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K-2 remasterings


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I have just played the 2 Bill Evans Village Vanguard K2s again-sublime! and to my earsĀ  much improved over the german 20 bit digi pack versions which generally I had very little time for.

The hybrid Analogue Productions SACDs of Waltz for Debby and Sunday at the Village Vanguard are my favorite versions.

Edited by J.A.W.
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Thoughts on the K-2's, or your favorite version of, these?

ā€¢ Thelonious In Action

ā€¢ Misterioso

ā€¢ Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane

ā€¢ Monk's Music (Japanese K-2) *

* Well, this one's been discussed already. I'm guessing if you want mono, go for the K-2; if you want stereo, then the SACD hybrid?

Also, just a thought: are the U.S. K-2's identical with the Japanese K-2's? They "should" be, but perhaps pressing plant issues ... ?

Edited by Late
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Also, just a thought: are the U.S. K-2's identical with the Japanese K-2's? They "should" be, but perhaps pressing plant issues ... ?

That's exactly the same quesion that's been going around my head for some time now. Are they actually the same remasters as the VICJs? And what about those budget editions? They should just be repressings, I think, but ...

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Hello Swinger,

The K2s I have compared to the regular OJCs or german ZYX OJC20s are:

- Eric Dolphy - Outward bound: much better than the Dolphy prestige box, where this sessions sounds thin and steely

- Eric Dolphy - Far Cry & Five Spot Vol.1: more dynamic, fuller and tighter than the box set remastering, but not a spectacular improvement

- Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane: just a minor difference between the OJC20 and the K2, not worth upgrading.

- Art Pepper & Eleven - Modern Jazz Classics: the K2 sound is more natural and coherent than the ZYX. But the SACD is again an improvement (warmer and better instrument separation)

- Red Garland - Groovy: The ZYX sounds atrocious, no treble, as if the tapes (multi-generation copies?) were completely worn out. The K2 is 1000% better :)

... to be continued later ...

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Eric Dolphy - Far Cry & Five Spot Vol.1: more dynamic, fuller and tighter than the box set remastering, but not a spectacular improvement.

I guess I'd have to disagree with this assessment, in part. To my ears, the VICJ of Live at the Five Spot, Volume One is an enormous improvement over the regular OJC. I would agree, however, that the K-2 of Far Cry is less of an "improvement," though still worth upgrading for, in my opinion.

What really needs to happen (but won't) is this:

Fantasy gets Kirk Felton to remaster two Dolphy box sets in hybrid SACD:

The Complete 1961 Five Spot Recordings of Eric Dolpy and Booker Little

and

The Complete 1961 Copenhagen Recordings of Eric Dolphy

... in recording order, complete with stage announcements and any possible extra tracks.

I started buying up the VICJ series in 1999 like a wild jackass. For the most part, they are all uniformly excellent, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend any of them, except for the prohibitive price. Here are some of the VICJ's that stand out in my mind as vast sonic improvements:

ā€¢ Sonny Rollins: Way Out West

ā€¢ Chet Baker: Chet

ā€¢ Miles Davis Quintet: Workin'

ā€¢ Miles Davis Quintet: Cookin'

ā€¢ Eric Dolphy: Live at the Five Spot, Volume One

ā€¢ Thelonious Monk: with Sonny Rollins

ā€¢ Stan Getz: Quartet

ā€¢ Clifford Jordan: Bearcat

... along with many more. I can only think of two that I was slightly disappointed with. They are:

ā€¢ John Coltrane: Traneing In

There is some strange distortion, at least on the disc I have, on some of Coltrane's longer tones on the latter half of the disc that I don't remember on the OJC.

ā€¢ Sonny Rollins Plus Four

Nothing wrong with this one really, it just seemed a lot like the OJC, with less of the presence one comes to expect with the VICJ's.

I really wish the Japanese VICJ "Heritage of Jazz" series would continue. There's still so many musical gems from the collective Fantasy vault out there that could benefit from Tamaki Beck's or Shigeo Miyamoto's loving care. Say, the Mingus Bohemia sides, all the Lacy's, Ornette's first Contemporary side, more Johnny Griffin, etc., etc.

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I'm considering replacing some of my ZYX and regular OJCs with K2 remasters in the near future and am trying to decide which route to go: Japanese or US domestic.

Are the domestic Fantasy K2s sonically equivalent to the VICJs? And in which cases do you consider the improvement over the ZYX 20 bit remasters or even the older OJCs to be barely noticeable? I'm particularly considering the Miles, Bill Evans, Monk, Sonny Rollins, Coltrane and McLean material. I'd appreciate your opinion and help with this.

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Are these Japanese issues jewel cases or mini sleeve, and where can I get a list of available issues?

Heritage of Jazz Series

These CDs were issued in several batches throughout 1999-2000. Original issues were in cardboard sleeves with liner notes and original cover art.

