Tone Poet Blue Notes

I'm still on the fence with the live Donald Byrd record. I've been streaming it a bit and quite enjoying it but can't make my mind up whether the TP will be "OK music that sounds great" or "really good music that sound great".

I have a problem with some TPs that, while I'm generally bowled over by the SQ, too often, over time, the music fails to stick. That said, Pepper Adams solos are starting to stand out on the stream of the live recording - although I do tend to lose focus when Byrd or Pearson are playing.

 

Hearing from my dealer that Universal are going to be halving the number of TPs and Classics issued in the UK so apparently only between 150-200 of each title. Seems crazy.

 

Probably they can't press enough and the markets elsewhere have too few.

 

Aye it’s all a bit worrying but Bluesnik is on its way so that’s good.

 

That was the final bit of persuasion I needed - an order has been placed. Thank you!

That's either i) not good or ii) just what is needed for indecisive dithers like me.

I'll try and work whether it's i) or ii) in my own sweet time.

 

I just got that confirmation that Bluesnik is one the way the same time as conformation that the Live Byrd record will arrive tomorrow.

Two new records on the same day

 

Listening to the Byrd half note cafe tone poet tonight having just bought it. Sounds very very nice. Loveley recording. A must have indeed.

 

One of the systematic problems with streaming Blue Note releases to see if you "need" them is that the edition being streamed can be so qualitatively different to the TP or BN classic remaster.

I'm having a first play of the Byrd Half Note record and from the first seconds - the announcements before the show - there is a noticeable difference. What is almost in the background when streaming is clear and present in the TP edition and the difference becomes even more apparent once the music starts. I'm tempted to say the remasters make the music better - or at least present it in a way that makes in significantly more enjoyable.

This is a very fine record - really good music that sounds great.

 

There is a sealed copy of Donald Byrd at the Half Note on Wigwam for £26 inc postage if anyone is interested.
https://www.hifiwigwam.com/threads/donald-byrd-at-the-half-note-cafe.116370/

 

I need a Tone Poet of Sonny Rollins vol. 1. Let's be having one please.

 

Unfortunately it won’t happen as a Tone Poet as it was a Music Matters reissue. Vol. 1 is Sonny Rollins Blue Note 1542 (mono). I’m lucky enough to have the 2x45rpm. It may of course eventually make it as a BN Classic.

 

I know what it is! BN Classic will do fine, thanks.

 

Andrew perhaps you can console yourself with this 1957 Plastylite test pressing of Vol.2?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/14487415...d=link&campid=5338728743&toolid=20001&mkevt=1

 

What are the verdicts on the recent batch?

I'm streaming the Andrew Hill and liking it very much. Does it have the usual TP value added factor? If so, and given stories on numbers pressed going down, I'm going to have to relent on my no new records during lent vow....

 

Both are again excellent both musically and for sound quality although quite different. Pressings are top notch flat and very quiet. The Carmell Jones is of course more conventional musically, but the playing of all the musicians is also first rate and in particular Jones who really is ‘remarkable’ while he seems to remind me of Clifford Brown, his ability to have complete control over his tone and embouchure is outstanding. There are times here were he plays a long sustained note followed a flurry of fast trills that are perfectly clear and detailed. Harold Land follows his lead with this almost equally on tenor. Great stuff. Sound staging is a little left / right, but with with some centre fill bleed. The second track ‘Come Rain or Come Shine’ that is basically a trio has Jones central though and he is recorded quite hot, but I’m not hearing and overload or distortion. This is a top rate recording.

The Andrew Hill is phenomenal, but I am a particular fan of his music. The quality of playing and improvisation of all the musicians is astonishing. Maybe showing the best Billy Higgins skills on record? A lot of it principle quite simplified, but what he does with just some hard rim shots and taps offset with some delicate cymbal work is amazing. I was particularly impressed with Joe Farrell, particularly his solos on soprano. Charles Tolliver is great as usual and Andrew Hill of course wonderfully inventive and you want at times to hear much more from just him! It takes a few plays to fully appreciated all that is going on here. Sound quality is probably the best of all the Hill Tone Poet’s and Classics so far. I doubt that even some of previous complainers on the SH Forum about the Hill Tone Poets will be able to find fault with this one.

The other good thing as well Amazon in the end only charged me £32 delivered after dropping the price and the are both still still at that price:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BS1G9314/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21

 

I wouldn't be so sure about that

 

Damce With Death is essential IMO, through composed jazz that sounds very fresh and contemporary with some great solo playing, especially from Hill. My TP copy should be with me by the W/E, replacing a rather lifeless Heavenly Sweetness LP and a Connoisseur CD from the 90s. The Conn CD is good, if a little light on bass (compared to other Conn BN CDs) - maybe this was intentional in the mix or a bit too much compression for CD release. I’ll let you know when I’ve heard the TP.

Can’t get too excited about the Carmell Jones. Starts off nicely with Gary Peacock pulling out the stops, then it all gets a bit ho-hum. A completely different beast to anything by Andrew Hill, but then again Hill is probably my favourite BN recording artist - next to Dolphy.