Jasmine label

[GA Russell]

From time to time I see something that looks interesting on the Jasmine label, which is based in London. Wikipedia says very little about them.

Are their issues licensed or PD?

Can anyone vouch for their sound quality?

[Big Beat Steve]

Back in the 80s, they did a huge lot of vinyl reissues of material orignally released on Decca (or other labels that later came to be owned by MCA) in the 50s adn theys were all over the place in record shops. The sound always appeared quite OK to me. The LPs usually said "Manufactured under license from MCA Records" in the fine print on the back cover, so ...

I also have quite a few of their more recent CDs that reissue British jazz (often from the long-defunct but legendary Tempo label), and though I cannot compare with Tempo orignals (due to their scarcity), they do sound OK to me too. Paul Pelletier (who is often named as the producer) is a huge name in reissue and collectible music circles in the UK and beyond and the presentation sounds like serious business. And the CD booklets clearly refer to the copyright existing in the Jasmine recordings too, BTW.

Or to put it yet another way, shady reissues exist everywhere but are definitely not limited to one continent, nor are well-produced reissues.

[sidewinder]

I've got a load of their Tempo reissues put out on vinyl (Jazz Couriers, Wilton 'Bogey' Gaynair etc.) and they sound OK. Also a load of early 80s Coltrane Impulse reissues - again, they sound fine. At one time this label's reissues were ubiquitous over here. Not a patch on original Impulse LPs though.

Edited April 29, 2014 by sidewinder

[GA Russell]

Thanks Steve and Bob!

[Fer Urbina]

As far as I know current CD reissues are PD. Sound quality is good enough for me (no audiophile).

F

[Big Beat Steve]

Well, by definition and according to the European P.D. laws even in their new form pre-1962 source material slated for a reissue can only be P.D., isn't it?

But would that necessarily keep a label from doing quality reissues?

So ... P.D. or not, it is the quality of the final product that counts IMO.

[Stonewall15]

I have 3 Victor Feldman Jasmine CDs. These are reissues of Tempo LPs. The CD quality is quite good.

[sidewinder]

The Jasmine CDs and LPs from the Tempo material are all needle-drops as well I think - taking that into account, they did a pretty good job.

[Big Beat Steve]

The Jasmine CDs and LPs from the Tempo material are all needle-drops as well I think - taking that into account, they did a pretty good job.

Just to explain this:

The Tempo label IS a CULT label in the UK, but do you happen to know if any sort of master tapes of Tempo recordings would be around anywhere at all? I wouldn't be surprised if there just wasn't anything but vinyl copies to start with for most of the recordings from the Tempo catalog.

Edited April 29, 2014 by Big Beat Steve

[sidewinder]

The only info I've heard on this was from saxophonist/Tubby Hayes expert Simon Spillett and I think he's written (probably info from producer Tony Hall) that the Tempo masters were destroyed by Decca back in the early 70s. So, no master tapes exist of any of the Tempo sessions and any reissue mastering would have to be from pristine original pressings.

Edited April 29, 2014 by sidewinder

[Big Beat Steve]

Which would make a "needle drop" as close as you can get to the original source material with any of them anyway.

Edited April 29, 2014 by Big Beat Steve

[romualdo]

The only info I've heard on this was from saxophonist/Tubby Hayes expert Simon Spillett and I think he's written (probably info from producer Tony Hall) that the Tempo masters were destroyed by Decca back in the early 70s. So, no master tapes exist of any of the Tempo sessions and any reissue mastering would have to be from pristine original pressings.

except for the tapes (Decca Studios, Dec 59) that were sent to Alfred Lion for a potential Blue Note release (didn't happen) -> they were found (2008) by Michael Cuscuna in Alfred Lion's home collection & released on Candid (Tubby's New Groove - CD 79554)

The liner notes to this CD are a good read & the SQ of the music is great

[Fer Urbina]

The Jasmine CDs and LPs from the Tempo material are all needle-drops as well I think - taking that into account, they did a pretty good job.

Jasmine has some competition from UK label Acrobat (which I didn't know about till recently)

Dizzy Reece Complete 54-62, Tubby Hayes Tempos, Jimmy Deuchar Tempos.

The little I've heard sounds good enough.

F

[Big Beat Steve]

And it seems that Jasmine not only has competition but duplication on the Acrobat label. The 1955/56 "beer" tracks by Jimmy Deuchar that were released in the US on that "Pub Crawling" LP on Contemporary are also on JASCD 616 and 621, as are some others of those Acrobat sessions.

I am not familar with these Acrobat modern jazz reissues at all but have a couple of Acrobat CDs featuring early post-war R&B reissues and they are very well done.

Edited April 30, 2014 by Big Beat Steve

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I have a few gospel compilations on Acrobat that AREN'T very well done, on the other hand.

But I have one on P-vine that's as bad....

Shrugs and effs off.

MG