Blue Note

[randyhersom]

I'd say the well is mostly dry. As other posters have noted there are a few sessions here and there that cry out for reissue, but most of the RVGs coming out lately seem either to be third-rate efforts or stuff that's been widely available for a long time now. Blue Note should probably discontinue the RVG series at this point, maybe come up with a different brand identity for bringing back seldom-heard music from the '50s through the '70s.

The well has been mostly dry since the late 70s. Reissue availability is quite a bit better than it was then. And the exceptions to the rule would make for a fine weekend of listening at least - 80s Andrew Hill, Greg Osby, Mark Shim, Kurt Elling, Particia Barber, Javon Jackson, Dianne Reeves ... Stefon Harris, Jason Moran ...

Edited July 22, 2009 by randyhersom

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

Wait randy wait, before blue note reissues, is it true you were a drummer in the Detroit garage rock music scene of the 1960s. what bands did you most play with. What bands in your mind where the best. Did you know Bob seger or glen frey. did your band/bands ever open for anyone famous. did you make any 45s, lps? etc?

WHERE U COGNICENT OF ALL AT WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE PACIFIC NW REGION, EG. TACOMA, WA AND THE FABULOUS WAILIERS AND THE SONICS AND THE GALAXIES.

or was your scene completely separate and u just grooved 2 your own groove

[Brad]

I'd say the well is mostly dry. As other posters have noted there are a few sessions here and there that cry out for reissue, but most of the RVGs coming out lately seem either to be third-rate efforts or stuff that's been widely available for a long time now. Blue Note should probably discontinue the RVG series at this point, maybe come up with a different brand identity for bringing back seldom-heard music from the '50s through the '70s.

The well has been mostly dry since the late 70s. Reissue availability is quite a bit better than it was then. And the exceptions to the rule would make for a fine weekend of listening at least - 80s Andrew Hill, Greg Osby, Mark Shim, Kurt Elling, Particia Barber, Javon Jackson, Dianne Reeves ... Stefon Harris, Jason Moran ...

Yeah, it might be time to discontinue the series. I've been passing up 90% of the RVGs lately because I have all the stuff. I suppose it would be worthwhile keeping it going if there are newer fans out there. Have no idea, however, if that's the case.

On the Mosaic debate, it's like a tempest in a whatever that phrase is. I'm quite happy with the way Mosaic does it. As someone said, you can't listen to cover art.

[jazzbo]

Well, I'd be happy if the RVG series continues; I have every one and I prefer the sound in this series to the other editions.

So I'm replacing titles and giving away or selling the others.

I'm nuts. . . I know.

[David Ayers]

Well, I'd be happy if the RVG series continues; I have every one and I prefer the sound in this series to the other editions.

So I'm replacing titles and giving away or selling the others.

I'm nuts. . . I know.

I suppose once you invest $100,000+ in hi-fi even those RVGs might come out sounding not all that bad...

[jazzbo]

I know some people don't dig the sound, you among them.

I DO really enjoy the sound. Don't have that kind of money in a system, but I do have a nice system. To each their own.

[Claude]

This is no longer an issue. The RVGs from the last 3-4 years sound very close to the corresponding McMasters/Connoisseurs, to the extent that I wonder if there has been any remastering.

[jazzbo]

Well, I've done comparisons and I don't agree. Sound significantly different to me. C'est la vie.

[Dave James]

Wait randy wait, before blue note reissues, is it true you were a drummer in the Detroit garage rock music scene of the 1960s. what bands did you most play with. What bands in your mind where the best. Did you know Bob seger or glen frey. did your band/bands ever open for anyone famous. did you make any 45s, lps? etc?

WHERE U COGNICENT OF ALL AT WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE PACIFIC NW REGION, EG. TACOMA, WA AND THE FABULOUS WAILIERS AND THE SONICS AND THE GALAXIES.

or was your scene completely separate and u just grooved 2 your own groove

Chewy,

Although I'm not sure I'd call them garage bands, I sure do I remember some of those groups. The Sonics had a small regional hit with The Witch b/w Psycho and The Wailers with Tall Cool One. We had our own set of local bands here in PDX. The Epics, Don & The Goodtimes, Tikis & The Fabulons, The Redcoats, The Kingsmen of Louie Louie fame and, of course, Paul Revere & The Raiders who got their start right here. They used to drive to gigs in a hearse that they needed to haul around Revere's organ. No Farfisa at that early juncture. Some memorable venues as well that are long gone; Springer's Ballroom, The Headless Horseman, D-Street Corral. Man, those were the days.

