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Toshiba Japan Blue Note LT Series Reissues


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Oh, it was definitely great - I'd started collecting a few years before, but with *very* limited funds. The RVGs were a huge improvement in terms of availability and price (I did buy some TOCJs which cost me a fortune, but I still hang on to them, Booby's "Happenings" for instance, wonderful album, also found some of those ugly-designed ones like that Mobley, what's it called? and the JMac pee-pee album - how's that for old forum sagas, huh? - and they were very expensive, too) - and for those who care, they were a huge improvement in design, too!

Anyway, I'm most grateful for the series, it allowed me to listen to plenty of fine albums I'd never had a chance to get before, "Stylings of Silver" is one of them, and I enjoy it a lot, too, btw! The grand JOS' with Turrentine ... I'm sticking to my old "Prayer Meetin'", just because, never bothered to compare, but I recently got hold of the RVG of "Back at the Chicken Shack" (after erroneously buying a second McMaster first, DOH) and I agree it sounds terrific! (I never warmed just the same to "Midnight Special", got to know it much later and I just enjoy the tunes on "Back at the Chicken Shack" quite a bit better).

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Really? I never thought that. My favorite Jackie title. Oh well, different set of ears.

To me, Jackie McLean's "Capuchin Swing" must be the worst ...

I thought is was "Fickle Sonance" which sounded very poor in its RVG edition. My Toshiba LP sounds so much better.

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I never picked up that disc for that reason, b/c the RVG was reportedly so bad. I never understood why people over at Hoffman had issues with the RVG's of "Midnight Special" and "Back At the Chicken Shack", they sound so much better than the old McMasters. I suppose that's the best we'll get until HD Tracks (I still haven't heard those and want "Speak No Evil" from that batch, although right now I have no sound from my computer) or Music Matters does them. The RVG's are superior for organ dates IMO.

Edited by CJ Shearn
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I never picked up that disc for that reason, b/c the RVG was reportedly so bad. I never understood why people over at Hoffman had issues with the RVG's of "Midnight Special" and "Back At the Chicken Shack", they sound so much better than the old McMasters. I suppose that's the best we'll get until HD Tracks (I still haven't heard those and want "Speak No Evil" from that batch, although right now I have no sound from my computer) or Music Matters does them. The RVG's are superior for organ dates IMO.

I agree with you on these two. I tried telling people over on the Hoffman forums this but I was overruled. Hoffman himself has come out against these CDs so you're wasting your breath trying to convince them that they're not all bad.

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I never picked up that disc for that reason, b/c the RVG was reportedly so bad. I never understood why people over at Hoffman had issues with the RVG's of "Midnight Special" and "Back At the Chicken Shack", they sound so much better than the old McMasters. I suppose that's the best we'll get until HD Tracks (I still haven't heard those and want "Speak No Evil" from that batch, although right now I have no sound from my computer) or Music Matters does them. The RVG's are superior for organ dates IMO.

I agree with you on these two. I tried telling people over on the Hoffman forums this but I was overruled. Hoffman himself has come out against these CDs so you're wasting your breath trying to convince them that they're not all bad.

I sometimes post over there (under a different name - guess who I am :rhappy: ), but I feel that my time there has actually made me enjoy music less than I used to.

I've been happy with many of the RVG cds but I feel like there must be something wrong with me for enjoying them. I do applaud Lon for his defense of them on that board. I remember when many of us weren't big fans of the McMasters, but they are exalted over there.

I also don't get the buying audiophile cds for audiophile's sake. The day I buy an audiophile Phil Collins cd is the day I'll stick screwdrivers in my ears. :wacko:

I can appreciate a nice audiophile recording, but the music is more important to me than how it sounds. I'd prefer it have great sound but if it doesn't, it won't stop me from listening. I love my Benedetti Charlie Parker box and nothing is going to change my mind about it. :g

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Really? I never thought that. My favorite Jackie title. Oh well, different set of ears.

To me, Jackie McLean's "Capuchin Swing" must be the worst ...

Really? I never thought that. My favorite Jackie title. Oh well, different set of ears.

To me, Jackie McLean's "Capuchin Swing" must be the worst ...

