SteepleChase new releases

[Pim]

4 hours ago, Rabshakeh said:

I wonder how much of the jazz reissue crowd would buy Steeplechase on vinyl. It doesn't seem to play well on Instagram. 

I wasn’t aware of that. They did some vinyl reissues in the past decade I believe. Never heard one. I do know that some of them miss essential tracks that the cd does have. Like Johnny Dyani’s Somg for Biko: that one misses the amazing track Lonely Flower at the Village. 

[soulpope]

9 minutes ago, Pim said:

I wasn’t aware of that. They did some vinyl reissues in the past decade I believe. Never heard one. I do know that some of them miss essential tracks that the cd does have. Like Johnny Dyani’s Somg for Biko: that one misses the amazing track Lonely Flower at the Village. 

Actually part of the StepleChase catalogue which saw release on vinyl first and the later CD releases included bonus tracks ... so a potential vinyl reissue would mirror the original release .... that`s a huge difference to labels like Transversales Disques, who edit heavilyl/not use the complete material available just for the sake squeezing the release into the vinyl format ....

[Kevin Bresnahan]

1 hour ago, Pim said:

I wasn’t aware of that. They did some vinyl reissues in the past decade I believe. Never heard one. I do know that some of them miss essential tracks that the cd does have. Like Johnny Dyani’s Somg for Biko: that one misses the amazing track Lonely Flower at the Village. 

In the early days of CD, just like they did with some cassette tape releases, labels often had bonus tracks that were only available on CD to encourage people buy that instead of the vinyl. Steeplechase could list those tracks the same way.

The craziest "bonus track" move was when some labels added bonus tracks to the CD version that was only released in Japan. Japan's CD prices were higher than the rest of the world so they added bonus tracks to some Japanese CDs to encourage Japanese buyers to buy their version instead of the cheaper import. The last CD I bought from Japan for the extra track was Gerald Clayton's "Happening: Live at the Village Vanguard".

Edited November 30 by Kevin Bresnahan

[soulpope]

49 minutes ago, Kevin Bresnahan said:

The craziest "bonus track" move was when some labels added bonus tracks to the CD version that was only released in Japan. Japan's CD prices were higher than the rest of the world so they added bonus tracks to some Japanese CDs to encourage Japanese buyers to buy their version instead of the cheaper import ....

Indeed ....

[Rabshakeh]

8 hours ago, Pim said:

I wasn’t aware of that. They did some vinyl reissues in the past decade I believe. Never heard one. I do know that some of them miss essential tracks that the cd does have. Like Johnny Dyani’s Somg for Biko: that one misses the amazing track Lonely Flower at the Village. 

I don't mean "play" in any technical sense. Just that hipster jazz fans do not care about Steeplechase. Unlike the likes of Black Jazz, Blue Note, Strata East or Palm, I don't think people would buy them. We might, but very few others.

Edited November 30 by Rabshakeh

[soulpope]

11 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said:

I don't mean "play" in any technical sense. Just that hipster jazz fans do not care about Steeplechase. Unlike the likes of Black Jazz, Blue Note, Strata East or Palm, I don't think people would buy them. We might, but very few others.

They did an "Audiphile Edition" aiming on buyers interested in vinyl/sound quality .... :

https://www.discogs.com/de/label/259634-Audiophile-Edition

[JSngry]

2 hours ago, Rabshakeh said:

I don't mean "play" in any technical sense. Just that hipster jazz fans do not care about Steeplechase. Unlike the likes of Black Jazz, Blue Note, Strata East or Palm, I don't think people would buy them. We might, but very few others.

The real meat of the catalog game early on, with people like Jackie (and friends), Dexter, Andrew Hill, etc. The expats and visitors. In the US, they were on Inner City, which was not always the best pressing quality. I'd think that hipsters would want modern vinyl of those records. Today's offerings, no, not so much overall 

[Rabshakeh]

I reckon you would be going for the audiophile and pure jazz fan market though. When it comes to the hipsters posting on Instagram, Steeplechase is about as hip as Pablo. Not enough sunglasses.

[mjazzg]

The Monette Sudler reissue did well I think and also popped up on Instagram a fair bit, that's how I came across it. I suspect Ken McIntyre's Steeplechases might cross over too. But generally I agree the catalogue isn't necessarily for the kids.

[jlhoots]

I like their (CD) Kirk Knuffke releases, both leader & sideman.

[Balladeer]

 
My dearest Knuffke on Steeplechase is his duo recording "Satie" from 2016
with pianist Jesse Stacken with music by Erik Satie.

[mjzee]

Release date January 17:

Drummer/composer/educator Steve Johns moved to New York after graduating from the New England Conservatory of Music in 1982. While still a student, he won the Outstanding Drummer Award at the Notre Dame Collegiate Jazz Festival. His musical career then took off performing with a barrage of luminaries of the world jazz scene. Here is Johns' SteepleChase leader debut showcasing not only his versatile dexterity but his astounding talent as composer.

 

Release date February 14:

Alex Norris has been one of the most sought-after elite trumpeters for the past three decades on NY scene. Norris received a Master's degree from the Manhattan School of Music and a Doctor's degree from the Univ. Of Miami Frost School of Music. He has kept busy schedule performing principal post in renowned large and small ensembles all over the world. Despite his impressive achievement Alex Norris' leader albums are scarce. This is his fourth album and the second for SteepleChase. Norris forms a time-tested yet distinctive trumpet trio with some contemporary twists superbly collaborated by Paul Bollenbach on guitar and Paul Gill on bass. ".Norris writes and plays with rare assurance and seldom walks on overly familiar paths.. he's not an aggressive stylist and his penchant for thoughtful dynamics gives him the confidence to leave space and unexpected intervals in his solos." (The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD)

 

[mjzee]

Release date January 10:

Release date February 14:

Anthony Ferrara for his third album here teams up again with the dream rhythm section of Versace/Anderson/Drummond. Ron McClure who was one of Ferarra's teachers at NYU once commented on this group, "This is a four-way conversation between four men who have a mutual respect of the process of making music, always cognitive of the group effort. Had they played the Manhattan phonebook, they would have made it work." "What is particularly impressive about Ferrara is that he not only has a mature, confident and appealing sound, but also is finding his own voice. Ferrara is also a capable composer, penning a diverse set of songs that invite repeated hearings, a huge challenge for any musician at the beginning of their career." (Ken Dryden - NYCJR on SCCD 31938 Cold Faded)