Hot Pressings
- Thread starter garylkoh
- Start date
Thanks Myles! Another one added to the list
Two other Hank Jones' LP's to seek out for outstanding sonics and performance:
Hank Jones, "Hanky" Panky" (EastWind, 1975)
Clifford Jordon "Hello, Hank Jones" (East World, 1980)
I have the latter somewheres around. Picked it up on ebay a couple of months ago. Will have to check out the former!
It's massive, it's completist, it's overwhelming. It's Art Pepper in fine form with a great backing band and it might be the best sounding recording I own. From Fremer's review at the Music Angle:
"The multi-mike analogue recording was mixed live to two track stereo without noise reduction, limiting, compression or equalization and when Ray Staff cut the original lacquers back in 1980 he used no noise reduction, limiting, compression or equalization (other than RIAA of course!). The live recording quality is superb (though as with any live recording there are occasional glitches): intimate and closely miked, it presents a small club front row perspective that’s long on power, timbral accuracy and dynamics and short on room ambience. Given a choice, I’ll take the former every time. Pepper stands center stage in front of bassist Dumas, while Leviev’s piano is stage left and drummer Burnett’s kit is stage right. Sufficient mike leakage produces a coherent, well-integrated three-dimensional picture.
The Pallas pressing quality is high, the packaging, including a cloth textured box first class and the annotation, complete. There are four interviews with Pepper from 1979 and 1980, an illuminating essay written last year by Alun Morgan who provided the liner notes for the second original Mole album, nice photos and complete Mosaic-like credits."
http://www.musicdirect.com/images/product/large/LPUREPL012.jpg
Highest recommendation!
"The multi-mike analogue recording was mixed live to two track stereo without noise reduction, limiting, compression or equalization and when Ray Staff cut the original lacquers back in 1980 he used no noise reduction, limiting, compression or equalization (other than RIAA of course!). The live recording quality is superb (though as with any live recording there are occasional glitches): intimate and closely miked, it presents a small club front row perspective that’s long on power, timbral accuracy and dynamics and short on room ambience. Given a choice, I’ll take the former every time. Pepper stands center stage in front of bassist Dumas, while Leviev’s piano is stage left and drummer Burnett’s kit is stage right. Sufficient mike leakage produces a coherent, well-integrated three-dimensional picture.
The Pallas pressing quality is high, the packaging, including a cloth textured box first class and the annotation, complete. There are four interviews with Pepper from 1979 and 1980, an illuminating essay written last year by Alun Morgan who provided the liner notes for the second original Mole album, nice photos and complete Mosaic-like credits."
http://www.musicdirect.com/images/product/large/LPUREPL012.jpg
Highest recommendation!
But don't you think all of Staff's remastering efforts have a solid-state metallic edge to them?
Esp. when compared to the tapes But don't you think all of Staff's remastering efforts have a solid-state metallic edge to them?
Myles, haven't heard the tapes...do own any of the original Mole RTR? I haven't noticed any metallic edge to the Live At Ronnie Scott's. I would note that for less than the price of a new RTR release you get 7 great sounding LPs of terrific music!
That's great Mark. Just that I find that many of PP releases really have a "sound" that kinda detracts from the music. It's almost like they are too clean and really lose sense of space and low level resolution.
New re-masters: http://www.vinylrevinyl.com/2011/12/28/vinyl-releases-of-the-week-december-28-2011/
The Wax Time "limited edition 180gm" that I've got so far have been universally glorious. They are limited edition because of direct metal mastering, and the Ella and Louis by Wax Time was far better than the one I have by Speakers Corner. I just received my copy of Ella and Louis Again, and it's another goodie.
The Wax Time "limited edition 180gm" that I've got so far have been universally glorious. They are limited edition because of direct metal mastering, and the Ella and Louis by Wax Time was far better than the one I have by Speakers Corner. I just received my copy of Ella and Louis Again, and it's another goodie.
Just got a batch of 2011 releases and Eilen Jewell's "Queen of The Minor Key" is a sonic standout and the song writing, vocals and performances are revelatory. Includes an MP3 download.
Here is her website: http://eilenjewell.com/news.cfm
Here is her website: http://eilenjewell.com/news.cfm
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After some considerable searching I finally came across an NM used copy of Supertramp's - Crisis? What Crisis? I had seen the occasional copy in years gone by, but none as in good condition as the one I picked up this afternoon. I've got it playing in the background, and it already sounds wonderful. I hope to sit down this weekend and give it a thorough listen.