I thought is was "Fickle Sonance" which sounded very poor in its RVG edition. My Toshiba LP sounds so much better.

I don't have much of an issue with "A Fickle Sonance", but then that one has such a wonderful band I've loved it since I first heard it (bought it in Poland, of all places ...)

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I can appreciate a nice audiophile recording, but the music is more important to me than how it sounds. I'd prefer it have great sound but if it doesn't, it won't stop me from listening. I love my Benedetti Charlie Parker box and nothing is going to change my mind about it. :g

Ah, but if you could hear it on LP... :g

Edited by mjzee
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I also don't get the buying audiophile cds for audiophile's sake. The day I buy an audiophile Phil Collins cd is the day I'll stick screwdrivers in my ears. :wacko:

There's an audiophile Phil Collins CD??? HOW COME NO ONE TELLS ME THESE THINGS???? :g

Back to the RVGs: I generally enjoy them and share the opinion that it was nice while it lasted. I mean, I don't know about you guys, but every time I saw a thread with "New RVG's" in the title, it made my day better; finding some serious gems in the list made the announcement that much sweeter! I miss that!

Really, the only RVG's that have disappointed me sonically are Horace Silver's SONG FOR MY FATHER and Wayne Shorter's SPEAK NO EVIL. I found a McMaster of the latter, thinking I would enjoy it better; turns out I still preferred the RVG.

Of course, if we really wanted to be sick bastards, we could discuss....

:blush:

Reverse polarization!!!!! :excited::w:excl::excl::excl::ph34r::P:crazy::crazy::crazy:

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I got Knucklebean and played it. My initial reaction was a bit lukewarm. The playing is quite good on the soloing, but the writing - almost none of it by Bobby himself except for a reprise of two great 60's compositions- is not so great. I get the sense of a definite how do I say it 70s jazz sound that tends dangerously close to smooth jazz - especially that opening bass line on track 1.

I am not complaining to those who recommended it to me....and further plays may improve my estimation.... just giving my first impressions for what it is worth.

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I also don't get the buying audiophile cds for audiophile's sake. The day I buy an audiophile Phil Collins cd is the day I'll stick screwdrivers in my ears. :wacko:

There's an audiophile Phil Collins CD??? HOW COME NO ONE TELLS ME THESE THINGS???? :g

Back to the RVGs: I generally enjoy them and share the opinion that it was nice while it lasted. I mean, I don't know about you guys, but every time I saw a thread with "New RVG's" in the title, it made my day better; finding some serious gems in the list made the announcement that much sweeter! I miss that!

Really, the only RVG's that have disappointed me sonically are Horace Silver's SONG FOR MY FATHER and Wayne Shorter's SPEAK NO EVIL. I found a McMaster of the latter, thinking I would enjoy it better; turns out I still preferred the RVG.

Of course, if we really wanted to be sick bastards, we could discuss....

:blush:

Reverse polarization!!!!! :excited::w:excl::excl::excl::ph34r::P:crazy::crazy::crazy:

Hey Big Al!

I used to love those "New RVG's" threads too! With both the RVG's and the Connoisseur releases, I was in Heaven.

Fortunately, I kept most of my McMasters when I got the RVG's. I find that I might like an RVG better on one stereo and like the McMaster of that album on another.

I just find when I get hung up on the loudness wars stuff, I don't enjoy the music. I have been making a conscious effort to stop doing this. I want to love music like I used too.

I can appreciate a nice audiophile recording, but the music is more important to me than how it sounds. I'd prefer it have great sound but if it doesn't, it won't stop me from listening. I love my Benedetti Charlie Parker box and nothing is going to change my mind about it. :g

Ah, but if you could hear it on LP... :g

LOL

:excited:

I've had Knucklebean on vinyl for years and never got into it. I need to give it another chance. I think I wasn't able to enjoy it for what it was. I wanted to hear late 60's Hutcherson.

I purchased the Hutcherson Montreux cd from this series and have been enjoying it.

