Blue Note's TONE POET series.

[clifford_thornton]

29 minutes ago, Dmitry said:

The Collector is a tune from the Adam's Apple session, no?

yep.

but it's not on the original AA LP.

[danasgoodstuff]

I'm good with my rainbow series Etc., but I will be getting the Rivers and Byrd.  2nd side of Etc. is sublime.

[JSngry]

On 2/25/2019 at 5:22 AM, chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez said:

did we ever figure out who the art director was on these- 

(lt series)

Bill Burks

https://books.google.com/books?id=qiQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT3&lpg=PT3&dq=Bill+Burks+designer&source=bl&ots=NhRn0X44Tn&sig=ACfU3U2nQP2OysY5aIdYhxwqq9zVi5b0HQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiAt8bfzfPgAhUHjq0KHUKkCkg4ChDoATAJegQIARAB#v=onepage&q=Bill%20Burks%20designer&f=false

https://www.discogs.com/artist/1832113-Bill-Burks-2

 

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

oh wow, he did a lot of others too!

omg he even did this!

this is a must have on CD- sounds freaking incrediballs

is this is his most famous cover?  i like the cover, cant stand the record.

wow he even did Like A Rock!!!

 

[Aftab]

Ugh, not having luck with the Tone Poet series - first copy of Now He Sings was dish warped (!) - haven't opened the replacement yet - and now I received Contours in a smashed box with a smashed corner on the gatefold (not acceptable for a new item IMO) and the replacement won't come for about two weeks - I know, I know...lame things to get upset over, but it still frustrates me. 

Edited March 15, 2019 by Aftab

[Rooster_Ties]

52 minutes ago, Aftab said:

Ugh, not having luck with the Tone Poet series - first copy of Now He Sings was dish warped (!) - haven't opened the replacement yet - and now I received Contours in a smashed box with a smashed corner on the gatefold (not acceptable for a new item IMO) and the replacement won't come for about two weeks - I know, I know...lame things to get upset over, but it still frustrates me. 

Jeez, what a pain.  Admittedly, I've only bought a couple dozen LP's through the mail in over 20 years.  But I have bought 1,000+ CD's that way, easily.

And in all my years, I think I've only ever had one order that was that badly mangled (from Dusty Groove, which I'm sure they had nothing to do with -- the box was really quite smashed up, with 4 of 7 total jewel boxes really half-pulverized).  Sure, every 10th CD off eBay comes in a Jewel Box that's cracked, but how many of them were like that before they shipped?

In any case, I read about badly damaged shipments with far, FAR greater frequency than I've ever experienced -- and it can't just be that I'm livin' right.

Just bad luck, and I've had nearly all good luck??  I'd say that I can really feel your pain, and I have, but only every once in a blue moon (for the last 20-25 years).

[WD45]

On 3/15/2019 at 0:35 PM, Aftab said:

Ugh, not having luck with the Tone Poet series - first copy of Now He Sings was dish warped (!) - haven't opened the replacement yet - and now I received Contours in a smashed box with a smashed corner on the gatefold (not acceptable for a new item IMO) and the replacement won't come for about two weeks - I know, I know...lame things to get upset over, but it still frustrates me. 

My first Tone Poets copy of Contours had some scuffing around the edge of side two, resulting in clicks for the first 30 seconds or so. Bought it at a local shop. Ordered another copy on Amazon, and sent them back the defective one. New one was about as flawless as I've ever seen an LP. Very nice.

[Aftab]

Update - I received my replacement copy of Contours, and that one is fine (well, there was a scuff on the cover that rubbed off with my finger) and the vinyl is flat enough. I opened the first one (with the smashed corner) to see if that LP was flatter and to my dismay found that it was dished like the first Chick LP I received. It rocks back and forth. My replacement Chick LP was flat enough, but the jacket had a cut on the spine. And I say flat enough because they aren't perfect, but should play fine (haven't gotten the chance for a full play-through). Ugh. So out of 4 LPs I received 2 that are acceptable. I thought the quality control would be better on these reissues as they are being touted as "the definitive versions" of these albums. I'm hesitant to purchase anymore because of the run-around to try to get a nice copy. Are my expectations too high? Do I just have bad luck?

