Classic records reissues of Blue Note
- Thread starter banjoman
- Start date
Kt77
pfm Member
They actually aren't that bad, if you're referring to the 45 RPM - 2 LP Sets?. But my preference is for those pressed/re-issued by Music Matters LTD first, and then the ones through Analogue Productions.
I've been quite pleased with Japanese pressings of Blue Note's as well and many other Jazz labels since 1972. I've found these pressing are very much on par with some of the older pressing from the USA. But the 45 RPM's do take the overall detailing to another level all together.
Analogue Production seems to care less about packaging as well as having somewhat more surface noise when compared to Music Matters LTD, but in most cases there are many options these days, so it's somewhat of a crap shot.
Regards,
scar
I've been quite pleased with Japanese pressings of Blue Note's as well and many other Jazz labels since 1972. I've found these pressing are very much on par with some of the older pressing from the USA. But the 45 RPM's do take the overall detailing to another level all together.
Analogue Production seems to care less about packaging as well as having somewhat more surface noise when compared to Music Matters LTD, but in most cases there are many options these days, so it's somewhat of a crap shot.
Regards,
scarActually these are not the 45 RPM sets - they are meant to be exact replicas/reissues of the original 33 RPM mono records
Here's a link
http://www.discogs.com/Cannonball-Adderley-Somethin-Else/release/3092557
Here's a link
http://www.discogs.com/Cannonball-Adderley-Somethin-Else/release/3092557
They actually aren't that bad, if you're referring to the 45 RPM - 2 LP Sets?. But my preference is for those pressed/re-issued by Music Matters LTD first, and then the ones through Analogue Productions.
I've been quite pleased with Japanese pressings of Blue Note's as well and many other Jazz labels since 1972. I've found these pressing are very much on par with some of the older pressing from the USA. But the 45 RPM's do take the overall detailing to another level all together.
Analogue Production seems to care less about packaging as well as having somewhat more surface noise when compared to Music Matters LTD, but in most cases there are many options these days, so it's somewhat of a crap shot.
Regards,
Tony L
Administrator
I've got a fair few of the Classic Reccords 33rpm Blue Notes, both stereo and mono, and I love them. Seriously good sounding records served up in fabulous vintage quality sleeves. Classic Records no longer exist though, and haven't for a couple of years, so any still out there will be NOS, i.e. don't expect a retailer to be able to fulfil any orders that they haven't actually got in stock..
Kt77
pfm Member
Ops!, I seemed to have missed the Classic Records part in the OP, as the 33 RPM versions as Tony has mentioned were in fact nicely recorded - if somewhat on the hot side for my taste, but that's just because I've become accustomed to those on Music Matters LTD, as they merely highlight a more balanced sound with added texture and detailing that the older ones glossed over.
I mentioned Analogue Production in Saline, Kansas as they were the ones whom own the rights to those Classic Records tapes and have been re-issuing them at 45 RPM for several years now, as well as offering several nice titles from Verve and are in fact re-doing many of the classic Prestige Recording still March.
My bad for missing that.
Cheers, scar
I mentioned Analogue Production in Saline, Kansas as they were the ones whom own the rights to those Classic Records tapes and have been re-issuing them at 45 RPM for several years now, as well as offering several nice titles from Verve and are in fact re-doing many of the classic Prestige Recording still March.
My bad for missing that.
Cheers,
scar
Kt77
pfm Member
Hi banjoman,
I normally buy online from sources such as AudiophileUSA.com - Elusivedisc.com - Acousticsounds.com - Musicdirect.com - Soundstagedirect.com as well through eBay ( where they can sometimes be found for as little as $40 each ) compared to $50. I'd never buy them directly from Music Matters, as they charge $10 for shipping per LP.
Overall I thing that Acoustic Sounds does a hell of a packing job, and you can get 3-5 LP's for the same price of $7.95 shipping stateside, or as many that would fit into said container.
Yet, don't by any means overlook the Japanese pressings, some claim they're somewhat sterile or something to that effect!, but I've always felt these people just might want to consider that this might be an effect of their cartridges and/or amps that are merely aren't accurate or that they're listening to instead of the actual recordings themselves.
