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BLUE NOTE 75TH ANNIVERSARY VINYL REISSUES

Had a further dig around on Amazon. Here's the Larry Young on German Amazon:
http://www.amazon.de/dp/B00HG30CE8/?tag=pinkfishmed08-21
It is described as
Unity (Limited Edition + Downloadcode) [Vinyl LP]
The label is Blue Note Universal Music
The ASIN is B00HG30CE8

The one I ordered from Amazon is described as:
Label: Decca (UMO)
ASIN: B00HG30CE8

In other words if this supplier is sending out the cheaper US edition not the EU then they are not using the correct ASIN number.
 
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I received Larry Young 'Unity' last week from Amazon. Described as Decca UMO and that is what I received. Sounds fantastic. I don't use the Marketplace for 75ths (although I do for Heavenly Sweetness).

According to Hoffman forumite EU 75ths pressed at Optimal - apparently they have a good reputation.
 
Thanks, Graham - I won't give up hope yet!

Optimal is where the Beatles mono box is being pressed, after the debacle with the American pressing of the stereo box.
 
Fox said:
That's the one. There have been a few goes at this with none of them being stellar so I am hoping they got it right, they seem to have done so so far. It's a great LP if only for "52nd street theme"

I have bought the USA versions for price reasons.... £10-£11 for the older ones with the current batch at £12... As these (ought to be) USA editions they are slightly thinner 140g but do not seem to suffer any the less for that.
Click to expand...

I think that some of the recordings date back to 1949, so I'm not expecting SQ miracles at any price. This might be a good US one to get so long as the pressing is okay.
 
Fox said:
Buying direct from Amazon gets you the uk edition with download code, the autorip and the 180g
Click to expand...

Just as a warning, not all of mine have had auto-rip. The Sonny Rollins one didn't and I don't think the Joe Henderson one did either. The McCoy Tyner one only had 4 tracks in the official download too (no idea why). Interestingly, the auto-rip mp3s all been of the RVG editions, so you get all the extra tracks where appropriate.
 
very nice Daytona, but I feel Jackie McLean or Andrew Hill whilst eating would give me indigestion! Having said that, John Patton or Ike Quebec might go down nicely.
 
Has anybody bought the new Herbie Hancock Speak Like A Child? I was just wondering what the quality of this reissue is like?
 
Well, my order from Amazon arrived - the Ornette Coleman is the EU edition with download and 180 gms; the Larry Young is another copy of the US edition. The ASIN numbers at Amazon appear to be inconsistent, while the bar code sticker on the Young is something else again. The Coleman invoice matches with the ASIN number on Amazon. I am trying to return the Larry Young for a replacement/refund.
 
I'd don't think Amazon distinguish between UK and US pressings. I had "Free for All" in my wishlist supplied by Amazon and got a note saying the price had dropped by 40%. When I checked this was now the supplied by MEGA Media product therefore, I presume, the US pressing. My copy of Maiden Voyage had a UK barcode on the top of the shrinkwrap covering the US barcode so their stock computers can't see it as a different product.
 
Just picked up the Sonny Rollins Live at the Village Vanguard UK pressing - a massive improvement on the tinny and abrasive RVG CD - I now get why this record is so highly regarded .... And it shows that people chatting at gigs goes back some years!
 
Very bad crackle on one track of my EU Copy of 'Speak No Evil' - haven't cleaned it yet but sounds like serious groove damage to me. I bought it in Canada so no returns on this one.
A shame as it sounds pretty good otherwise.
 
The December batch looks interesting. I have 60s copies of Andrew Hill 'Black Fire' and Tony Williams 'Spring' - both essential IMO. I mean - Sam Rivers and Wayne Shorter playing together - who could ask for anything more? I've ordered Jackie McLean 'Let Freedom Ring' - never had a copy of this - really looking forward to it. Great cover.

I've also been going through a bit of a Larry Young fad, so I've taken a punt on Grant Green 'Street of Dreams'.

Hopefully the EU pressings will be back at Optimal. Rumour has it the last two or three months were pressed elsewhere (GZ?) due to Optimal reaching capacity with the Beatles Mono set. Anybody got anything to report about the quality of the last three months' EU releases?
 
I bought a copy of Cecil Taylor's Unit Structures from my local record shop yesterday, and returned it for a refund today! There were crackles throughout, and most of the instruments sounded distant and one-dimensional. I was pretty shocked - is this the norm for these reissues, or was I unlucky in getting what was either a very bad pressing, or very poor mastering (maybe from CD?) or both?

A shame, as this is great music. Conquistador is even better, but I have an original 60s pressing of that which is superb, and on the strength of this I won't bother with any more of these reissues.
 
Was it an EU copy? If so not the norm IME - so far. There have been many more complaints regarding the US editions. However, I have a navy blue 70s copy of 'Unit Structures' and I've heard an original - I don't think it was VG's best moment. On my copy the piano sounds like a poor baby grand with the lid shut. A travesty and insult to Cecil Taylor. 'Conquistador' is technically a better recording, especially the piano.

I'm filling gaps in my collection with the 75th Series with those titles not covered elsewhere by Music Matters, and so far I have stuck to the European pressings. They are not mastered from CD, but from recent Hi Res files supplied by BN. 'Let Freedom Ring' sounds excellent and was mastered by Bernie Grundman, cut and pressed at GZ. Earlier editions in the series up until August were pressed at Optimal in Germany.

I really can't see the likes of Music Matters or Analogue Productions getting around to the likes of Cecil Taylor, Don Cherry or some of the lesser known Andrew Hill (I wish someone would reissue 'Compulsion'). They just won't sell enough copies.
 
I didn't check before returning it, but will see if I can find an EU copy. The shop has most of these reissues in stock, and I'll see if the source is obvious. They also have numerous Doxy LPs, so perhaps I'll try somewhere else.
 
EU editions: if you look at rear cover the Universal logo sits to the right hand side of the 75 Blue Note logo. In the very small print below Complete Catalogue info, it will say Made in EU and credit mastering (Bernie Grundman, Alan Yoshida et al).

I hope you have better luck. I know John From Norwich who has posted here commented that many shops - in his case Honest Jons - appear to be stocking US copies, and are unaware of US/EU sources. The US are usually cheaper.

I have quite a few 75ths and I prefer them to 80s (Pathe/Marconi) pressings and far superior to Scorpio. Whils some BN CDs can sound great, I just think the natural home for BN is vinyl. How can anyone resist the forthcoming Don Cherry?
 
Thanks Graham. I'll have a look next weekend - fortunately there are two shops not far from me which are both stocking these LPs.

I fully agree on Complete Communion and may put the CD on later, but would probably reach first for Mu 1 & 2 on BYG or Eternal Rhythm if I want to listen to Don Cherry.
 
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