O.K., Maybe Bob Blumenthal is gettin' stale

[Jim Alfredson]

My first choice was whiners, and toned it down to ingrates.

Chuck, you ol' softie!

[Soul Stream]

I guess I'm an ingrate then. I'm not sure why we can question Johnny Cole's contribution to "The Waiting Game," or Rudy Van Gelder's remastering on "A Fickle Sonance," but not Bob Blumenthal's contribution to "Blue Train."

Also, I think the "You guys are negative" is a copout of an argument. It's like saying "I win" without playing the game.

[Ed S]

I don't even know why I'm posting on this anymore since I have neither of the RVGs in question, don't mean to disparage Bob Blumenthal, and further more, really don't care all that much. BUT- purely from a paragraph construction point of view - the paragraph does seem to flow better when you start it with sentence number two. Placed where it is, sentence number 1 does seem a bit redundant and even misleading as the opening sentence of the paragraph (and notes) since it puts the focus on the quintet sessions, not the trio session.

"Ever since he began his career as a bandleader in 1956, it has been hard to think of the name Horace Silver without the word quintet attached. Silver's immediate and ongoing success in presenting a unit with a two-horn front line tempts us to overlook his earlier triumphs in the trio format, sessions that were the source of his initial popularity........"

That just seems to read much better and logically as an opening line.

I stand by my assessment. Mr Blumenthal probably opened his Finger Poppin file and used it as a way to help himself formulate his notes for the trio session. As I myself have done more than enough times when using this method to revise proposals and other communications, I'll bet he forgot to delete the first sentence.

Not that the sentence is totally awful. To me it seems unnecessary, redundant, and misleading (in a formulation of thoughts sort of way). If I submitted this to one of my instructors when I was in school, I'd imagine it would come back with the first sentence stricken out in red. If it was intentional, I'll just say that it is a poorly constructed opening paragraph for the trio album and leave it at that.

Okay so I'm a nitpicker - and an ingrate. I suppose that's better that being a whiny nitpicker, sort of B)

[JSngry]

If you got a compruter, a prinster, and a pare of schizzors, you can write your own linear nohts for any CD you wants and have to never reed anything you don't leighk.

POWUR TEW THE PEEPLES, MAHN!

[JSngry]

Chuck hits the nail exactly on the head,

Well, based on what HE says, he should stop that before he hurts himself!

[BruceH]

Just proof the damn notes. That's all I ask.

[Chuck Nessa]

Just proof the damn notes. That's all I ask.

I still think the notes read as Bob intended, and dig the device.

[Z-Man]

Complaints make me sad. We are our own worst enemy.

I think Chuck's right about this. The day could come when EMI decides that this Blue Note stuff just isn't as profitable as they might like, and that guys like Cuscuna are running a reissue program that puts artistic merit before the bottom line. Wait until they shit-can the whole thing, then we'll be pining away for RVG remasters and Blumenthal liner notes.

[paul secor]

Try comparing Blumenthal's notes to some of the original liner notes. I just picked up Jackie's Bag, and Leonard Feather uses McLean's music to propagandize Feather's own musical and political agendas. At least Blumenthal writes about the music.

[RDK]

Try comparing Blumenthal's notes to some of the original liner notes. I just picked up Jackie's Bag, and Leonard Feather uses McLean's music to propagandize Feather's own musical and political agendas. At least Blumenthal writes about the music.

I agree. Blumenthal does a fine job complementing the original notes (some of which are good and some of which are bad) and helps place the *music* in the proper context.

I don't see what the problem is. We're given the original notes, so consider BB's just a "bonus." Would you guys prefer we not get them at all?

[Brad]

I've indicated before that I think his notes are fine. I still stand by that. I'm happy with the original liner notes. Typos are bad and shouldn't be there but that's not his fault. Otherwise, this seems "much ado about nothing."

[Chuck Nessa]

Now after all of my protests in this thread - here is my whine.

Some of the covers are 4th rate repros of the originals. Speak No Evil, The Natural Soul, Byrd In Hand and Hub Cap (just to mention a few) are ugly "xerox quality" renderings of the original artwork.

I find it hard to believe a major label fosters such shit.

[Ed S]

Ingrate

[Soul Stream]

Now after all of my protests in this thread - here is my whine.

Some of the covers are 4th rate repros of the originals. Speak No Evil, The Natural Soul, Byrd In Hand and Hub Cap (just to mention a few) are ugly "xerox quality" renderings of the original artwork.

I find it hard to believe a major label fosters such shit.

Welcome to the club Chuck.

...and yes, I totally agree with your point. "The Natural Soul" is super dark from my recollection. The japanese artwork on the Blue Notes is always so beautiful.