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Blue Note Classic Vinyl Reissues

Inner Urge, Caramba and one I missed, Speak No Evil (some represses emerging it seems?) on their way to me, along with the Joe Pass TP.
Ace.
 
I was going to pass on Caramba at first as I have a lot of Lee Morgan and I’m still trying to be more selective. While I don’t think it is amongst his best it is still very good and as I can’t really pass on just about anything from him, so I caved in (again). Mine is arriving on Sunday.
 
I'm really enjoying Inner Urge just now - mine is flat, quiet and dynamic, a little more dynamic than the CD copy I have. This title is one of my favorites, a classic worthy of the name and another belter from the BN team.

I'll add something on Caramba later. First impression is of the lovely gatefold sleeve, although the front photo isn't the crispest (but maybe the original wasn't either).
 
For those who are going to give a listen to Caramba today or anything by Lee Morgan.

Today and also a Saturday marks the 50th Anniversary year (Saturday 19th February 1972 ) from when he was tragically shot by his wife between sets at Slugs Saloon in the East Village, NY. He died on the way to hospital. His grave had been lost, but has recently been rediscovered.
https://www.npr.org/2022/02/16/1080984321/lee-morgan-50th-anniversary-death-gravesite

My copy of Caramba arrives tomorrow so I’ll give ‘Search For The New Land’ a spin as that seems appropriate.
 
Mine arrived too along with a Speak No Evil that dealer dug out for me. Saturday night sorted (For Django too!).
 
RickyC6 said:
Mine arrived too along with a Speak No Evil that dealer dug out for me. Saturday night sorted (For Django too!).
Click to expand...

Speak No Evil has been pressed again but not the other early releases as far as I know. Let us know if Django is a bit clicky, mine is but only a little - I've had two copies.
 
With regard to pressing quality both of mine were fine. Flat and quiet, again even in the dead wax.

I have played Inner Urge twice though now because although the recording and Kevin’s mastering of it is very good it does not reach the really excellent level that Destination Out did. To me at least the two tracks on side one do not sound as good as the three on side two. It’s not bad at all by any means, but does is not have quite the same in your room presence and ‘air’ that side two has or the best of the few others I have in this series. Strange. It’s almost sounds that side two it is cut at a very slightly higher level. I’m certain it’s not. McCoy’s piano has the often heard weaknesses of Van Gelder’s recording of this instrument throughout and this is a shame as Tyner playing is top notch and may be part of the problem. I particularly miss some ‘weight’ from the body of the piano with his left-hand cords. On side two though he does sound a bit less muddy particularly when you hear Van Gelder bring up the level for his solos. There is also a little more clarity and detail to Henderson’s sax so that you hear hear his reed vibrating especially at the end of ‘You Know I Care’. There is little more separation and ‘air’ around Elvin’s cymbals as well at least to my ears.

I am thinking that possibly the side one tapes may show a bit more wear or deterioration? I can hear a couple of tape edits or split second dropouts. The tapes are a few years older than the Caramba Ones for instance and have seen many more remastering over the years. Perhaps I am just being too fussy in wanting even more from this recording? :rolleyes: Does anyone else hear any difference between sides one and two. The music is still great of course and it is the best mastering I have heard, but I wondering now if the Music Matters 2x45rpm is possibly somewhat better?

I have no quibbles about Caramba that sounds really good in this pressing and there is a wonderful swing to this music. :)

Edited for some typo's.
 
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Inner Urge. Quite frankly, it’s a stunner. Such great playing from Henderson and Jones in particular. Poco, I’m not hearing the side 1 v side 2 difference really, apart from, is it the sheer intensity of El Barrio that gives that impression?
I’m firmly of the mind that 1965/66 is my favourite jazz era.
Edited to add…my copy has a dodgy first groove on side 1 that sticks…before the music starts so easy enough to move on…may require a “scrub”.
 
RickyC6 said:
Inner Urge. Quite frankly, it’s a stunner. Such great playing from Henderson and Jones in particular. Poco, I’m not hearing the side 1 v side 2 difference really, apart from, is it the sheer intensity of El Barrio that gives that impression?
I’m firmly of the mind that 1965/66 is my favourite jazz era.
Edited to add…my copy has a dodgy first groove on side 1 that sticks…before the music starts so easy enough to move on…may require a “scrub”.
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Rickey,
You may be right and perhaps it intensity and drive of El Barrio on side two compared to them more subdued entry to a Inner Urge on side one, plus the comparative greater clarity of the piano on this track. It could also just be my mood as I was trying to fix a serious problem with our Central Heating boiler before these arrived and I can’t get the engineer out until Tuesday afternoon. So I need to give it another spin when I am in a better frame of mind.
 
Speak No Evil on now. I’d missed this one but seems there’s either old stock about or a repress (I think the former as it’s a paper inner with no poly). Again…1965/66. They’d all moved on…expressing themselves individually but still constrained sufficiently to keep it swinging. What a line up. Joyous music.
 
RickyC6 said:
Speak No Evil on now. I’d missed this one but seems there’s either old stock about or a repress (I think the former as it’s a paper inner with no poly). Again…1965/66. They’d all moved on…expressing themselves individually but still constrained sufficiently to keep it swinging. What a line up. Joyous music.
Click to expand...
Apparently according to some posts on the SH forum the Classics that had paper sleeves on first pressing for some strange reason also have paper sleeves with the repress version. The only reason I can think of is that they did not need to print more sleeves (I think Optimal prints the sleeves themselves?) and the inners and outer are a package?

I think @gavreid may have got a Speak No Evil repress? Perhaps he can clarify the above if he did.
 
Finishing off tonight’s jazz session with Caramba. Another essential title. Cedar Walton standing out more than I’ve heard him before. On the 50th anniversary of Lee Morgan’s demise…
 
poco a poco said:
Apparently according to some posts on the SH forum the Classics that had paper sleeves on first pressing for some strange reason also have paper sleeves with the repress version. The only reason I can think of is that they did not need to print more sleeves (I think Optimal prints the sleeves themselves?) and the inners and outer are a package?

I think @gavreid may have got a Speak No Evil repress? Perhaps he can clarify the above if he did.
Click to expand...

Yes that's right - the represses have the same paper sleeves.
 
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