street singer Posted January 11, 2004 Report Posted January 11, 2004 Was going over the list of Connoisseur releases, checking off the ones I have and lamenting over the ones I don't have, and I noticed something odd. Back in 1998, Blue Note apparently released THIRTY CD's in this series - is this correct? I wasn't following the series in '98, or even listening to jazz for that matter, so I have no way of verifying this. That just seems pretty incredible to me since they've only released 6 per year for the past few years. Was there a reason so many were released that year? Any chance we'll see that many (or even half that many) released in a year's time in the near future? 1998. 30 Connoisseur re-issues. Wow... What a year that must've been! Quote
Swinging Swede Posted January 11, 2004 Report Posted January 11, 2004 There were 18 Connoisseur releases in 1998 nominally. But there were also 12 West Coast Classics releases, which were limited editions too, but drawn from the Pacific Jazz catalogue instead. So if you count them together there were 30 limited edition releases that year. The excellent West Coast Classics series was unfortunately shortlived, due to bad sales. There are still plenty of Pacific Jazz titles that haven't made it to CD. A partial solution to this problem has been the recent Mosaic Select series, where we've seen Pacific Jazz sets covering Carmell Jones and Curtis Amy. We will probably see more. Still, three Connoisseur batches and two West Coast Classics batches with six titles in each during just one year. Ah, those were the days. After 2000 there has only been one Connoisseur batch each year. Quote
BruceH Posted January 11, 2004 Report Posted January 11, 2004 Still, three Connoisseur batches and two West Coast Classics batches with six titles in each during just one year. Ah, those were the days. Dang, you got that right! Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted January 11, 2004 Report Posted January 11, 2004 We get a bunch of RVG remasters instead. Quote
Swinging Swede Posted January 11, 2004 Report Posted January 11, 2004 True. But there is an important difference. Connoisseurs/West Coast Classics are/were always titles new to CD. RVGs have with rather few exceptions been titles that already had been on CD in the 80s and the 90s. I already had all of the titles in the August/September 2003 RVG batches for example. So for the seasoned CD collector, the RVG series doesn’t offer as much excitement as the Connoisseur series. For someone who is new to the BN collecting disease the RVG series is great of course. Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted January 12, 2004 Report Posted January 12, 2004 You don't think some seasoned collectors want better masterings of "classic recordings"? The RVG is also slipping in some sides normally relegated to the Conn series, and they are cheaper. Quote
connoisseur series500 Posted January 12, 2004 Report Posted January 12, 2004 The RVG is also slipping in some sides normally relegated to the Conn series, and they are cheaper. Good point. Quote
street singer Posted January 12, 2004 Author Report Posted January 12, 2004 There were 18 Connoisseur releases in 1998 nominally. But there were also 12 West Coast Classics releases, which were limited editions too, but drawn from the Pacific Jazz catalogue instead. So if you count them together there were 30 limited edition releases that year. Thanks for the clarification, Swinging Swede. Yes, those must really have been the days! Quote
Uncle Skid Posted January 12, 2004 Report Posted January 12, 2004 Can anyone point me to an online list of all the various Blue Note/Conn/West Coast/RVG CD releases over the years, including the OOP stuff? Thanks! Quote
