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Post by alunsevern on Dec 12, 2015 17:28:39 GMT
Good, spence, the LJC blog is a better place than that - it's why we all love it so much.
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Evan
Junior Member
Posts: 99 
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Post by Evan on Dec 27, 2015 15:57:49 GMT
Hello all.
Hope everybody is enjoying their holidays.
Just seeking some opinion on a few MM45s, apropos of the discussion over on the main blog of the titles that Hoffman was involved in. Do any of you know whether he was involved in the following:
Joe Henderson - In 'n Out, Mode For Joe, Our Thing
Pete La Roca - Basra
Grachan Moncur - Evolution
Horace Parlan - Happy Frame of Mind
Do any of you own these, and could you comment on their sound quality? They're a little pricey, but it's so hard to find decent pressings of them. Any and all help appreciated. Cheers.
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Post by alunsevern on Dec 27, 2015 18:40:48 GMT
Sorry, Evan, I don't have them and don't know whether Steve Hoffman was involved in the mastering.
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Post by Spencer on Dec 28, 2015 3:34:55 GMT
Hello all. Hope everybody is enjoying their holidays. Just seeking some opinion on a few MM45s, apropos of the discussion over on the main blog of the titles that Hoffman was involved in. Do any of you know whether he was involved in the following: Joe Henderson - In 'n Out, Mode For Joe, Our Thing Pete La Roca - Basra Grachan Moncur - Evolution Horace Parlan - Happy Frame of Mind Do any of you own these, and could you comment on their sound quality? They're a little pricey, but it's so hard to find decent pressings of them. Any and all help appreciated. Cheers. The reason they are pricey is cause they are headed for extinction like the Dodo Bird. Hoffman was involved in the mastering of a couple of them--(Our Thing and Evolution) The rest of them were mastered by Kevin Gray and Ron Rambach. Any MM title post 2010 will not have Hoffman's involvement. Sound wise they are all top notch. Happy Frame Of Mind should still be around the MSRP of $50 since it was one of the last 45s MM released. My advice is get em while you can before the prices get higher. |
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Evan
Junior Member
Posts: 99
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Post by Evan on Dec 28, 2015 11:07:12 GMT
Hello all. Hope everybody is enjoying their holidays. Just seeking some opinion on a few MM45s, apropos of the discussion over on the main blog of the titles that Hoffman was involved in. Do any of you know whether he was involved in the following: Joe Henderson - In 'n Out, Mode For Joe, Our Thing Pete La Roca - Basra Grachan Moncur - Evolution Horace Parlan - Happy Frame of Mind Do any of you own these, and could you comment on their sound quality? They're a little pricey, but it's so hard to find decent pressings of them. Any and all help appreciated. Cheers. The reason they are pricey is cause they are headed for extinction like the Dodo Bird. Hoffman was involved in the mastering of a couple of them--(Our Thing and Evolution) The rest of them were mastered by Kevin Gray and Ron Rambach. Any MM title post 2010 will not have Hoffman's involvement. Sound wise they are all top notch. Happy Frame Of Mind should still be around the MSRP of $50 since it was one of the last 45s MM released. My advice is get em while you can before the prices get higher. Thanks for the info, Spencer. That's disappointing as Evolution was the one I wanted most. Just checking, did you mean that Evolution and Our Thing were top notch too, or just the others? |
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Post by Spencer on Dec 28, 2015 15:05:27 GMT
The reason they are pricey is cause they are headed for extinction like the Dodo Bird. Hoffman was involved in the mastering of a couple of them--(Our Thing and Evolution) The rest of them were mastered by Kevin Gray and Ron Rambach. Any MM title post 2010 will not have Hoffman's involvement. Sound wise they are all top notch. Happy Frame Of Mind should still be around the MSRP of $50 since it was one of the last 45s MM released. My advice is get em while you can before the prices get higher. Thanks for the info, Spencer. That's disappointing as Evolution was the one I wanted most. Just checking, did you mean that Evolution and Our Thing were top notch too, or just the