Small Batch from Craft Records

[Brad]

Craft Records has announced its next Small Batch record. The first two were Lush Life and Eastern Sounds, which sold out in an instant because they were limited to 1,000 each.

The next one will be Relaxin’. Here’s the announcement.

“We’re proud to announce Relaxin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet as the latest release in our acclaimed one-step series Small Batch. A pivotal title in Miles Davis’ incomparable catalog, this 1956 recording features a who’s who of jazz greats, including John Coltrane on tenor saxophone, Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. 

Taking all the feedback we’ve received during the first two releases into consideration, we’ve increased our pressing quantity to 5,000 units, yet againinstated a one-copy-per-household rule, andimplemented increased bot protection on our website to give everyone fair access. Additionally, to minimize in-transit damages and allow for a more streamlined shopping experience, we've centralized all of our inventory to our U.S. store (which ships worldwide) and designated Priority Mail as the only domestic shipping option to ensure better tracking and handling. We would like to encourage you all to create an account on CraftRecordings.com in advance in order to ensure that your details are all in the system by the time the release goes live.

Subscribers to this Small Batch Alert list will have exclusive access to an early pre-sale window which begins this Friday (April 15th) at 12:00pm PST / 3:00pm EST, accessible via your unique code below. Please note, this product page will not be live until the time specified.

The general pre-sale will begin at 2:00pm PST / 5:00pm EST on the same day (April 15th). Please note, the general pre-sale link is different to the early pre-sale link above, so please be sure to use the button below. Again, this product page will not be live until the specified time. No code necessary.

As with previous Small Batch albums, Relaxin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet was mastered from its original analog tapes by legendary mastering engineer Bernie Grundman and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at RTI using Neotech’s VR900 compound and a one-step lacquer process—allowing for the utmost level of musical detail, clarity, and dynamics while reducing the amount of surface noise on the record. Each pressing is individually numbered and encased in a foil-stamped, linen-wrapped slipcase featuring an acrylic inset of the original artwork. The vinyl disc is housed in a reproduction of the album’s original tip-on jacket from Prestige Records and protected by an archival-quality, anti-static, non-scratching inner sleeve. New liner notes from the GRAMMY® Award-winning music historian, journalist, and producer, Ashley Kahn complete the package.”

The price was $100 on the first two so I’m assuming that is the case this time too. 

[Pim]

Well I’ve stretched my personal limits for the Tone Poets and Acoustic Sounds series but I still can’t believe people pay a 100 bucks for a reissue. And the whole ‘keeping it small’ philosophy is what really annoys me. Keeping the batch small to maximize you’re profits. The opposite of what jazz should be: an art form available for anyone who wants to hear it. I am not a big fan of streaming but I do like the fact it makes much music available for everyone.

Edited April 13, 2022 by Pim

[jcam_44]

I just don't get the repressing of readily available releases. Clearly there are people buying the but I didn't even know about this series until this post. haha. 

[Dub Modal]

There’s a market for these things it seems. I’m not in it, but they’re making money - otherwise this stuff wouldn’t get produced. 

[mjazzg]

I love my Craft 'Eastern Sounds', ho hum...

[Dub Modal]

Live it up! 

[Brad]

This release has received a mixed response from the Hoffman people. Of all the titles Craft has in its catalogue and they chose this? On top of this AP is reissuing its Prestige records and Relaxing is one of those slated for reissue. At $40 it’s a whole lot more attractive. 

[jlhoots]

Relaxin' is great - BUT the price is beyond ridiculous!

[sidewinder]

3 hours ago, Brad said:

This release has received a mixed response from the Hoffman people.

They need to get their act together and crank the hype factor back up to 11..

[Kevin Bresnahan]

9 hours ago, Brad said:

This release has received a mixed response from the Hoffman people. Of all the titles Craft has in its catalogue and they chose this? On top of this AP is reissuing its Prestige records and Relaxing is one of those slated for reissue. At $40 it’s a whole lot more attractive. 

Plus, AP uses Kevin Gray, who mastering style sounds better to my ears than Bernie Grundman's.

I'll stick to my CD versions.

[tranemonk]

Am I missing something? What's the point of this? 

[Kevin Bresnahan]

1 hour ago, tranemonk said:

Am I missing something? What's the point of this? 

For many buyers, it's just a collectable. Some of the buyers won't even open it up to give it a spin. It'll just sit on their shelf waiting to appreciate in value.

[Brad]

On 4/14/2022 at 9:07 AM, tranemonk said:

Am I missing something? What's the point of this? 

Not much different than the MoFi One Steps although the MoFi run is higher. What’s the point? Better sound. I purchased the Eastern Sounds one and the sound was phenomenal. 

On 4/14/2022 at 10:53 AM, bresna said:

For many buyers, it's just a collectable. Some of the buyers won't even open it up to give it a spin. It'll just sit on their shelf waiting to appreciate in value.

With a 5,000 run I’m not sure how well these will appreciate. Eastern Sounds had a 1,000 run and there were a lot of flippers (including pre-sales).  So far no pre-sales on this one. 

