Jimmy Lyons - Other Afternoons First CD Issue

[colinmce]

This is being done by the Japanese Solid label, and is available for pre-order at Dusty Groove, as well as Amazon, Alliance, etc. 

My presumption is that this is sourced from vinyl, but I'd assume that some remastering work has been done. I'll definitely pick it up, I figure it must be some sort of improvement over my well-played BYG LP.

[felser]

I have it in a pending order from CDJapan.

[clifford_thornton]

Cool. I've never had any Solid CDs; probably licensed from Charly, who were responsible for the Affinity reissue as well. Even if sourced from vinyl, it could be done from a quieter pressing than the original Actuel.

[colinmce]

Had to double-check what I have from Solid, but I have a bunch; they seem to be more of an umbrella licensing concern. Releases from Enja, Bethlehem, Groove Merchant, etc ... most recently Schoof's Voices. No complaints.

[cliffpeterson]

On the way to me from CDJapan. There are others being issued for the first time, I think: Sonny Murray's "Homage to Africa," Claude DelCloo's and Arthur Jones' "Africansia" and Burton Greene's "Aquariana." 
 

[felser]

6 minutes ago, cliffpeterson said:

On the way to me from CDJapan. There are others being issued for the first time, I think: Sonny Murray's "Homage to Africa," Claude DelCloo's and Arthur Jones' "Africansia" and Burton Greene's "Aquariana." 
 

Yes.  I bought the Murray and passed on the other two.  Due to arrive around Christmas.

[colinmce]

Ah that's great news. Just recently came into an OG of Aquariana but I've had Africanasia on my wantlist for some time. Would be great if they did the Frank Wright, I also have the LP but it's only about 3/4 playable.

[Д.Д.]

It's on Spotify (courtesy of Charly) for a few years now, I think. Sounds like a (good) needle drop:

 

Edited December 2 by Д.Д.

[cliffpeterson]

Supposedly the Japanese Actual reissues are subject to new 2024 digital remastering (whatever that means). Also, the cds are only available for a limited time. For instance, "Other Afternoons" is not available after February 28, 2025. 

[clifford_thornton]

So, I would assume the license is only for a short period of time. That's very interesting.

Aquariana, Africanasia, Hommage to Africa, and Other Afternoons are all wonderful albums. Glad they're slated for a rehearing.

[cliffpeterson]

There are others reissued that were previously issued on cd, e.g., an Arts Ensemble, 2 Shepps, Alan Silva.

[clifford_thornton]

gotcha. My opinion, perhaps not shared by everybody, is that the BYG Actuel catalog should remain entirely in print with original artwork on CD and LP.

I would say that between BYG and America (Pierre Berjot), the catalogs are at least as (if not perhaps more) important than a sizable amount of Blue Notes. Ditto ESP though that's a bit of a different beast.

[cliffpeterson]

I can see that

[felser]

2 hours ago, clifford_thornton said:

gotcha. My opinion, perhaps not shared by everybody, is that the BYG Actuel catalog should remain entirely in print with original artwork on CD and LP.

I would say that between BYG and America (Pierre Berjot), the catalogs are at least as (if not perhaps more) important than a sizable amount of Blue Notes. Ditto ESP though that's a bit of a different beast.

Apples and oranges comparing those labels and BN !!   Some of the BYG stuff is stunningly good, especially the Moncur's, the Arthur Jones, and some of the Shepp's (and there's a decent amount on that label I've never heard).  Some of it, like the Silva, leave me cold, with my aversion to Euro free stuff.

[clifford_thornton]

I know, I know -- volleys fired. That being said, as far as a snapshot of progressive jazz history, while BN did release a handful of excellent and well-rehearsed dates by established artists, those smaller imprints captured a vital and raw slice of the time period that nobody else quite did. BYG and America also covered both the expatriates (from a variety of locales) and Parisian locals in a fascinating way. ESP's documentation of the NY scene of the mid/late 60s is unparalleled (and they also released choice artifacts from a number of Europeans).

 

And I'll echo Silva's assertion that Rudy didn't understand how to record Cecil's band. Those LPs are superb, but I'd sure like to hear them rendered in a more detailed way.

Finally, I've said it before elsewhere, but there's a part of me that wishes there was more from the Shepp/Mobley collaboration that appeared across Poem for Malcolm & Yasmina, a Black Woman. Imagine a full LP with Burrell or Benedetti, Favors, and PJJ!

[Д.Д.]

BYG / Actuel story is definitely worth a detailed book. There's a good recent one on ESP Disk, and the story of BYG is at east as exciting. Some of the music released by the label - e.g. Jacques Coursil - is among the best jazz of that period, IMHO. 

[clifford_thornton]

yes, I agree. Trouble is, the number of surviving participants has dwindled quite a bit over the last decade or so.

[JSngry]

1 hour ago, felser said:

Apples and oranges comparing those labels and BN !!  

I like a good fruit salad.

[clifford_thornton]

Same! Or at least an interesting compote.

[JSngry]

I don't understan the description of Silva's BYG records as  "Euro free jazz". Silva was not European, and on those two albums the balance (at times preponderance) of the personnel is American. The music certainly was American!

[clifford_thornton]

Absolutely true. Silva was born in Bermuda and grew up in Brooklyn. His music came out of his work with Cecil, Bill Dixon, Sun Ra, Ayler, and the Free Form Improvisation Ensemble.

Apparently an additional track was recorded for the Luna Surface LP but to my knowledge it has never materialized.

[jlhoots]

Did BYG pay their artists? 

[clifford_thornton]

neither BYG nor America-Musidisc were known for paying anyone.

[Harbour]

Charly/BYG have been releasing a bunch of these in Europe again over last year or so, both LP and remastered mini Lp CDs, so far they have done some Shepp, Art Enemble, Sun Ra, Don Cherry, Brigitte Fontaine, Gong and few others so assuming/hoping  that they will do the whole catalogue then these Japanese ones will be the same mastering but who knows if they will do them all.

Edited December 4 by Harbour
More info

[romualdo]

The recent batch (12) of Japanese Solid BYG/Actuel CDs are actually the first 12 original releases for the label - hopefully they'll go down the Bethlehem (Solid CD reissues) path & gradually release all 52 original Actuel LP sessions.

I received 6 (Greene, Lyons, Delcloo/Jones, Murray, Silva, Gong) from this batch a couple of days ago - very happy with SQ - are they needle drops? (probably but can't tell by listening). Interesting the sharing of similar US musicians between sessions that were temporally in close proximity ie members of AEC, Anthony Braxton, Archie Shepp, Grachan Moncur, Alan Silva, Sunny Murray ....) with a strong coterie of French/euro collaborators

They've been remastered in Japan (CD liner notes) so not likely to be related to the UK BYG reissue program - I'd snap these up before they disappear as I get the impression that the more obscure titles will not be reissued by BYG UK who claim their recent CD reissues are from master tapes? I was under the impression that all their tapes were lost when their basement flooded in the 70s(?) - didn't Brownie know more details (previous thread)