sounds Series Reissues

[Tony L]

Chad with the year’s upcoming releases. I’m definitely up for the Alice Coltrane, Mingus and Roy Haynes. I’ve got most of the rest on vinyl including the Classic Records of the Billy Holiday he implies he’s reusing the metalwork from.

PS To reiterate what I said above: Karma is phenomenal. Don’t hang around on this one, it really is a stunning pressing of a simply wonderful and unique album.

 

[gavreid]

Chad with the year’s upcoming releases. I’m definitely up for the Alice Coltrane, Mingus and Roy Haynes. I’ve got most of the rest on vinyl including the Classic Records of the Billy Holiday he implies he’s reusing the metalwork from.

PS To reiterate what I said above: Karma is phenomenal. Don’t hang around on this one, it really is a stunning pressing of a simply wonderful and unique album.

Shame the Roy Haynes has been put back again! No chance of cutting down this year anyway

 

[paulfromcamden]

My notes so I don't have to refer to the video:

Pharaoh Sanders - Karma
Oscar Peterson - Night Train (Feb 3)
Alice Coltrane - Journey Into Satchidananda (March 31)
Wynton Kelly - Smokin At The Half Note (April 28)
Nina Simone - Wild Is The Wind (May 26)
Getz/Gilberto - Jazz Samba (June 23)
Billie Holiday - Songs for Distingué Lovers (July 28)
Cannonball Adderley - In Chicago (Aug 25)
Mingus - Pre Bird (Sept 29)
Ella Fitzgerald - Sings Songs From Let No Man Write My Epitaph (Oct 27)
Oscar Peterson Trio - With Milt Jackson (Nov 17)
Coleman Hawkins - Encounters Ben Webster (Dec 8)
Roy Haynes - Out Of The Afternoon (Jan 2024)
Ben Webster - Soulville

Alice for me. Have decent copies of everything else I'm interested in.

 

[poco a poco]

Alice, Winton Kelly, Adderley, Mingus and another whole year’s wait for the Roy Haynes. Decent copies of most of the rest, but if I’m feeling flush and can find some space (an even bigger problem) then I might upgrade 1 or 2.

 

[gavreid]

...and another whole year’s wait for the Roy Haynes.

We're getting into believe it when I see it territory now, I fear. I'd guess that the permissions haven't been sorted yet...

 

[Tony L]

The ones I’ve already got:

Night Train (UK Stereo original).
Jazz Samba (US mono original).
Songs for Distingué Lovers (Classic Records).
Very Tall (Mo-Fi) (in the list upthread as Oscar Peterson Trio meets Milt Jackson).

Beyond the Alice, Mingus and Haynes I’m not sure how much I need the rest given they are likely best part of £40 a throw.

 

[poco a poco]

For people who don’t have Stan Getz Jazz Samba I would say this is essential and I would personally suggest better than Getz Gilberto. I have a really excellent sounding 1962 UK Stereo original so I’m more happy enough with that one. Decent enough copies of the others and the Japanese 10 LP 1946 - 59 Billy Holiday on Verve Box Set and further decent early copy of Songs for Distingue Lovers and Lady in Satin so will pass on those.

 

[hockman]

As expected, Kassem again picks all the safe predictable choices except maybe the Alice Coltrane. Perhaps he was encouraged by the reaction to Karma so he tries another 'out' album.

I don't care for Kassem or his products but may be tempted to get the Alice. All I have is the CD, which is very good, but originals are now stupid money and the vinyl quality can be rather iffy.

 

[Tony L]

I agree Chad has very easy listening taste, but the quality is good. Karma is one of the best sounding audiophile jazz reissues I’ve ever heard, it’s a monster! I still prefer my Japanese copies of ALS and Blues & The Abstract Truth to the AS, but they are still very, very good IMO. Certainly as good as the Tone Poets and have remarkably similar mastering decisions IMO.

 

[gavreid]

I've never really thought much about chad but I would think that a couple of poor choices in a year would be bad news for his company given the paucity of titles that he can actually release over a 12 month period. It's pretty easy to see why he stays in the mainstream. He knows that many people buying today don't have good pressings, or any pressings, of these records. I know mine are all on CD.

 

[paulfromcamden]

As expected, Kassem again picks all the safe predictable choices except maybe the Alice Coltrane. Perhaps he was encouraged by the reaction to Karma so he tries another 'out' album.

I did smile when he referred to one of the releases as "a really accessible record" i.e. not more of that crazy spiritual jazz stuff ;-)

I guess he knows his market.

 

[dave charlton]

I agree Chad has very easy listening taste, but the quality is good. Karma is one of the best sounding audiophile jazz reissues I’ve ever heard, it’s a monster! I still prefer my Japanese copies of ALS and Blues & The Abstract Truth to the AS, but they are still very, very good IMO. Certainly as good as the Tone Poets and have remarkably similar mastering decisions IMO.

I recently purchased the John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman from this series mostly to scratch an itch. Not everybody's cuppa probably but I like the songs and the great original sound quality is enhanced by the AS treatment. Trane never sounded so good imho.

Karma's not to my taste but I do like this version of TCHAMP :-

 

[paulfromcamden]

I recently purchased the John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman from this series mostly to scratch an itch. Not everybody's cuppa probably but I like the songs

It's a GREAT record. The rendition of Lush Life (one of my favourite songs) gets me every time.