Meanwhile, a EU pressed BN75 reissue of Unity I purchased was absolutely perfect.

Frustrating.

[danasgoodstuff]

Bought Contours @ my local bricks 'n mortar, flat clean quiet plays and looks great. $35 is a lot to me but it was worth it in this case for something I only had on a homemade K7.  Might by Chant by Donald Byrd, maybe Joe Hen vol 2...but everything else in this series and the cheaper one I- if I'm at all interested I already have some kinda copy  and I'm not paying that kind of $ for 'upgrades'. 

[Dmitry]

On 3/27/2019 at 4:44 PM, Aftab said:

Update - I received my replacement copy of Contours, and that one is fine (well, there was a scuff on the cover that rubbed off with my finger) and the vinyl is flat enough. I opened the first one (with the smashed corner) to see if that LP was flatter and to my dismay found that it was dished like the first Chick LP I received. It rocks back and forth. My replacement Chick LP was flat enough, but the jacket had a cut on the spine. And I say flat enough because they aren't perfect, but should play fine (haven't gotten the chance for a full play-through). Ugh. So out of 4 LPs I received 2 that are acceptable. I thought the quality control would be better on these reissues as they are being touted as "the definitive versions" of these albums. I'm hesitant to purchase anymore because of the run-around to try to get a nice copy. Are my expectations too high? Do I just have bad luck?

Meanwhile, a EU pressed BN75 reissue of Unity I purchased was absolutely perfect.

Frustrating.

I wonder what they do with these returned LPs...

[JSngry]

Ever seen those records where the shrink-wrap seam is, like, halfway, on the backside? And overlaps?

They weren't born that way.

[danasgoodstuff]

There is some 78rpm & 10" era stuff I don't got yet, but I'd rather have cheap CDs of that.

[WD45]

On 3/29/2019 at 0:35 PM, Dmitry said:

I wonder what they do with these returned LPs...

I've seen that Amazon sells some of them in their outlet, indicating the issue in the description

[BFrank]

On 2/22/2019 at 8:35 AM, sidewinder said:

Blue Note/Music Matters etc. know how to drain our wallets...

I must say I haven't been following this stuff since I don't play LPs anymore, but a friend of mine is an 'addict' and invited me into the "Music Matters Jazz - Blue Note Reissues Lovers" Facebook group. It's astounding to read what's going on. First of all, the prices of these albums are mostly $30 and up ... WAY up! I had no idea. Secondly, it seems like a lot of the members are buying them not for the music, but to say they have them in their collection. Reminds me a LOT of the heyday of Mosaic-mania.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

There are quite a few posters over on the Hoffman forums all atwitter about Side 2 of Andrew Hill's "Black Fire", which many are claiming has wow and flutter audible in Hill's piano. The reissue producer, Joe Harley, has already stated that Hill's piano was a bit out of tune and that he plays some rather dissonant chords that may sound like warble, but many of them aren't listening to him.

I have this LP but I haven't gotten a chance to spin it.

I got one dud pressing so far. Lee Morgan's "Cornbread arrived with a wavy Side 2 label (another label underneath is probably the problem) and it's oversized so I can't put it into an MFSL sleeve. Luckily, it's flat and centered.

[Clunky]

3 hours ago, bresna said:

There are quite a few posters over on the Hoffman forums all atwitter about Side 2 of Andrew Hill's "Black Fire", which many are claiming has wow and flutter audible in Hill's piano. The reissue producer, Joe Harley, has already stated that Hill's piano was a bit out of tune and that he plays some rather dissonant chords that may sound like warble, but many of them aren't listening to him.

I have this LP but I haven't gotten a chance to spin it.

I got one dud pressing so far. Lee Morgan's "Cornbread arrived with a wavy Side 2 label (another label underneath is probably the problem) and it's oversized so I can't put it into an MFSL sleeve. Luckily, it's flat and centered.

I was playing Black Fire from this series last night and heard what you are referring to. It hardly bothered me so I didn’t go back to relisten and compare with other editions but my impression was that it was related to the piano. Nice reissue 

[Shrdlu]

I am happy with the Blue Note "LT" LPs (which are easy to find, in good condition - none of that "VG+" Rice Krispie sound, as with 60s vinyl) and the Japanese CD reissues of them from 2011 onward. I have no need for any new fabuloso LPs.