I tend to pursue the 45 RPM versions first, and then go after the Japanese pressings if they aren't available in said speed. As far as chasing many of the Originals - I say that as nice as their sonics are and they're quite impressive to say the least - the snob factor comes into play price wise and some of them can go for as much as $1.300 each, and we aren't even talking about ones in NM/Mint condition at that. I can't speak for others but I only buy records that are in NM/Mint condition " Only ".
Regardless of how great a record may sound - to me a scratch is a scratch, and I'd rather pass. Maybe I'm being to picky here?, but in my mind I just can't see spending $50 and upwards for anything less then Mint.
Have a safe trip over, and an even better shopping one.
Cheers,
scar
Kt77
pfm Member
Hi banjoman,
Do yourself a favor and scroll through Robert's older post on these Music Matters LTD pressings to get a feel for what I'm getting at!.
http://robertmusic.blogspot.com/2012/06/final-four-from-music-matters-for-now.html?m=1
If you're able to go after the tags?, just enter Blue Note and it should go back as far as his first posting on them, at said point look at what he's saying about the ones pressed by Acoustic Sounds along with Classic Records and then read between the lines on those pressed in Japan.
I hope this helps you in knowing the truth of the matter?, as my record collection is fast approaching 20.000, and I'm a jazz head. I think that I might just know just a little about the subject - just a little.
Regards,
scar
Do yourself a favor and scroll through Robert's older post on these Music Matters LTD pressings to get a feel for what I'm getting at!.
http://robertmusic.blogspot.com/2012/06/final-four-from-music-matters-for-now.html?m=1
If you're able to go after the tags?, just enter Blue Note and it should go back as far as his first posting on them, at said point look at what he's saying about the ones pressed by Acoustic Sounds along with Classic Records and then read between the lines on those pressed in Japan.
I hope this helps you in knowing the truth of the matter?, as my record collection is fast approaching 20.000, and I'm a jazz head. I think that I might just know just a little about the subject - just a little.
Regards,
scar
Kt77
pfm Member
banjoman, It goes without saying - but you're more then welcome. As I often say to friends/associates as a means to justify things " We only live once ".
So if something's in life bring you joy?, then I'd say it's a worthwhile investment. And when it comes to ones music collection - you can never have enough. As a friend tells me all the time when he's going through my records - why aren't you playing many of them?, are you just into collecting them for the sake of ownership?, play them - play them - play them.
And the nice thing about it is, his words couldn't be truer.
Enjoy,
scar
Tony L
Administrator
The only thing I'd add is to think carefully if the 45rpm 2xLP format really appeals. I know they give that extra nth degree of clarity, dynamics etc, but it's not as if cutting suffers much at a typical Blue Note's side length of around 18 minutes (they tend to be very short albums) - in their original 33rpm format these are truly fabulous sounding LPs, some of the finest sounding vinyl around, plus the sides obviously play as they should without having to get up and flip the record after each track or two. I've only one 45rpm double, Coltrane's Crescent (Impulse, not Blue Note), and I'd prefer it in it's original two sided 33rpm format to be honest, it's just a bit of a faff even if it does sound great.
Kt77
pfm Member
Hi Tony,
I'd agree with you, due to them being fitted to run at said higher speed does in fact shorten the playing time per side and does give one a work out getting up every 15 minutes or so, but to my ears it's well worth it.
And just want until you've had a chance to compare Trane's - Love Supreme 45 RPM to any of the standard versions, it's going to blow your mind.
Tony, might I ask - what's your take on the Japanese pressings in general?, did you prefer the older ones pressed during the 60's on King Records?, or the later ones during the 70/80's on Toshiba?. Just curious.
Cheers,
scar
Tony L
Administrator
I've not had the chance to compare different vintages of the same title as they Japanese pressings are obviously fairly expensive and scarce here in the UK. I've got a fair few including many Blue Notes, Impulse etc, all of which I love. I certainly rate Japanese pressings very highly indeed.
I guess I've got more experience with Impulse rather than Blue Note as i have a fair few US RVG cut originals, and, whilst the 1960s US originals tend to be a bit noisy and are clearly pressed on inferior vinyl they have a life, directness and vibrancy that to my ears beats both the Japanese and the likes of Speakers Corner etc (latter often being a little over-warm to my ears, though still very nice). I think I'd take Japanese pressings in preference to anything else though. Classic Records could be utterly wonderful, some being amongst the best vinyl I've ever heard in my life (e.g. Sonny Meets Hawk, The Bridge etc RCA reissues), but of the 200g pressings titles some did have QC issues e.g. eccentricity, stitching, infill etc, which is annoying and you'd never find any of that on a Japanese LP. When it comes to Classic Records I'd argue the 180g range was superior.
