June 29th RVGs

[skeith]

Hey Bebop, stop asking irrelevant questions. It's all about corporate profits!!!!

[connoisseur series500]

The only one I never had before is "Action." I've been spinning that one a lot lately. Nice session. The last tune is especially good.

[couw]

The only one I never had before is "Action." I've been spinning that one a lot lately. Nice session. The last tune is especially good.

which title did it get this time? Hootman or Hootnan?

[DrJ]

INNER URGE is indeed a nice upgrade in sound quality (and even cover image - the blue/black mess from the old CD has now become the photo of Joe Henderson I suspected it was all along!). So is BREAKING POINT, my favorite so far of the batch. This is a date I forgot how much I liked - but then again around that time for me Hubbard could do no wrong. Spaulding is hot here too, playing with more creativity than on just about any date from around then. And always good to have more Joe Chambers on record, including a definitive rendition of his great "Mirrors."

I also picked up BUHAINA and one from the last batch of RVGs, NEWK'S TIME - neither of which I'd ever heard (was waiting for remasterings). Both are outstanding...but NEWK in particular, wow - that was a date where everything just seemed to have gone right, it has rocketed up into my list of top "classic hard bop" dates of all time. Worth the wait.

[Man with the Golden Arm]

The only one I never had before is "Action."  I've been spinning that one a lot lately.  Nice session.  The last tune is especially good.

which title did it get this time? Hootman or Hootnan?

[couw]

good

[Big Al]

I don't get it.......

[Man with the Golden Arm]

I don't get it.......

then go with the papadum instead.

[jazzbo]

Ah! "Hoot-naan!" Plain?

(Big Al: naan is a hearth baked bread from India. . . delicious!)

[Big Al]

Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!! Thanks! That does look deeeeeeeeelicious!

[1ngram]

Showing my ignorance here but does this copyright protected on the European BlueNotes mean it is impossible to copy them or is there some way to bypass all that. I stress that I dont have the facilities or knowledge to do any of this anyway but sometime in the future I would have liked to be able to make a copy for using in the car (when I can afford a car with CD in it, of course) knowing that it will get lost under a seat and be stood on umpteen times until it is useless at which point I could make myself another copy. Does this copyright protection prevent this all together?

[couw]

Does this copyright protection prevent this all together?

not entirely, but read the comments in the second half of this thread. Apparantly only newer CD writer models and burning programmes can handle the built-in errors. Of course you can still make an analog copy like you would do with an LP.

[Claude]

I received the US RVGs of "Inner urge" and "Breaking point" yesterday. The sound is fine, although Blue Note/RVG doesn't seem to produce the same magic on 40 year old tapes as other labels like Sony, Verve or Fantasy (K2, SACDs) are able to.

The RVGs are much more dynamic (not just louder) than the previous late 80's McMaster remasters, the extreme channel panning has been reduced and the bass notes are much clearer, but the midrange sounds a bit flat and treble a bit too prominent (on the cymbals especially). "Breaking point" is not a great recording from a technical point of view, but the RVG is a vast improvement over the old release. On "Inner urge", the tape defects on the solo sax intro of "El Barrio" can also be heard on the RVG.

It seems like RVG remasters have become very predictable now. No duds, but no sonic revelations either. I would not recommend to upgrade every Mosaic or Connoisseur CD to the new RVG reissue, but in case of these albums which were only available in late 80's CD versions the improvement is obvious.

Edited July 8, 2004 by Claude

[TomNYC]

The sound is fine, although Blue Note/RVG doesn't seem to produce the same magic on 40 year old tapes as other labels like Sony, Verve or Fantasy (K2, SACDs) are able to.

Claude, I couldn't agree more. These releases are steady and solid but there are no surprises either.

[DrJ]

I would agree with what's being said here, but only to a point. First, I think you're neglecting to consider the older BNs that have been reissued as RVGs, like the Bud Powells, Monks, and Milt Jackson date. On those, RVG truly worked sonic magic, spinning those after living with what was available before is like really hearing the music for the first time.

Second, to my ears there are maybe only 1 or 2 U.S. RVGs that sound worse or no better than prior CD reissues, and those were many batches ago when it seemed there was some type of technical bugaboo. So I think you can feel pretty safe buying an RVG feeling you'll hear improvements over not only late 80's CDs but also earlier 90's Conns.

Edited July 8, 2004 by DrJ

[Man with the Golden Arm]

Doctor,

I've waited out "Newks Time" and am happy to hear you are pleased. I recall Reinier telling something that the original tapes for that session are gone(?). I wish I remembered his anecdote on the session as re-issued. Good new(k)s.

[Big Al]

In a previous discussion, there was concern about the stereo separation on NEWK'S TIME. I don't own either the McMaster or the RVG, but I saw both of them at a used shop this week and briefly listened to both. On the one hand, the RVG is a lot more dynamic and has more presence, but that stereo separation bugged the hell outta me (of course, it was thru headphones, so I’m sure that makes a difference); on the other hand, the McMaster is in mono, but doesn’t have NEAR the presence or clarity of the RVG. On the RVG, the band sounds like they’re in the same room; on the McMaster, they sound like they’re across the street.

Just my $0.02. Still haven’t decided which one to get.

[DrJ]

Well, it's not that I think NEWK'S TIME is one of RVG's best original recordings - I think that's what the limiting factors is, not so much the remastering. It is more panned/separated than most of his dates from that era. But musically, it's absolutely top flight, and the sonics are not distracting to me in the least (although I think on headphones it could be kind of obnoxious).