Joe Harley

You'll be seeing a few of those starting in 2025, already mastered. And thank you! Many of the titles we put out at MMJ are showing up in the Blue Note Classic Series at very affordable prices. You'll be seeing some of those in the Blue Note Classic Series Brad.

What was stated: "I might believe that these are Joe's favorites but I'm sure this rule is forcing Joe to skip some records that he normally wouldn't." My not wanting to endlessly repeat the same great titles we did at MMJ over and over again has nothing to do with my choice of titles for the Tone Poet program. I love all of those titles we did at MMJ. And I love what we are doing now. There are SO many great titles that have yet to be reissued. And remember, we draw from the whole family of Blue Note labels, including Pacific Jazz, UA, World Pacific, Transition, Capitol and many more. Can we please everyone, all the time? No. But this is the most successful vinyl reissue program in the history of the label. We appear to be pleasing quite a few.

Nope. Wrong.

Don Was and I are the same age.

I'm 70. Kevin Gray is 68.

That's a question we asked all the time when first coming up with the manufacturing protocols for XRCD. The mastering and signal transfer process for XRCD is one thing, but from a manufacturing standpoint, XRCD is really (with some exceptions like K2 disc cutting) just making CDs in the manner that they all should be made. For many years now, CD manufacturing has been ruled by "faster/cheaper" regardless of the huge amounts of jitter that are a result of ultra-high speed disc replication. XRCD signal transfer is done real time. One line only at the JVC replication facility in Yokohama Japan is set up for XRCD. Every aspect of this line has been optimized as a result of extensive listening tests. Should all CD lines be like this? Absolutely! However, as long as "faster/cheaper" rules the business of disc manufacturing it's not going to happen. It's a good question though, one that I'm glad you brought up. cheers, Joe

Certainly. We always ask for all available outtakes for a session when they are available. We listened to the outtakes available with Speakin' My Piece and deemed them worthy of inclusion on the CRCD release. While the outtake reel for Tina Brooks was available it was not an original master, but in addition, the tape (even though a copy) had deteriorated to the point of being unplayable. We tried baking but it was still no go. Remember, these tapes are around 50 years old. It's a bit hit and miss. cheers, Joe

In the age of high resolution audio, calling a CD with 16bit/44kHz sound an "Extended resolution CD" (XRCD) is marketing stretched to the limit of consumer deception. I'm aware that you haven't invented the name, but I think it's no longer acceptable today. That's fine Claude, I can understand why you might feel that way. As I've mentioned several times, I've been involved (as producer) with over 50 SACD projects over the years. In fact I recorded/produced and released one of the very first SACD hybrid discs for the AudioQuest Music label. XRCD is basically a number of mastering and disc manufacturing protocols that maximize what is possible with 16/44 sound. Have you listened to an XRCD mastered by Alan Yoshida? I could have easily released these Blue Notes on SACD. The choice of XRCD was a deliberate one. Since Blue Note SACDs exist, I strongly encourage listeners to make the comparison. When you get the chance Claude, please compare one of the Blue Note XRCDs with one of the SACDs and report back what you hear. Fair enough? cheers, Joe

Hi Chewy, Yes, they'll play on your CD player. XRCD's are basically CDs stretched to the limit. Truthfully though, they are the result of very careful mastering and equal care in the signal; transfer process. CD replication for many years has been about faster faster/cheaper cheaper! Quality has fallen through the cracks. XRCD is just to show what CDs that are absolutely optimized in every respect, can sound like. Enjoy, Joe

Message from Michael Cuscuna re Blue Note XRCD Hi gang, I just received a very nice e-mail from Mr. Blue Note himself, Michael Cuscuna, who had just received the 1st four BN XRCDs. Of course he's been part of our team from the beginning, but this was his first look at the real thing. I asked Michael if I could post the message and he said sure: Guys, Got the care package today. The packaging is gorgeous and the sound is positively non-digital. These XRCD's have all the detail and clarity of the compact disc with all the ear-friendly warmth of the original analog recordings. Great job! MC Having Michael's seal of approval means a LOT to Alan, Bob and me. cheers Joe

Hi JAW, Is it OK for me to post here? This forum is new to me so I don't want to be breaking any rules. Hopefully I can help explain the reasoning behind the Blue Note XRCDs, just released this week. First of all, understand that I take the privilege of having access to the original Blue Note master tapes VERY seriously. I've loved Blue Note for as long as I can remember. When EMI and Michael Cuscuna gave Ron Rambach and I carte blanche to create the ultimate LP reissues of Blue Note titles two years ago, we dove into it 24/7 with all of our hearts! It’s a project that continues to this day. I've had the pleasure of working with many of the great analog mastering engineers over the years. For this particular project, the choice of Steve Hoffman and Kevin Grey at Acoustech Mastering was a natural, especially considering the fact that mastering at Acoustech allows you to take your acetate directly over to plating at RTI. That's a serious advantage! In early 2009, when the opportunity to have the same access to Blue Note masters was presented from a digital perspective, I again thought through all options carefully. I have extensive experience with SACD, having produced over 50 titles for various labels on SACD. I was creative director for the JVC/XRCD program for a number of years as well. My choice of Alan Yoshida (OceanWay Mastering) and XRCD was based on only one thing.....which mastering engineer and what chain, would provide the results that I would personally want to hear? How would I want the ideal digital presentation of Blue Note to be produced? That was the reasoning. The results have just been released for those who are interested to listen to (and look at since these are presented as bound books with added session photos.) I'll be very curious to read impressions from those of you who buy these. I hope you enjoy them as much as I am this evening! Cheers, Joe But the projects are at least partly about the same Blue Note titles. Hoffman mastered them for 45rpm LP release for Harley's Music Matters label previously. http://www.musicmattersjazz.com/titles.html So Harley hired Hoffman to master LPs, and then a couple of months later he hires Yoshida to master the same titles for CD. This looks like unnecessary duplication of work to me, compared to the Analogue Productions way to do it for ther LP and SACD reissues http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost...mp;postcount=11 Why not ask Joe Harley about "the how and the why"?