others? Yes. Evolution is one of the best sounding LP in the entire series and Our Thing is also fantastic. Basra is off the chain!!! Happy Frame Of Mind was mastered at Coherent after the hardware upgrades so the sound is explosive! Let me clear one misunderstanding up, During the mastering of the AP Blue Note series, Hoffman was left to his own devices by AP. On the MM series Ron Rambach was always present in the mastering booth and more often than not Hoffman did not have the final say on the outcome of the mastering Gray and Rambach often overuled his inputs and in some cases they even turned back the dial (literally). So more often than not the MM 45 series titles came out sounding great in spite of Hoffman's meddling. As one member of LJC has previously pointed out there was more to Hoffman's dismissal from the MM project than SQ issues. Part of the impetus behind the MM 33 titles is that there were a series of popular classic BN titles on the AP catalogue, that MM felt were not done justice by Hoffman's tinkering with dial. some of these AP titles like Blue Train, Idle Moments, Midnight Blue, Moaning', Maiden Voyage and some others sounded tamped down on the upper ranges, so MM decided to free whatever was tamped down by Hoffman and let the music shine. The list you've got is great one, Evan. Mode For Joe is cold classic! |
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Evan
Junior Member
Posts: 99
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Post by Evan on Dec 28, 2015 18:33:51 GMT
Thanks for the info, Spencer. That's disappointing as Evolution was the one I wanted most. Just checking, did you mean that Evolution and Our Thing were top notch too, or just the others? Yes. Evolution is one of the best sounding LP in the entire series and Our Thing is also fantastic. Basra is off the chain!!! Happy Frame Of Mind was mastered at Coherent after the hardware upgrades so the sound is explosive! Let me clear one misunderstanding up, During the mastering of the AP Blue Note series, Hoffman was left to his own devices by AP. On the MM series Ron Rambach was always present in the mastering booth and more often than not Hoffman did not have the final say on the outcome of the mastering Gray and Rambach often overuled his inputs and in some cases they even turned back the dial (literally). So more often than not the MM 45 series titles came out sounding great in spite of Hoffman's meddling. As one member of LJC has previously pointed out there was more to Hoffman's dismissal from the MM project than SQ issues. Part of the impetus behind the MM 33 titles is that there were a series of popular classic BN titles on the AP catalogue, that MM felt were not done justice by Hoffman's tinkering with dial. some of these AP titles like Blue Train, Idle Moments, Midnight Blue, Moaning', Maiden Voyage and some others sounded tamped down on the upper ranges, so MM decided to free whatever was tamped down by Hoffman and let the music shine. The list you've got is great one, Evan. Mode For Joe is cold classic! Great info, Spencer! Will be sure to come back to you with my thoughts when I get them. Much appreciated. Have a happy New Year! |
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Post by Spencer on Jan 18, 2016 3:42:42 GMT
I don’t go to church on Sundays I don’t go to church on Sundays I was raised Anglican but I’m now likely an Agnost I try to live by the most important rule in the Bible though I hardly pick up the book Do unto others as you would have them do to you That’s about all I ask of anyone in this world I don’t go to church on Sundays On Sundays I make it a habit to listen to “Deacon Joe” by Duke Jordan From the 1961 album Flight To Jordan It is one of the most Gospel inflected songs in all of Blue Note It says to me what a thousand sermons couldn’t I listen to “Deacon Joe” without analyzing it Let its message reach me sitting in silence I listen cause it is Sunday and I'm not in Church  |
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Post by SPENCER on Feb 18, 2016 14:38:10 GMT
This is a PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT (for those who are interested)
Music Matters has just released a limited quantity of John Coltrane Blue Train Safire Blue Vinyl. The Price is $69.99. These I understand were put out as Music Matters and most other online vendors are now completely sold out of regular vinyl copies of Blue Train. The only online retail entity that still has the reg. vinyl is Elusive disc at $59.99.