The copy I bought is half-speed mastered and pressed in Japan for A&M Canada's Audiophile series, of which only a very limited numbers of LP's were done. The gold band around the album cover indicates this was a first release pressing. The second series of pressings did not have the gold band, but instead had an embossed Audiophile Series stamping on the cover.
Since this has always been my favourite Supertramp album, you can imagine I am quite pumped about securing this copy!
The copy I bought is half-speed mastered and pressed in Japan for A&M Canada's Audiophile series, of which only a very limited numbers of LP's were done. The gold band around the album cover indicates this was a first release pressing. The second series of pressings did not have the gold band, but instead had an embossed Audiophile Series stamping on the cover.
Since this has always been my favourite Supertramp album, you can imagine I am quite pumped about securing this copy!
That's good news, John. I have heard that series of works by A&M on half speed, among them Carpenters, Herb Alpert and Cat Stevens, and they are consistently good and have wonderful sonics.
After some considerable searching I finally came across an NM used copy of Supertramp's - Crisis? What Crisis? I had seen the occasional copy in years gone by, but none as in good condition as the one I picked up this afternoon. I've got it playing in the background, and it already sounds wonderful. I hope to sit down this weekend and give it a thorough listen.
The copy I bought is half-speed mastered and pressed in Japan for A&M Canada's Audiophile series, of which only a very limited numbers of LP's were done. The gold band around the album cover indicates this was a first release pressing. The second series of pressings did not have the gold band, but instead had an embossed Audiophile Series stamping on the cover.
Since this has always been my favourite Supertramp album, you can imagine I am quite pumped about securing this copy!
View attachment 2721
John, were you aware that these A&M half speed titles were pressed by JVC as were the MFSLs of that time. Have a look at the stampers. They are marked nearly identical to the MFSLs. Mmmm. Enjoy!
Leslie
Leslie - I had heard that, yes. Will have a look in the deadwax when I get home tonight.
I've meaning to add Buck Hill recordings to the list. The tenor saxophonist is known as the "Wailin' Mailman' and was often first call for nationally known jazz artists when they passed through Washington DC. He recorded a series of great records for Steeplechase (Denmark). They are sonic treats and routinely available on Ebay for $10-20. My favorites include:
"This Is Buck Hill" with Kenny Barron (p), Buster Williams (b) and Billy Hart (d), 1978
"Scope" same personel as above, 1979
"Easy To Love" with Rueben Brown (p), Wilbur Little (b) and Billy Hart (d), 1982 - Live at the Northsea Jazz Festival
His recent CD release "Relax" (Severn Records) made many top 10 lists for 2006 and is a also terrific sounding recording.
"This Is Buck Hill" with Kenny Barron (p), Buster Williams (b) and Billy Hart (d), 1978
"Scope" same personel as above, 1979
"Easy To Love" with Rueben Brown (p), Wilbur Little (b) and Billy Hart (d), 1982 - Live at the Northsea Jazz Festival
His recent CD release "Relax" (Severn Records) made many top 10 lists for 2006 and is a also terrific sounding recording.
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So I had a listen last night to that A&M Audiophile pressing of Crisis? What Crisis?, and two things struck me immediately......better channel separation and greater depth. Unfortunately, because of the time of night, the volume was way down and, as such, I need to do a proper critical listen at normal listening levels before I opine about the other attributes this recording may have. I hope to get that done today. It's my day off, but my inbox is apparently unaware of that fact.
Heck John I can take that record off your hands and you will no longer have any worries, I can even pick-up ha! ha! Great find! What does your set-up consist of. Mine; MBL 101E's, Vac Sig. MK2a pre, Vac Statement 450 mono blocks, TW Acustic Black Knight table etc. Actually don't live that far from you, I live in Vaughan.
Mark - I live in a 2 bedroom apartment, which I rent.
DEV - My setup is not nearly as grand, but it brings me great pleasure nonetheless. Nottingham Analogue Horizon SE, Pioneer SA-9500II Integrated, Totem Sttaf speakers, Monster HDP2400 Power centre and various cables/IC's (Transparent, Ultralink, Mogami, AudioQuest, Valab/King Cable). We are close indeed, as are a few other members. Nice to see a growing GTA contiingent here!
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