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Bobby Hutcherson "Live At Montreux" for me, with "Dialogue", "Happenings", and "Components" is one of my favorites. It may be my favorite Hutcherson. Count me in as also not being a huge fan of the Hutchersoon Mosaic Select, I regret having sold it, but "Cirrus" and "Inner Glow" were my favorite albums from that set. "Knucklebean" is good too but I honestly don't remember it much after listening. Maybe my stance on RVG's is rationalization because I built up a strong collection of Blue Note's I never owned previously, especially the formerly OOP and Conn titles, but I'm thankful the series existed.

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What's really good about the first 33 or so is that these are great albums in this series imo, and it's nice to have digital versions that are stand-alone and not have the material as bonus tracks on other cds or in Mosaic sets. And on top of that the sound imo is spectacular, among the very best ever Blue Note cds.

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What's really good about the first 33 or so is that these are great albums in this series imo, and it's nice to have digital versions that are stand-alone and not have the material as bonus tracks on other cds or in Mosaic sets. And on top of that the sound imo is spectacular, among the very best ever Blue Note cds.

I'm confused: "first 33 or so" of... RVG's? The current LT reissues?

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The three I have all from the BNLA series (Hutcherson, Ronnie Foster and Grant Green) sound very nice and are nice packages. The photo of Bobby is horrible but I like that cover design better than the redesigned domestic cover for Hutcherson at Montreux. Although, considering how detail oriented Japanese releases are, shouldn't the stylized "b" on some of the CD designs be black instead of white? I haven't seen for example, the "Blue Note Live at the Roxy" CD reissues yet, but the original LP's have the black "b". I know, ultimately minor, but just curious.

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  • 10 months later...

Has anybody purchased Wayne Shorter's Etcetera from these series? I am playing now the Connoiseur CD, it sounds to my ears thin and very tiring. Can something better be expected from the japanese CD (or the HD Tracks download). Many thanks!

Alex.-

Edited by Alexandros
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Etcetera was the first from this series I got. Lon recommended it. People here seem divided on the merits of this series. I haven't listened to Etcetera for a while now, I should put it on today.

Thanks. I likes the ones I got: Lee Morgan/Infinity, McLean/Consequence, Mobley/Slice, Hutcherson/Spiral and Medina. But I had no comparison base.

Edited by Alexandros
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Alexandros, Etcetera is a noticeable upgrade over the Conn. Indeed, I have purchased most of this series and they are definite upgrades over the earlier Conn and mid-to-late 90s BN releases. Of course, some of these Conns are really shrill, so an "upgrade" is hardly a ringing endorsement. I haven't purchased any where I already had the BN Works release (like Lee Morgan's Infinity, for example), so I can't provide any comparison in that regard.

However, while far from the Analogue Productions "flat" sound, these are definitely not too loud and not fatiguing on my system. I'm not the biggest fan of the original covers, but in my book, the sonic presentation is much improved over any official US release.

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Alexandros, Etcetera is a noticeable upgrade over the Conn. Indeed, I have purchased most of this series and they are definite upgrades over the earlier Conn and mid-to-late 90s BN releases. Of course, some of these Conns are really shrill, so an "upgrade" is hardly a ringing endorsement. I haven't purchased any where I already had the BN Works release (like Lee Morgan's Infinity, for example), so I can't provide any comparison in that regard.

However, while far from the Analogue Productions "flat" sound, these are definitely not too loud and not fatiguing on my system. I'm not the biggest fan of the original covers, but in my book, the sonic presentation is much improved over any official US release.

Thanks for the to-the-point response! More funds are urgently needed now...

On the same matter and since the 1967 Turrentine BN sessions which were reissued in the 'Bluish Bag' and 'Return of Prodigal Son' Connoiseur CDs, are favorites of mine, I tried to clarify which of them are now reissued in these BN LT series. So:

*the Connoisseur CDs include the following 1967 sesions: [17 Feb, 9 June: Bluish Bag], and [23 June, 28 July: Return Of The Prodigal Son]

**to complicate the matter, the japanese CD New Time Shuffle TOCJ-50277, from these BN LT series, contains two sessions - one from each of the above Conn CDs: 17 Feb and 23 June 1967. I think the other two sessions from 9 June and 28 July are not yet reissued in these series.

Alex.-

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