Blue Note Classic Vinyl Reissues
- Thread starter poco a poco
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paulfromcamden
Baffled
It's a shame the Penguin Guide To Jazz stopped after Brian Morton's death. Though I understand it would have been an epic endeavour for Richard Cook to continue on his own.
Graham H
pfm Member
Other way around, Paul. Richard Cook died 2007 age 50, Brian Morton is still with us.
paulfromcamden
Baffled
Of course. Thank you Graham.
Graham H
pfm Member
And I agree, it’s a shame the Penguin Guide stopped, although from what I understand it couldn’t have continued without Richard.
poco a poco
I'm Jim
It’s surprising how much some of the earlier editions of the guide cost now. The sixth and seventh paperbacks are generally £100 plus in good condition. I have the 6th. The 10th is still available at at about £30, but that is the last and cutdown version with no star ratings and in alphabetical not chronological order and therefore not as good in my opinion.
The full 8th edition is available as a free download for the Internet Archive for those who want to check out a copy:
https://archive.org/details/penguinguidetoja00cook_1/mode/2up
The full 8th edition is available as a free download for the Internet Archive for those who want to check out a copy:
https://archive.org/details/penguinguidetoja00cook_1/mode/2up
Graham H
pfm Member
Heads up for Friday’s BNC titles; Lonnie Smith - Turning Point, and Ike Qubec - Heavy Soul.
Turning Point is essential IMO. Great compositions and arrangements, no dead wood - even Eleanor Rigby develops into a great Lonnie Smith groove. With Lee Morgan, Bennie Maupin, Julian Priester, Melvin Sparks and Idris Mohammad - phew! Look forward to replacing my 90s pressing which sounds a bit flat and rolled off, hopefully the BNC will shine.
I can understand anyone for not liking Ike Qubec, but for me he’s a guilty pleasure - I just love his cavernous sound. It’s almost enough - he doesn’t have to do much, in that respect a bit like Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster. I may be alone on this one, although I think Jim is partial to a bit of Ike too. (It Might As Well Be Spring is IQ’s tour de force, an album that the Blue Note people seem to have forgotten about. Pity.)
Turning Point is essential IMO. Great compositions and arrangements, no dead wood - even Eleanor Rigby develops into a great Lonnie Smith groove. With Lee Morgan, Bennie Maupin, Julian Priester, Melvin Sparks and Idris Mohammad - phew! Look forward to replacing my 90s pressing which sounds a bit flat and rolled off, hopefully the BNC will shine.
I can understand anyone for not liking Ike Qubec, but for me he’s a guilty pleasure - I just love his cavernous sound. It’s almost enough - he doesn’t have to do much, in that respect a bit like Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster. I may be alone on this one, although I think Jim is partial to a bit of Ike too. (It Might As Well Be Spring is IQ’s tour de force, an album that the Blue Note people seem to have forgotten about. Pity.)
paulfromcamden
Baffled
I'm an Ike fan too - though for me Blue and Sentimental is the one.
mikechadwick
pfm Member
Other way round for me!
Graham H
pfm Member
The slice of cheese is obligatory on these soul jazz titles - but as I mentioned even ER turns into an infectious groove.
poco a poco
I'm Jim
Graham, yes you’r right I am a bit of an Ike fan I am also looking forward to a good pressing (hopefully) of this as well. I have the Music Matters of Blue & Sentimental. Although I am not the greatest fan of Organ jazz with a few exceptions I am also in for Turning Point as well. Can’t miss it with this fabulous line up. Ordered both mine some while ago. Supposed to be Sunday delivery, but hopefully a bit earlier.
I’m hoping that they do Ike’s 1962 ‘It Might As Well Be Spring’ at some point and this has an Organ on it as well played by Freddie Roach, but it does have Milt Hinton on Double Bass as well. Preferably as a Tone Poet. I think I heard this was on Joe’s radar?
poco a poco
I'm Jim
Following these two that are last on the present this no although there has been some rumours / speculation. I expect the offal new list will be out late this month.
August 18, 2023 – The Avant-Garde
Anthony Williams – Spring (1965)
Cecil Taylor – Unit Structures (1966)
I already have Spring on pre order, but I’m still debating about Unit Structures as I have a good early pressing. Both are on Amazon and both IMHO are essential if you don’t have them or decent pressings.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0C9QRGJ1M/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C9QTP4QB/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
I really am desperate for space now though and two of my record shelves collapsed with a bang lat night, but luckily with no damage. I have had to spent the morning so far rebuilding the.
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
gavreid
Pretty Words...
I really am desperate for space now though and two of my record shelves collapsed with a bang lat night, but luckily with no damage. I have had to spent the morning so far rebuilding the.
That's dreadful you got away with that! A warning though maybe?
paulfromcamden
Baffled
Ouch! If it's any consolation my wardrobe collapsed a few years ago because I'd stuffed too many records in the back after running out of places to stash them.. doh!
paulfromcamden
Baffled
Spotted this photo of Alfred Lions and a host of BN stars taking a break. Outside Englewood Cliffs maybe?
L-R: Alfred Lions, Pau Chambers, Art Taylor, Ray Bryant, Lee Morgan, Curtis Fuller, Clifford Jordan, John Jenkins.
L-R: Alfred Lions, Pau Chambers, Art Taylor, Ray Bryant, Lee Morgan, Curtis Fuller, Clifford Jordan, John Jenkins.
poco a poco
I'm Jim
I’m enjoying both of these as well and it seems I have lucked out again with these Optimal pressings. Both of mine are flat and very quiet even in the dead wax. Pretty much to best RTI standards. OK if I am hypercritical there are two or three very low level clicks at the end of the last track on side two of Heavy Soul that I think will probably disappear with another clean. Gavin it seems good pressings are out there so maybe worth an exchange?
This record has beautiful low level subtle sounds on it like the very low level brushes on cymbals that Al Harewood plays over Milt Hinton’s Bass solo on the title track. All sounding very clear and detailed. This is very much an Ike Quebec album all though he has great support from the rest of the band, especially Freddie Roach. I can can also hear as Graham says a bit of Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins in his playing and sometimes some Stan Getz as well, but he is very much his own man here. He really sounds way out front and in my room on this mastering and pressing, but carrying a large part of Englewood with it as well it really sounds huge (really a lot of this is RVG’s excellent recording with a lot (possibly excessive amounts?) of plate reverb added. His tone does sound great though huge and rich. Really is a “Guilty Pleasure” to hear.
Turning Point is also and really swings and grooves and Lonnie’s interpretation of Eleanor Rigby is really interesting with it’s stop, that makes you think it’s finishing’ restart that then takes it to another level. Great solos by Bernie Maupin and Lee Morgan as well. I thing my favourite track though is ‘People Sure Act Funny’ that really hits a Groove. All this lineup sounds excellent throughout though.
gavreid
Pretty Words...
I don't feel that I return records that I've put through the ultrasonic and the vacuum machine really. That's the risk. I am going to give the stylus a good clean on the AT and try again, I think I might have been collecting gunk recently, it's not too easy to see.
Graham H
pfm Member
Both mine very quiet and flat - nice poly inner sleeves and no static when new. Turning Point sounds fantastic here, much better than my unknown provenance 90s copy. As Jim says, interesting arrangements on Turning Point - even more noticeable on this edition.