couw Posted January 12, 2004 Report Posted January 12, 2004 (edited) Blue Note Connoisseur CD Series SERIES I (1994) Ornette Coleman - The Empty Foxhole Don Cherry - Symphony for Imrovisers Cliff Jordan and John Gilmore - Blowing in from Chicago Kenny Dorham - Whistle Stop Freddie Redd - "The Connection" Andrew Hill - Judgement J.R. Monterose - S/T Bobby Hutcherson - Components Wayne Shorter - The All-Seeing Eye Johnny Griffin - The Congregation Tina Brooks - True Blue Baby Face Willette - Stop and Listen SERIES II (1995) Jackie McLean - Destination Out! Grant Geen - Green Street Grachan Moncur III - Some Other Stuff Wayne Shorter - Schizophrenia Andrew Hill - Smokestack Lee Morgan - Leeway Ike Quebec - Heavy Soul Pete La Roca - Basra Dizzy Reece - Blues in Trinity Freddie Hubbard - Ready for Freddie Lou Donaldson - Sunny Side Up Walter Davis Jr. - Davis Cup SERIES III (1995) Lee Morgan - The Procrastinator Grant Green - Solid Wayne Shorter - Etcetera Bobby Hutcherson - Patterns Hank Mobley - A Slice of the Top SERIES IV (1996) Grant Green - Sunday Mornin? Donald Byrd - Byrd in Flight Here Comes Louis Smith Johnny Coles - Little Johnny C Jack Wilson - Something Personal Paul Chambers - Paul Chambers Quintet Ike Quebec - Soul Samba Harold Vick - Steppin' Out John Jenkins - John Jenkins with Kenny Burrell Jutta Hipp - Jutta Hipp with Zoot Sims Sonny Red - Out of the Blue Dodo Greene - My Hour of Need SERIES V- (1997) Jackie McLean - Swing, Swang, Swingin? Art Blakey - Orgy in Rhythm Vols. 1 & 2 Clifford Jordan - Cliff Craft Sonny Clark - Dial S for Sonny Horace Parlan - Us Three Horace Silver - Further Explorations by Horace Silver SERIES VI (1997) Freddie Hubbard - Goin' Up Bobby Hutcherson - Stick-up! Booker Ervin - The In-between Bennie Green - Soul Stirrin' Jackie McLean - 'Bout Soul Baby Face Willette - Face to Face SERIES VII (1998) Freddie Redd - Shades of Redd OOP Horace Parlan - On the Spur of the Moment Larry Young - Into Somethin' Ike Quebec - It Might As Well Be Spring Tina Brooks - Back to the Tracks Fred Jackson - Hootin' and Tootin' SERIES VIII (1998) Sonny Clark - Sonny's Crib Hank Mobley - Third Season Lee Morgan - Infinity Art Blakey - Africane Jimmy Smith - Softly as a Summer Breeze Bobby Hutcherson - Medina SERIES IX (1998) Julius Watkins - Julius Watkins Sextet Vols. 1 & 2 Sal Salvador Quintet/ Kenton Presents... Howard McGhee Vol. 1/Introducing Kenny Drew Howard McGhee Vol. 2/Tal Farlow Quartet Frank Foster/Gearge Wallington - Showcase Gil Melle - Complete Fifties Sessions SERIES X (1999) Grant Green - Blues for Lou Bobby Hutcherson - The Kicker Jimmy Smith - Six Views of the Blues Art Blakey - Drums Around The Corner Lou Donaldson - A Man with a Horn Dizzy Reece - Comin' on Various Artists - The Lost Sessions SERIES XI (2000) Andrew Hill - Grass Roots Don Cherry - Complete Communion Tina Brooks - Minor Move Lee Morgan - Taru Sonny Clark - My Conception Jackie McLean - Vertigo Kenny Burrell - Introducing Kenny Burrell Stanley Turrentine with the 3 Sounds - The Complete Blue Hour Sesions Sonny Criss - The Complete Imperial Sessions SERIES XII (2001) Hank Mobley - Straight No Filer Andrew Hill - Lift Every Voice Booker Ervin - Structurally Sound Grant Green - First Session Don Wilkerson - The Complete Blue Note Sessions George Braith - The Complete Blue Note Sessions SERIES XIII (2002) Tina Brooks - The Waiting Game Freddie Redd - Redd's Blues Hank Mobley - Thinking of Home Jackie McLean - Jacknife Chick Corea - The Complete Is Donald Byrd/Doug Watkins - Watkins at Large/Byrd Blows on Beacon Hill/Byrd's Eye View WEST COAST CLASSIC (incomplete?) Amy, Curtis & Dupree Bolton - Katanga Baker, Chet - The Chet Baker Quartet with Russ Freeman Brookmeyer, Bob - Traditionalism Revisited Edwards, Teddy - Sunset Eyes Anderza, Earl - Outa Sight Montrose, Jack - The Jack Montrose Sextet Perkins, Bill - The Bill Perkins Octet On Stage Sheldon ,Jack - The Quartet & The Quintet Touff, Cy - His Octet and Quintet Mulligan, Gerry - Original Quarter with Chet Baker Shank, Bud & Bob Cooper - Blowin' Country Shank, Bud - Bud Shank & Bill Perkins Edited January 12, 2004 by couw Quote
couw Posted January 12, 2004 Report Posted January 12, 2004 and if you do a search on "RVG" in the album title on Bluenote.com, you get what looks like a complete listing of that series. Again, there is a list floating on this board somewhere. Quote