It is no secret that the Mono 33rpm of Blue Train put out by MM was a game change as far as that album is concerned. If you haven't heard it you are truly missing something special.
there are less than 300 copies of the Blue Train Safire Blue Vinyl and they are sold exclusively on the MM website.
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Post by SPENCER on Feb 27, 2016 6:24:00 GMT
What I'm about to say would upsetting for regular LJC readers but it shouldn't except if you are one of those individuals who buy rare original jazz albums as an investment instead of entertainment. If you are a record investor then by all means go ahead and be mad cause my powers of observation indicates that you and your precious collection of Jazz lP is about to undergo a Dutch style Tulip bubble meltdown.IT IS MY THESIS THAT THE PROLIFERATION OF QUALITY ANALOG REISSUES OF CLASSIC BLUE NOTE AND OTHER JAZZ LABEL CATALOGS IS NOW MAKING A DENT ON THE ORIGINAL/VINTAGE LP MARKET. AS A FREQUENT WATCHER OF EBAY SALES (LIKE MOST OF YOU) I HAVE NOW BEGAN TO NOTICE A SMALL DOWNWARD TREND IN THE AUCTION PRICES OF EXTREMELY GOOD QUALITY COPIES OF BLUE NOTE AND PRESTIGE TITLES.I did not want to believe it but the signs are everywhere. The recent trend that I've seen is that more rare rock 'n roll ups have now begun to fetch the kind of money that only Jazz lis use to command. Good reason for this trend as well as most of you know the tapes of most rock 'n roll records are worse shape than their jazz counterparts. two reasons: rock 'n roll records were reissued more frequently than jazz. Next is the quality of the tapes themselves, EPA environmental and consumer standards regulations enacted in the 70s basically eliminated the use of some harmful compounds from the manufacture of magnetic audio tapes; most specifically lead. (Don't get me started on the topic of sperm whale oil). Now a manufacturer can still use the old formula if he or she choses to, but the risk is ernomous, first they would have to market it specifically as potentially dangerous, meaning there would be all kinds warning symbols plastered all over the packaging and handling the item would require Chernobyl and Fukushima level protective gear. Then there is the potential lawsuit down the road from folks who will be affected one way or the othe--but I'm digressing here.
www.ebay.com/itm/LED-ZEPPELIN-Self-Titled-ATLANTIC-SD-8216-LP-NM-wlp-/361487115730?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20150604093004%26meid%3D6d47c0a47a26474a976067e5a685b19a%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D381542199581&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=6pEBvr05EY7%252BVL1RjosJhegM7OM%253D&orig_cvip=true
the auction on the page link above is in the top tier of the kind of trend I'm talking about with rock albums but it somewhat indicative of the point I'm making. I would speculate that the tapes for Zeppelin's 70s albums are in a fragile state and if they were not why would the band undertake a recent glamorous reissues of all their studio albums cut from hi-res files.
www.ebay.com/itm/HERBIE-HANCOCK-Maiden-Voyage-BLUE-NOTE-BLP-4195-MONO-NY-RVG-/361465687777?hash=item542908aee1%3Ag%3A4SMAAOSwwPhWkrLw&nma=true&si=6pEBvr05EY7%252BVL1RjosJhegM7OM%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
Five years ago this copy of Maiden Voyage would have fetched $300 to $500. It is getting harder to justify the kind of money people used dole out on vintage lis after you hear the MM 33RPM of Maiden voyage.
Yes, I know there are those who are die hard originalists when it comes to Jazz lis and for them it doesn't matter in a way cause most of them own their copies of all the original they desire but it seems the rank and file of new members in the elite originals club isn't growing fast enough to warrant the kind of insane money that used to be thrown at rare original Jazz LP.