I replayed Wayne's "Et Cetera" session recently (using a 90s U.S. CD) and I felt that that date didn't happen, so I won't be getting any form of sonic upgrade.

[sidewinder]

I’m quite happy to pass on this series - a mix of original LPs, King/Toshiba reissues and Music Matters 45s will suffice ad infinitum. Not to mention ‘slumming it’ on CDs 

Agree re: the LT series. Quite acceptable sonics.

Edited August 4, 2019 by sidewinder

[Daniel A]

On 2019-07-31 at 2:42 PM, bresna said:

There are quite a few posters over on the Hoffman forums all atwitter about Side 2 of Andrew Hill's "Black Fire", which many are claiming has wow and flutter audible in Hill's piano. The reissue producer, Joe Harley, has already stated that Hill's piano was a bit out of tune and that he plays some rather dissonant chords that may sound like warble, but many of them aren't listening to him.

I have this LP but I haven't gotten a chance to spin it.

I got one dud pressing so far. Lee Morgan's "Cornbread arrived with a wavy Side 2 label (another label underneath is probably the problem) and it's oversized so I can't put it into an MFSL sleeve. Luckily, it's flat and centered.

I got myself Etcetera from the Tone Poet series because I love that album. Unfortunately I hear flutter in several places and will continue to spin my Connoisseur CD. As I have lost my faith (there are reports of trouble also with other albums) I will not buy more releases from this series. Are the master tapes ageing? 

Edited August 4, 2019 by Daniel A

[Clunky]

I’ve picked up Contours, Etc, Mr Shing a ling, and the Joe Henderson Vanguard Vol 2 LPs from this series. I’ve felt that the presentation and sonics were for my ears excellent. I’ll relisten to Ecetera to listen for flutter.  

I’ve also been impressed with the two BN80 issues I’ve bought ( Reuben Wilson and Lonnie Smith’s, Think. I’m no upgrade enthusiast on the whole but I’m rather pleased with the new series and will continue to get selected releases either because I don’t have them already or adore them so much... 

[sidewinder]

No flutter that I can hear on ‘Etcetera’ from UK ‘The Jazz File’ 1981 issue. From memory I think the ‘Wally’ is a bit bigger sounding but this issue sounds more than OK to me. Sounds like it might be a tape wear issue for the Tone Poet.

I am finding with the LT series that a wash in the RCM is very beneficial.

Great album - remember being blown away when it originally came out.

Edited August 4, 2019 by sidewinder

[soulpope]

8 hours ago, sidewinder said:

‘Etcetera’ .... Great album - remember being blown away when it originally came out.

Yep ....

[Clunky]

I’ve listened closely to Etcetera Tone Poet edition and I can’t hear any flutter. My system is pretty revealing on the whole. If it’s there it must be subtle. 

I’m a real sucker for this session having the Conn CD, a 2012 Japanese CD reissue and now the TP edition. The biggest single step up sound wise was the Japanese CD which sounds clearer than the Conn. 

[Daniel A]

3 hours ago, Clunky said:

I’ve listened closely to Etcetera Tone Poet edition and I can’t hear any flutter. My system is pretty revealing on the whole. If it’s there it must be subtle. 

I’m a real sucker for this session having the Conn CD, a 2012 Japanese CD reissue and now the TP edition. The biggest single step up sound wise was the Japanese CD which sounds clearer than the Conn. 

Listen to the piano six seconds into "Penelope", for instance. My copy is not flat, but I have seen worse (however, the pressing is not of the quality I had expected). Anyhow, the flutter does not coincide with the "wavy" part of the surface, so it does not seem to be a pressing artifact. 

[sidewinder]

I was amazed to see pretty well all of these Tone Poets at my local HMV this morning. At nearly £41 a pop though they are a pretty expensive proposition. Not sure I want to pay that for a copy of ‘Mr Shing A Ling’. I can buy a Liberty for that ! 

Edited August 17, 2019 by sidewinder