[JSngry]

It's still the same notes, right? How much better does it have to "sound" before you get it? I get that "sound quality" is a hobby in itself, but Jesus, this record...people have heard it, learned it inside out (as players and as listeners), had their lives changed by it, got about proceeding accordingly, and then eventually died.

And those that haven't yet, will. All without having heard these exact notes in "better sound".

This is old (in most every sense of the word) music. No amount of " better sound" will make it anything but.

Remember that.

[Mark Stryker]

24 minutes ago, JSngry said:

It's still the same notes, right? How much better does it have to "sound" before you get it? I get that "sound quality" is a hobby in itself, but Jesus, this record...people have heard it, learned it inside out (as players and as listeners), had their lives changed by it, got about proceeding accordingly, and then eventually died.

And those that haven't yet, will. All without having heard these exact notes in "better sound".

This is old (in most every sense of the word) music. No amount of " better sound" will make it anything but.

Remember that.

Everything you say is true, but as someone who would pay $40 for this particular reissue -- it's my favorite Miles record by this quintet -- but who is not willing to pay $100 for it, I would only add that "better sound" that makes "old music" that you love sound "better" is absolutely a reasonable justification for parting with one's money. We all have our price. Coda: I am self-aware enough to realize that while I snicker at the fools willing to pay $100 for this record, I recognize that others are currently snickering at the fool willing to pay $40.

Edited April 15, 2022 by Mark Stryker

[Dan Gould]

Sorry I am saving my money for super hot stampers only.

[JSngry]

At this point, I'm content to listen to it every few years and be glad/thankful that it happened like that. If/when that changes, then...I don't know what. "Better sound" won't help then, I'm afraid 

[JSngry]

44 minutes ago, Mark Stryker said:

 -- it's my favorite Miles record by this quintet --

Mine is the one with "Diane" on it, whichever one that was. The way Coltrane comes in...at that tempo, it's just slow enough that every sense of the body and mind goes along with it on a more or less palpable way, like slowly ripping a band-aid off, only with pleasure rather than pain being the result. And then Red lets his thing happen naturally...you know what I would pay 40 bucks for, hell even 100 bucks for, would be an IV drip that could create that total sensation any time I wanted it for as long as I wanted it  THAT would be money well-spent, imo.

Until then, hell, I got records and I got my mind and I got memories to process. Use as needed, when/if needed.

[Mark Stryker]

48 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Mine is the one with "Diane" on it, whichever one that was. The way Coltrane comes in...at that tempo, it's just slow enough that every sense of the body and mind goes along with it on a more or less palpable way, like slowly ripping a band-aid off, only with pleasure rather than pain being the result. And then Red lets his thing happen naturally...you know what I would pay 40 bucks for, hell even 100 bucks for, would be an IV drip that could create that total sensation any time I wanted it for as long as I wanted it  THAT would be money well-spent, imo.

Until then, hell, I got records and I got my mind and I got memories to process. Use as needed, when/if needed.

"Steamin'" -- and I know the exact moment you're talking about. The Workin' and Steamin' twofer (red cover) that came out c. 1973 was among the first records I ever bought with my own money. I was 12, maybe 13.  The liner note writer on that twofer goes into some detail about "Diane." 

 

[JSngry]

The red cover, yeah!

[Brad]

I wonder what Bob Weinstock would think.  

[mjzee]

The Hoffman Forum is reporting that Craft will issue "a 60th-anniversary edition of The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra."  Does this mean that Fantasy/Craft owns the rights to the Savoy catalog?

[HutchFan]

31 minutes ago, mjzee said:

The Hoffman Forum is reporting that Craft will issue "a 60th-anniversary edition of The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra."  Does this mean that Fantasy/Craft owns the rights to the Savoy catalog?

Yes, I think that's correct.  I'm fairly sure that Concord owns the Craft imprint plus:

- Prestige/Riverside/Fantasy/Galaxy/Swingville/Moodsville (all the OJC stuff),
- Savoy, 
- Denon,
- Muse,
- Concord/Concord Picante,
- Tico/Vaya, and
- Fania.

They have the MOTHERLODE.

 

Edited July 19, 2022 by HutchFan

[colinmce]

23 minutes ago, mjzee said:

The Hoffman Forum is reporting that Craft will issue "a 60th-anniversary edition of The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra."  Does this mean that Fantasy/Craft owns the rights to the Savoy catalog?

Just put this on to revisit. In my recollection, it's among the less interesting Ra albums from the early period. And certainly not holding my breath for any rare Savoy titles coming out of this arrangement. 

[JSngry]

It's actually one of, if not the first(?) records of the "middle period" coming as it did right after the move to New York.

I think it's a wonderful album, myself. Not least because for those of you who like to do the "Gilmore/Coltrane...who influenced who????" game, this is the best evidence you have to work with in terms of time/place.

But also - the presence of Bernard McKinney makes a difference, in both solo time and ensemble color. And the reed section is glorious on this one. Glorious!!!