I'm not sure how coherent the above is, but to summarise, yes, I like Japanese vinyl a lot!
PS I assume the 2x45 A Love Supreme will be from the recently rediscovered safety master or whatever it was that led to the (excellent) CD issue of a couple of years ago. That was certainly a huge step up digitally, so I assume the vinyl will be amazing.
Kt77
pfm Member
Thanks Tony,
It lets me know that you're into Impulse as well. As I've yet to venture off onto any of those Speaker Corners - it's nice to have you speak on them as well, as I've often thought about trying out a few titles namely several Stan Getz LP's.
But this has also allowed me to be more open-minded towards those Classic Records 180 Gram, as I was merely referring to the 200G ones I've owned and sold to friends as they never did anything for me.
Thanks again - Tony.
Cheers,
scar
Tony L
Administrator
I'd say Speakers Corner had a bit of a sound / aesthetic of their own, they certainly seem to veer towards the warm, lush and spacious rather than forward, dynamic, attacking, and the contrast with original US Impulse pressings can be pretty extreme in this regard, the originals sound far more lively to me. They are always beautifully pressed; flat, quiet and well centred. The Getz Gilberto album is a bit of an oddity as, for some reason I forget, Astrud's voice on Girl From Ipanema is centred rather than panned hard-right. There is some lengthy discussion about this on Steve Hoffman, but I can't recall the reason as to why it's different from every other stereo copy I've ever heard. Other than that it's a nice record, certainly on the warm and lush side, but not in a bad way. I must have about 10 Speakers Corner LPs, mainly Impulse reissues, though some Verve and a few others too.
Elephantears
Trunkated Aesthete
I only have one Classic Records, and its the 200g 'Kind of Blue', which I think is very good.
The Speakers Corners reissues I have are excellent; Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown really gets the central voice superbly, as does Coltrane with Johnny Hartmann; what Tony says about the warm presentation is particularly suited to this kind of recording.
With Analogue Productions I've not been so lucky; 'Coltrane' by Coltrane has one of my favourite Coltrane tracks, the ecstatic modal version of 'Out of This World', but they've messed it up. The left channel is strangely recessed, which is crazy mistake to make when Coltrane's sax comes out of the left channel. I also have 'Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus', which is more impressive, but I've still never quite warmed to its ultra detailed approach.
( I realise I've gone off-topic and away from Blue Note, but we seemed to be veering in that general direction)
The Speakers Corners reissues I have are excellent; Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown really gets the central voice superbly, as does Coltrane with Johnny Hartmann; what Tony says about the warm presentation is particularly suited to this kind of recording.
With Analogue Productions I've not been so lucky; 'Coltrane' by Coltrane has one of my favourite Coltrane tracks, the ecstatic modal version of 'Out of This World', but they've messed it up. The left channel is strangely recessed, which is crazy mistake to make when Coltrane's sax comes out of the left channel. I also have 'Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus', which is more impressive, but I've still never quite warmed to its ultra detailed approach.
( I realise I've gone off-topic and away from Blue Note, but we seemed to be veering in that general direction)
Kt77
pfm Member
Hi RickyC6,
This is far from inappropriate - as I uses to use a Nakamichi RX-303 as well a BX-300 underneath the bed with headphones during the 80's.
Talk about memories and the good old days. TDK Metal Tapes were my bread and butter during this period, recording plenty of late night jazz programs from either NPR or the CBC ( out of Winnepeg, Canada ) was a blast and turned me onto a few artist that I knew nothing about at this time.
Sweet Memories indeed.
Regards,
scar
Kt77
pfm Member
Hi John,
Thanks for adding your spin on both the Speaker Corners and Analogue Productions LP's. As it relates to pressings that were intended to be on a par or better then the originals?, it's always a bonus to have multiple views, as I've looked at the Soeaker Corners releases for years now - but never knew if they were worth investing in?.
So this at least gives me some sort of reassurance that there's hope after all.
Thanks for sharing said information.
Regards,
scar