Up over and out.

[AllenLowe]

the Wailers did Louie Louie before the Kingsman, and were definitely in the garage category -

Hendrix was a fan, and Spanish Castle Music was based on nights he'd spent hearing them at the Castle, I think it was called; it was a rock club -

the Wailers were an important and advanced band, pre-punk, sort of, very tough neo-soul sound. One of my favorites -

Edited July 29, 2009 by AllenLowe

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

the Spanish Castle in "midway" (between seattle/tacoma by the airport area) wasnt a rock club really, but a teen dance hall-- the end of it was when a girl was killed whilst crossing the Highway 99 in front of it

[Cliff Englewood]

Just an FYI, Mosaic has put original liner notes in the booklets, the Herbie Nichols and Tristano sets both had the original notes, but not all of the material they release had "original" liner notes, e.g. did the Basie/Lester recordings have liners or cover art when it was first released??? No, the various re-issues over the years did, but "originally" no, so if you are trying to create a consistent and identifiable product, it makes sense to do it the way they are doing it.

I think Popkin's list below has some good candidates for re-issue and I'd add Herbie Nichols to the list.

Seems to me that there's TONS of BN stuff that's not easy to get and which I would love to see re-issued domestically. Some more-or-less random examples:

Curtis Fuller: "Bone & Bari" and "Vol. 3"

Clifford Jordan: "Cliff Jordan" and "Cliff Craft"

Elvin Jones: all of his BN albums

Jackie Mclean: "One Step Beyond", "High Frequency" and "Hipnosis"

Donald Byrd: "Byrd in Flight", "I'm Tryin' to Get Home", "Chant" and "The Creeper"

Bobby Hutcherson: "Total Eclipse"

Duke Pearson: "Profile", "Tender Feelin's" and "Wahoo"

Lou Donaldson: "Good Gracious"

Blue Mitchell: "Step Lightly," "Bring it Home to Me" and "Heads Up"

Hank Mobley: "A Slice of the Top"

Larry Young: "Contrasts" and "Heaven on Earth"

Lee Morgan: "The Rajah"

Booker Ervin: "The In Between"

Wayne Shorter: "Odyssey of Iska"

I don't think BN is in any danger of running out of good music to re-issue any time soon.

I'd go along with what Claude says below for the various recent Concord re-issues, I don't think there is any "new" mastering done on these, but the Blue Note ones seem to be a little bit better most of the time, but the standard has dropped in other areas, notes, photo's in the booklet, etc.

This is no longer an issue. The RVGs from the last 3-4 years sound very close to the corresponding McMasters/Connoisseurs, to the extent that I wonder if there has been any remastering.

[BruceH]

Just an FYI, Mosaic has put original liner notes in the booklets, the Herbie Nichols and Tristano sets both had the original notes, but not all of the material they release had "original" liner notes, e.g. did the Basie/Lester recordings have liners or cover art when it was first released??? No, the various re-issues over the years did, but "originally" no, so if you are trying to create a consistent and identifiable product, it makes sense to do it the way they are doing it.

I think Popkin's list below has some good candidates for re-issue and I'd add Herbie Nichols to the list.

Seems to me that there's TONS of BN stuff that's not easy to get and which I would love to see re-issued domestically. Some more-or-less random examples:

Curtis Fuller: "Bone & Bari" and "Vol. 3"

Clifford Jordan: "Cliff Jordan" and "Cliff Craft"

Elvin Jones: all of his BN albums

Jackie Mclean: "One Step Beyond", "High Frequency" and "Hipnosis"

Donald Byrd: "Byrd in Flight", "I'm Tryin' to Get Home", "Chant" and "The Creeper"

Bobby Hutcherson: "Total Eclipse"

Duke Pearson: "Profile", "Tender Feelin's" and "Wahoo"

Lou Donaldson: "Good Gracious"

Blue Mitchell: "Step Lightly," "Bring it Home to Me" and "Heads Up"

Hank Mobley: "A Slice of the Top"

Larry Young: "Contrasts" and "Heaven on Earth"

Lee Morgan: "The Rajah"

Booker Ervin: "The In Between"

Wayne Shorter: "Odyssey of Iska"

I don't think BN is in any danger of running out of good music to re-issue any time soon.