Brad Posted January 12, 2004 Report Posted January 12, 2004 30 in one year. I had no idea. That's incredible. Like street singer, I was not listening to jazz at the time. Ah, for those days. Sometimes, I'm just grateful that we get anything, especially the Pacifics now coming out from Mosaic in the form of Selects. Quote
jazzbo Posted January 12, 2004 Report Posted January 12, 2004 It WAS a very good year for jazz fans, in many ways. . . . Quote
CJ Shearn Posted January 12, 2004 Report Posted January 12, 2004 (edited) I think the RVG series is great b/c many of the records reissued are titles I missed/didn't get the first time. I only have a couple duplications with RVG's, "Somethin Else", "Maiden Voyage", "The Sermon", "Cool Blues", and "Houseparty". And I agree with Chuck that it's a good way to update masterings of classic recordings, especially for those of us like myself who can not afford to go the Japanese import route too often, and where I shop o/l like CDUniverse, it's difficult to locate titles actually in stock, import wise. Edited January 12, 2004 by CJ Shearn Quote
Swinging Swede Posted January 12, 2004 Report Posted January 12, 2004 You don't think some seasoned collectors want better masterings of "classic recordings"? Oh, I know some do. That’s clear from the discussions here. But I would assume that even for them getting a new remaster of something they don’t have is a more exciting prospect than getting a new remaster of something they already have. Maybe I’m wrong. Personally I don’t play the upgrade game. I feel that instead of getting a new remaster of music I already have, the same money is better spent on a new remaster of music I don’t have. There’s so much available from other labels, for example the rich Fantasy catalogue. Right now I feel that if I ever am going to upgrade, it would have to be to a better format, like SACD, and I’m not sure I would do it even then. The RVG is also slipping in some sides normally relegated to the Conn series I’ve read that before, but I’m unconvinced. Looking over the list of RVGs I can’t find any title that without the RVG series would have been obvious as a Connoisseur rather than a regular release. The closest is probably Groovin’ At Small’s Paradise, but it is still by a major name. Quote
BruceH Posted January 13, 2004 Report Posted January 13, 2004 I could have sworn that Introducing Johnny Griffin was re-issued as an early Connoisseur. Quote
Indestructible! Posted January 13, 2004 Report Posted January 13, 2004 I could have sworn that Introducing Johnny Griffin was re-issued as an early Connoisseur. Hi BruceH, Nope, it was a part of the Collector's Choice series, released on August 15, 1995. It is DAMN good album, though!!! Cheers, Shane Quote
king ubu Posted January 13, 2004 Report Posted January 13, 2004 The RVG is also slipping in some sides normally relegated to the Conn series I’ve read that before, but I’m unconvinced. Looking over the list of RVGs I can’t find any title that without the RVG series would have been obvious as a Connoisseur rather than a regular release. The closest is probably Groovin’ At Small’s Paradise, but it is still by a major name. Hutcherson's Dialogue, maybe some of the Shorters (why do some of them get RVG treatment while others were Conns? - maybe because it would have taken longer to get them all out as Conns?), and Tony Williams "Lifetime". Stilistically "Out to Lunch" and the "Golden Circle" ones would have fitted better in the Conn-series, too. But everybody (?!?) knows and loves Dolphy and Ornette. ubu Quote
Swinging Swede Posted January 13, 2004 Report Posted January 13, 2004 king ubu, Remember that the Connoisseur series is for albums not previously released on CD in the U.S. All those titles you mention had already been out on CD in the U.S. (some even twice), and hence they were ineligible for the Connoisseur series. The list of RVG titles not previously released on CD is short (only nine), and they are all by major names: Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Grant Green, Jackie McLean, Donald Byrd, Stanley Turrentine and Jimmy Smith. Not obvious Connoisseur material by any means. Quote
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