Out to Lunch - RVG vs UCCU with alternates

[Chuck Nessa]

Discovered today I had 2 Out to Lunch cds and wondered why (old guy brain fart) so I put each in the cd deck. After comparing the first 40 seconds of the first track (Hat and Beard) I understood the reason for keeping the RVG. Rudy's focus on Tony's cymbals won the war. Not even close.

Edited October 19, 2022 by Chuck Nessa

[Gheorghe]

Well my hearing is not what it was when I was 20 (and even then I couldn´t understand "whisper"), so I´m not really an audiophil, but to hear the cymbals loud that´s what I love. I don´t like records where the drummer can´t be heard the way you hear him live. So if one version of Out to Lunch sounds better because you hear Tony Williams better, I´m with you. 
I don´t know what my copy is, I don´t think it´s a RVG, it´s a BN CD, but much older than the RVG Series. 

[Kevin Bresnahan]

The 2 alternates on the UCCU CD are only available there. That would be the main reason to have it.

[sonnymax]

I wonder what the 2017 SACD (UCGQ-9020) sounds like?

[jazzbo]

23 minutes ago, sonnymax said:

I wonder what the 2017 SACD (UCGQ-9020) sounds like?

It sounds very good imo.

Edited October 20, 2022 by jazzbo

[CJ Shearn]

23 hours ago, Chuck Nessa said:

Discovered today I had 2 Out to Lunch cds and wondered why (old guy brain fart) so I put each in the cd deck. After comparing the first 40 seconds of the first track (Hat and Beard) I understood the reason for keeping the RVG. Rudy's focus on Tony's cymbals won the war. Not even close.

I disagree Chuck, The RVG is awful.  I had the 2017 SHM CD of Out To Lunch and it's a little bright, but overall better than the RVG.  IMO.  It's one of the worst RVG's, Empyrean Isles is another.  Since the 75th Anniversary CD was the one I lost in the fire (along with Speak No Evil) from the same series, I have to get those again at some point.

3 hours ago, bresna said:

The 2 alternates on the UCCU CD are only available there. That would be the main reason to have it.

I remember the "Hat and Beard" alternate being more interesting than "Something Tender", but that's just me.

[Rooster_Ties]

I’ll have to do some digging to see what my earlier CD of Out To Lunch was (not even 100% sure I still have it) — but I have a hunch it was the 1987 McMaster.

In any case, I do know that the SHM (UCCU) edition with the bonus tracks sounds dramatically better than whatever I had before.  And I say ‘dramatically’ because normally I rarely notice sonic upgrades unless they are pretty significant (and I rarely repurchase titles just for potential and purported sonic upgrades).  Not ‘never’ — but rarely.

BUT, I was really taken aback by the improvement in the sound quality of most of the 4 (or maybe 5?) SHM Blue Note reissues a few years ago — all of which I bought because of the bonus material (Out to Lunch, Unity, Mode for Joe, and a Wayne Shorter title I’m forgetting specifically — and maybe one more, can’t remember).

But… I’m not sure yet if my earlier copy of Out to Lunch was the McMaster, or maybe the US RVG.

Edited October 20, 2022 by Rooster_Ties

[Chuck Nessa]

23 minutes ago, CJ Shearn said:

I disagree Chuck, The RVG is awful.  I had the 2017 SHM CD of Out To Lunch and it's a little bright, but overall better than the RVG.  IMO.  It's one of the worst RVG's, Empyrean Isles is another. 

I defer to your expertise,

[CJ Shearn]

1 hour ago, Chuck Nessa said:

I defer to your expertise,

The original McMaster isn't bad, but the more recent version is the best, but any more recyclings of this, I'm out... don't need any more recyclings.  Tony's cymbals sound better to me on the more recent version that is the topic, for me, the RVG just has too much treble.