I'd go along with what Claude says below for the various recent Concord re-issues, I don't think there is any "new" mastering done on these, but the Blue Note ones seem to be a little bit better most of the time, but the standard has dropped in other areas, notes, photo's in the booklet, etc.

This is no longer an issue. The RVGs from the last 3-4 years sound very close to the corresponding McMasters/Connoisseurs, to the extent that I wonder if there has been any remastering.

It's true, a lot of BN re-issues have gone back OOP lately. This is a bad time to be just starting to get into this music for that reason, although people keep telling me that nobody listens to CD's anymore.

And how about re-issuing Duke Pearson's Wahoo!---I know I've said it a million times, but I would really like to get the thing.

Edited July 30, 2009 by BruceH

[David Ayers]

And how about re-issuing Duke Pearson's Wahoo!---I know I've said it a million times, but I would really like to get the thing.

http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/product/detail/3641092

[BruceH]

1,100 yen, isn't that close to $100? I don't want it THAT much.

[Niko]

1,100 yen, isn't that close to $100? I don't want it THAT much.

it rather is around 12$...

[JSngry]

the Spanish Castle in "midway" (between seattle/tacoma by the airport area) wasnt a rock club really, but a teen dance hall-- the end of it was when a girl was killed whilst crossing the Highway 99 in front of it

So, the chick really did cross the road to get to the other side.

Who knew?

[Cliff Englewood]

I'd add Gil Melle - Patterns in Jazz as another one I'd like to see re-issued, great little session.

[David Ayers]

I'd add Gil Melle - Patterns in Jazz as another one I'd like to see re-issued, great little session.

Well, it was issued in the US on the Complete 50s Conn, there are two Japanese issues in print [TOCJ 1517 and TOCJ 9581], and there's a double 45 LP for the ultra fussy.

[Cliff Englewood]

I'd add Gil Melle - Patterns in Jazz as another one I'd like to see re-issued, great little session.

Well, it was issued in the US on the Complete 50s Conn, there are two Japanese issues in print [TOCJ 1517 and TOCJ 9581], and there's a double 45 LP for the ultra fussy.

Yea I get your point, but most, if not all, of the BN discography has been on CD at one time or another, I was refering to making these types of albums available to the masses via the RVG series.

[Teasing the Korean]

Are we including albums originally on other labels that now fall under the Blue Note umbrella in this discussion? Or are we talking only sessions that originally came out on BN?

[bn3141]

really really odd.... blue note not releasing anything (apart from february, ok...) in their anniversary year. what's going on with them??? no new releases announced, no great deal on their website, the kahn book not being released, and the 70th anniversary campaign come to an end...

and still more great treasures in their vaults (which haven't been released outside japan i.e.)...I just don't get it...economy crisis perhaps??? has emi cut back the budget for blue note?

what about such great sessions as i.e. "Hank Mobley Quartet"? Nowhere to get...

Or does anyone know if and when the rvg and the connoisseurs will be continued? why don't they want my money???

[Swinging Swede]

Since I recently posted this quote in a Concord thread, I might just as well post it in a Blue Note thread:

I suggest a year from now Blue Note and related labels will be gone. Pay attention to ALL titles, not just the deletions. The old EMI model does not work now. The parent company will try to live off copyrights in the future, not physical product. Not cool.

It is indeed ominous that they don't release anything during the 70th anniversary. If not then, they hardly will start again during the 71st.

You can however get the Hank Mobley Quartet session through the Mobley Mosaic.

[Niko]

why don't they want my money???

seems like only the enthusiasts remained in the reissue market and they need your money badly just give your money to chuck nessa (or to futuramarge, or nimbuswest...)

[BruceH]

1,100 yen, isn't that close to $100? I don't want it THAT much.

it rather is around 12$...

My bad! Duh... I forgot that it's roughly 100 yen to the dollar. My mind is going...