 

[Elephantears]

It's a GREAT record. The rendition of Lush Life (one of my favourite songs) gets me every time.

I love it too. It was actually due to a listen session with you Paul that I decided to stick with my Speakers Corner copy and save my money on the Acoustic Sounds reissue, but I'd still love to hear it.

I'm excited about the Alice - one of my all time favourite LPs - but my concern is that they might go for maximum 'clarity' and it will end up a teeny bit harp-forward. It's essential that Cecil McBee comes out strong on Satchidananda - it's one of his greatest performances for me. In fact its just about my favourite bass playing on record!

The Impulse reissue series of Satchidananda has always sounded good for me, so it will be interesting how much more we get.

 

[Tony L]

I'm excited about the Alice - one of my all time favourite LPs - but my concern is that they might go for maximum 'clarity' and it will end up a teeny bit harp-forward. It's essential that Cecil McBee comes out strong on Satchidananda - it's one of his greatest performances for me. In fact its just about my favourite bass playing on record!

If they do it as well as Karma I’ll be very happy. That is a very big and powerful sounding record, real weight and push to the horns and percussion, certainly not some pretty tinkly audiophile thing. It has the mid-range bite I expect from Impulse and Blue Note which is too often prettied out on audiophile cuts. To my ears Karma is the best so far from either the Acoustic Sounds or Tone Poets ranges I’ve heard so far. I’d also certainly not expect them to cut the bass at all.

The Impulse reissue series of Satchidananda has always sounded good for me, so it will be interesting how much more we get.

IIRC yours is the 97-98 ‘Mastered by Capitol’ 180g. I’d expect the Acoustic Sounds to be very substantially better. Laughably so. That range is not bad as such, but personally I prefer the similar era CDs to them. I always feel there is something dead and muted about them compared to a genuinely good pressing (e.g. US original, Japanese etc). I’ve never been able to explain it but I’ve swapped-out any I had. A shame as they tend to be nice quiet flat pressings.

 

[Elephantears]

That range is not bad as such, but personally I prefer the similar era CDs to them. I always feel there is something dead and muted about them compared to a genuinely good pressing (e.g. US original, Japanese etc).

I think the CD and LP are pretty much equivalent in that series. It's extremely hard to find originals of the late 60s Alice. I think the edition of Satchidananda is better than others in that series. You have to listen for the difference between the studio and live tracks on that album and take into account how much compression was used on the studio tracks. It's essential to the recording and to some extent makes for that thick morass of sound which is unique to that record.

 

[RickyC6]

If they do it as well as Karma I’ll be very happy. That is a very big and powerful sounding record, real weight and push to the horns and percussion, certainly not some pretty tinkly audiophile thing. It has the mid-range bite I expect from Impulse and Blue Note which is too often prettied out on audiophile cuts. To my ears Karma is the best so far from either the Acoustic Sounds or Tone Poets ranges I’ve heard so far. I’d also certainly not expect them to cut the bass at all.



IIRC yours is the 97-98 ‘Mastered by Capitol’ 180g. I’d expect the Acoustic Sounds to be very substantially better. Laughably so. That range is not bad as such, but personally I prefer the similar era CDs to them. I always feel there is something dead and muted about them compared to a genuinely good pressing (e.g. US original, Japanese etc). I’ve never been able to explain it but I’ve swapped-out any I had. A shame as they tend to be nice quiet flat pressings.

Never heard Karma before until I dialled it up on Spotify today. Loved it. Can you point me at the right versh on Amazon please?

 

[Tony L]

Acoustic Sounds version here (Amazon). Not cheap I’m afraid, but this series just isn’t. It really is worth it though, one of those records that will stay in regular rotation here for sure.

 

[RickyC6]

Thanks. As a compulsive Tone Poet purchaser I wasn’t expecting cheap!

 

[Tony L]

Thanks. As a compulsive Tone Poet purchaser I wasn’t expecting cheap!

They’ve always seemed about a fiver more on average. I got the Ray Charles cheaply as Amazon’s algorithm decided it was worth about £20 for one day, but any others have been in the £37-41 sort of range. From memory I’ve got six of them and IMO Karma is the best of them. It is also a crazy hard title to find on vinyl (as are all Sanders’ Impulse titles), so well worth the punt while its there IMO.

We also need to collectively encourage Chad to venture outside his easy-listening wheelhouse as there are many amazing Impulse titles that need doing; all the Shepp, Alice, Sanders, late Coltrane etc. I’d love to see Chad have the courage to do Coltrane’s Interstellar Space, Om etc (I’m lucky as I’ve got amazing Japanese copies here). These were never great pressings originally, but the recordings are stunning. Especially Interstellar Space which is one of the best ‘hi-fi’ records ever. Just Coltrane and Ali in the room with you. Hi-fi doesn’t get any better. I’d love to see him reissue Ascension too. Again I’m happy there, I have a US original, but it is such a visceral monster of a thing it should be available to all. Such an important ground-breaking record. They all are. I’m not saying there shouldn’t be yet another nice copy of Jazz Samba in print, but I really wish the more ‘out there’ stuff was released from captivity. I think the world is ready for this stuff now even if it was viewed as “difficult” in the past.