Of course most rare Jazz lps are still worth good money just not as much as they used to:
www.ebay.com/itm/WEBSTER-YOUNG-FOR-LADY-ORIG-D-G-12-MONO-LP-NICE-/361491838180?hash=item542a97b4e4%3Ag%3AJNQAAOSwDuJWw3mj&nma=true&si=6pEBvr05EY7%252BVL1RjosJhegM7OM%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
this one used to go for $800 or better but $500 ain't too bad if you ask me.
this topic warrants further exploration and I would invite LJC to apply his research skills on the matter. I would do it myself but I quit grad school cause applying research methodology hurt my head
ciao!
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Post by Spencer on Feb 27, 2016 6:33:02 GMT
A good reason I'm not keen on Artificial intelligence is cause of the way spellcheckers behave.
It seems the moronic intelligence of the spellchecker has led it to autocorrect every instance of the phrase "lps" in my post to "lis"
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Post by bassman on Feb 27, 2016 13:30:23 GMT
"What I'm about to say would be upsetting for regular LJC readers but
it shouldn't except if you are one of those individuals who buy rare original
jazz albums as an investment instead of entertainment. If you are a record
investor then by all means go ahead and be mad cause my powers of observation
indicates that you and your precious collection of Jazz LPs is about to undergo a
Dutch style Tulip bubble meltdown ( . . . ) "
Buying rare original jazz albums as an investment is something I don't do but still seems to me more logical than the "entertainment" factor - as long as the meltdown you're predicting doesn't happen, of course. Records should be played, and I probably wouldn't give a very valuable item too much playing time for fear of damaging it. So what would be the "entertainment" involved? Looking at it, enjoying the uniqueness of its cover art, cardboard quality, label attributes, and runout markings? Perhaps. (While listening to a rip and pretending it's the original.)
Why would I buy a quality re-issue? Because in many cases it's the only way of combining the "sexiness" of vinyl with decent sound, without running the risk of destroying a more or less unique artefact. But the most perfect sound, unfortunately, is provided by the least appealing types of media: The ones that are not played on turntables.
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Post by spencer on Feb 27, 2016 20:39:51 GMT
"What I'm about to say would be upsetting for regular LJC readers but
it shouldn't except if you are one of those individuals who buy rare original
jazz albums as an investment instead of entertainment. If you are a record
investor then by all means go ahead and be mad cause my powers of observation
indicates that you and your precious collection of Jazz LPs is about to undergo a
Dutch style Tulip bubble meltdown ( . . . ) "
Buying rare original jazz albums as an investment is something I don't do but still seems to me more logical than the "entertainment" factor - as long as the meltdown you're predicting doesn't happen, of course. Records should be played, and I probably wouldn't give a very valuable item too much playing time for fear of damaging it. So what would be the "entertainment" involved? Looking at it, enjoying the uniqueness of its cover art, cardboard quality, label attributes, and runout markings? Perhaps. (While listening to a rip and pretending it's the original.)
Why would I buy a quality re-issue? Because in many cases it's the only way of combining the "sexiness" of vinyl with decent sound, without running the risk of destroying a more or less unique artefact. But the most perfect sound, unfortunately, is provided by the least appealing types of media: The ones that are not played on turntables.
You make good points... The meltdown I speak of is a slight dip rather than a full scale dive. the only way to make a rare record immune to the vagaries of economic ups and downs is to buy that rare record out of love. Rest assured if you love your records you have already immunized them against economic considerations |
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Post by spencer on Mar 1, 2016 17:20:50 GMT
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Post by gregorythefish on Mar 1, 2016 18:03:57 GMT
i buy original jazz LPs because i find them fascinating and neat. your original post was dripping with condescension. interesting. but sure, an MM reissue of a miles davis record that goes for $45 as an original prestige is worth $60. right. sure.
in any case, i don't mind what people buy or why they buy it. and if someone else does, that is for them to reconcile, not me. it is neat to listen to a record and know, for example, that my WLP copy of a love supreme was just another promo copy of a trane album when it was pressed, not some holy grail of sound and spirit. it is fun. i like to have fun.
does ANYONE here buy records as investment? silly.
but MM marketing sure works hard, don't they?
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