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Coltrane Atlantic box set - anyone got it?

JTC

JTC

PFM Villager...
I'm interested in the 'Trane Atlantic box set, you know the 12 LP complete recordings one. I'd like to know if it's worth the cost (not cheap, but on a per-record basis it's reasonable enough). What are the pressings like, and is it one of these digitally remastered monstrosities, or have they done a really decent job (like Classic records appear to have done on Miles' "Kind of Blue" release I mentioned earlier in the week)?

jtc
 
I have the set and while it is very decent, I do not know how it compares to the original pressings or what Classic might have done. It's hard to tell whether the end result is because of the master tapes (some of the Atlantics, e.g. Ornette Coleman's original masters, have been destroyed) or the mastering/pressing.

You should be aware that there two editions of the box. The first was a several thousand limited edition which was clearly marketed as from the analog tapes with some of the alternates in digital remastered form (missing analog masters). I guess this one sold out early and they reissued another pressing recently. I have the latter which I bought for about GBP 100 from Munich prior to the Euro.

I would get them if you're a Coltrane fan. I think they cover Coltrane's best period. Unless you have the original or early pressings, I don't think these would dissappoint.

Rgds
 
Originally posted by hockman
You should be aware that there two editions of the box. The first was a several thousand limited edition which was clearly marketed as from the analog tapes with some of the alternates in digital remastered form (missing analog masters). I guess this one sold out early and they reissued another pressing recently. I have the latter which I bought for about GBP 100 from Munich prior to the Euro.
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I have the former (i.e one of the limited edition) the music is excellent, and the pressings are pretty decent IMHO.
 
Ah, mine's the earlier version as well. Didn't realise there were two. Still basically essential.

-- Ian
 
I'm pretty sure that the first set was from the analog masters, although I don't really know about the second set which I own. Overall I find the sonics quite good if not night and day from the 80s "cardboard" vinyl I have from Atlantic.

It would be nice to have Ornette's Beauty is a Rare Thing packaged similarly. I managed to find a late 60s or early 70s heavy vinyl of "The Shape of Jazz to Come" but the sound is really not that great. Same for Mingus' Blues & Roots. Any one know why?

On the other hand, a recent vinyl Rhino reissue of Ornette's This is Our Music sounds very decent.

Gosh, the arcana of various pressings is enough drive anyone mad!
 
Hockman,

I have the second edition of the box set. I can't compare it to originals, but on 'My Favourite Things' and 'Giant Steps' it's way better than my previous copies (French & German, respectively). As you pointed out at c. £100 the per disc price was very good.

It strikes me as an ideal set for those new to 'Trane and want the music on good quality vinyl.

That said, I have Favourite Things and Olé on Atlantic 50th anniversary remaster CD and they are both respectable on the CDX.
 
Both versions are limited but while the first version was numbered the second, 3000 copies, was not. I have the second version and no complaints on sound quality although my US original ‘Olé’ is better – tighter, more swing and real sounding bass. The box booklet gives credit to four guys for remastering – since the second version is a repressing of the first I would think also that one is remastered.


Carl
 
Has anyone, in the meantime, been able to find out whether the 2nd edition of "Heavyweight Champion" was mastered from analog, too? (I know the bonus tracks will be digital either way.) I have the CD version, and find it very good, actually.

Now that I have one of them record player thingies I feel I just need to get this set while it's still available, but it would help if I could justify the purchase on account of "vastly superior sound quality" ...
 
Thomas

I didn't go for the box set as I'm already well into getting them (and other Coltrane) on Classic or Speakers Corner and will wait for more of those or similar quality.

Where I have a classic/SC vs an ordinary quality Atlantic there is a resonable difference in terms of quietness, detail and dynamics (probably related.)

But a complete set on the very posh stuff will set you back more like three times the asking price of this box set. Bog standard Atlantic will cost about £8 a disc (in the UK) - pretty much the same as the box set if you got all 12 - with no bonus tracks. So if it's only a smigin better than the normal pressings then you're on to a winner.

Coltrane Atlantic: Giant Steps, Coltrane Jazz, My Favourite Things, Coltrane Plays the Blues, Coltranes Sound, Ole Coltrane.

Colaborations: Bags and Trans, The Avante-garde

Assuming one disc of extras (?), what at are the other three? I'm sure Atlantic would have done a 'best of' or two, but with the other discs this surely is redundant?

Jonathan
 
Jonathan Ribee said:
I didn't go for the box set as I'm already well into getting them (and other Coltrane) on Classic or Speakers Corner and will wait for more of those or similar quality.
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The box set has very good pressings. The best pressings to go for are still early originals, or 70s Japanese. A bit pricey though.

-- Ian
 
Jonathan,

Yes, getting the box set would be very economical vs. hunting down old copies (lordsumit: amazon marketplace sellers often have them and Acoustic Sounds also still offer them).

As regards bog-standard Atlantic LPs -- they may be different from the ones in the box set. I bought a bog-standard Atlantic reissue of Old Minger's "Blues and Roots" and was quite disappointed with the quality (don't mind hiss and all that, but it simply sounds muddles; the CD from the "Passions of a Man" set is much better in every way). Going by the comments here, "Heavyweight" must be better than that -- all I really want to know is whether it's better than its CD counterpart (when played on a very good/[bub]boring[/bub] CD player)! Sent Dr Rhino an e-mail asking whether the 2nd edition was also done from analogue, but I think it has become entirely unfashionable to reply to customer queries.

Missing titles: The CD version booklet also mentions "Coltrane Legacy" and "Alternate Takes", which apparently were "proper albums".
 
Thomas Kunzler said:
Missing titles: The CD version booklet also mentions "Coltrane Legacy" and "Alternate Takes", which apparently were "proper albums".
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They were, in a sense. IIRC they were first released shortly after Trane's death, in the flurry to release previously unreleased material.

The "bog standard" Atlantic reissues of the late 90s are pretty poor, if that's what you're referring to. The Rhino pressings are much better than that.

-- Ian
 
Ian, the Atlantic reissue of "Blues and Roots" has a facsimilie cover that offers no information on remastering/pressing, but it had a sticker on the cellophane that said "180 grams" (ooooooohh, I was so impressed) and "Manufactured under Licence by Rhino Records". So it appears that Rhino doesn't always = quality.

Are we still missing two LPs? I thought it said there were 12 ...
 
Rhino, Impulse and Prestige re-issues are definitely better pressings than bog standard Atlantic. I don't know if they are 90s or naughties (the ones I have) - but recent.

Speakers Corner re-issue ALS (Impulse) is good. But pricey. I have some mingus on same as well. Nice.
 
Rhino, Impulse and Prestige re-issues are definitely better pressings than bog standard Atlantic

See my post above yours -- the crap Mingus apparently was a Rhino reissue (although it only said so on a sticker). Speakers Corner did "Black Saint ...", no? SC is a German company, BTW ;-)
 
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