VICJ-

60261: Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus

60262: Sonny Rollins/John Coltrane, Tenor Madness

60263: Miles Davis, Bags' Groove

60264: Miles Davis, Walkin' with the Miles Davis Quintet

60265: Miles Davis, Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet

60266: Miles Davis, Relaxin' with the Miles Davis Quintet

60267: Miles Davis, Workin' with the Miles Davis Quintet

60268: Miles Davis, Steamin' with the Miles Davis Quintet

60269: John Coltrane, Soultrane

60270: John Coltrane, Coltrane

60271: John Coltrane, Stardust

60272: Modern Jazz Quartet, Django

60273: Modern Jazz Quartet, Concorde

60274: Eric Dolphy Live at the Five Spot, Volume 1 +1

60275: Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny

60276: Jackie McLean, 4, 5, and 6

60277: Stan Getz Quartet +4

60278: Red Garland, Groovy

60279: Ray Bryant Trio

60280: Thelonious Monk Trio

60281: Miles Davis and The Modern Jazz Giants

60282: Sonny Rollins with the MJQ

60283: Sonny Rollins, Worktime

60284: Kenny Burrell and John Coltrane

60285: Eric Dolphy Live at the Five Spot, Volume 2

60286: Sonny Criss, Up, Up, and Away

60287: George Wallington, Live at The Cafe Bohemia

60288: Mal Waldron, Mal-1

60289: Roy Haynes, We Three

60290: The Tommy Flanagan Trio

60291: Bill Evans, Portrait In Jazz +1

60292: Bill Evans, Waltz For Debby +4

60293: Bill Evans, Sunday At The Village Vanguard +5

60294: Bill Evans, Explorations +2

60295: Thelonious Monk, Thelonious Himself +1

60296: Thelonious Monk, Brilliant Corners

60297: Wes Montgomery, Incredible Jazz Guitar

60298: Wes Montgomery, Full House +3

60299: Wynton Kelly, Kelly Blue +2

60300: Kenny Drew Trio

60301: Miles Davis, Dig +2

60302: Miles Davis, Miles: The New Miles Davis Quintet

60303: John Coltrane, Lush Life

60304: George Wallington, Jazz For The Carriage Trade

60305: Red Garland, Soul Junction

60306: Bill Evans/Jim Hall, Interplay +1

60307: Bill Evans, Moonbeams

60308: Bill Evans, How My Heart Sings +1

60309: Thelonious Monk, Monk's Music +1

60310: Don Friedman, Circle Waltz

60311: Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section +1

60312: Sonny Rollins, Way Out West +3

60313: Hampton Hawes, The Trio Vol 1

60314: Shelley Manne, My Fair Lady

60315: Phineas Newborn, Jr., Harlem Blues

60316: Joe Pass, Virtuoso

60317: Sarah Vaughan, Autumn Leaves

60318: Sarah Vaughan, How Long Has This Been Going On?

60319: Ella Fitzgerald/Joe Pass, Take Love Easy

60320: Art Tatum/Ben Webster Quartet +3

60321: Sonny Rollins +4

60322: Thelonious Monk and Sonny Rollins

60323: Stitt, Powell, and J.J. +3

60324: Art Farmer/Gigi Gryce, When Farmer Met Gryce

60325: Modern Jazz Quartet and Milt Jackson Quintet

60326: Lee Konitz, Subconscious-Lee

60327: Tommy Flanagan/John Coltrane, The Cats

60328: Booker Ervin, The Song Book

60329: Milt Jackson Quartet

60330: Cannonball Adderley/Bill Evans, Know What I Mean? +2

60331: Bill Evans, Everybody Digs Bill Evans +1

60332: Cannonball Adderley, Cannonball in San Francisco +1

60333: Nat Adderley, Work Song

60334: Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane

60335: Bobby Timmons, This Here

60336: Johnny Griffin, The Little Giant

60337: Wes Montgomery, Boss Guitar +2

60338: Wynton Kelly Piano +1 (Whisper Not)

60339: Red Garland, Nearness of You

60340: Chet Baker/Bill Evans, Chet +1

60341: Miles Davis, The Musings of Miles

60342: Miles Davis, Collectors' Items

60343: Miles Davis, and Milt Jackson

60344: Clifford Brown, Memorial Album

60345: Kenny Burrell, Bluesy Burrell

60346: Red Garland's Piano

60347: Red Garland, A Garland of Red

60348: Blue Mitchell, Blue's Moods

60349: Bill Evans, Green Dolphin Street

60350: Bill Evans, New Jazz Conceptions +1

60351: Thelonious Monk, The Unique Thelonious Monk

60352: Thelonious Monk, Alone in San Francisco +1

60353: Thelonious Monk, Misterioso +2

60354: Abbey Lincoln, That's Him +2

60355: Benny Carter, Swingin' the 20's +3

60356: The Poll Winners

60357: Barney Kessel, Easy Like +2

60358: Art Tatum Trio with Red Callender

60359: The Quintet, Jazz at Massey Hall

60360: Dave Brubeck with Paul Desmond +8

60421: Miles Davis, Miles Davis and Horns +1

60422: Sonny Rollins, Rollins Plays For Bird +1

60423: John Coltrane, Traneing In

60424: John Coltrane, Settinā€™ the Pace

60425: John Coltrane/Tadd Dameron, Mating Call

60426: Wardell Grey Memorial Vol. 1

60427: Wardell Grey Memorial Vol. 2

60428: Gene Ammons, Boss Tenor

60429: Eric Dolphy, Outward Bound +3

60430: Eric Dolphy, Far Cry +1

60431: Jackie McLean, A Long Drink of the Blues

60432: Phil Woods, Woodlore

60433: Sonny Criss, This is Criss

60434: George Wallington, The New York Scene

60435: Gill Evans Ten

60436: Prestige All-Stars, All Night Long +2

60437: Jimmy Raney

60438: Pat Martino, El Hombre

60439: Red Garland, All Kinds of Weather

60440: Barbara Lea

60441: Miles Davis, Blue Haze

60442: Sonny Rollins, Moving Out

60443: John Coltrane, Black Pearls

60444: John Coltrane, Standard Coltrane

60445: Dexter Gordon, The Tower of Power

60446: Benny Golson, Groovin' with Golson

60447: Gene Ammons, Bad! Bossa Nova

60448: Jimmy Forrest, Out of the Forrest

60449: Eric Dolphy, Out There

60450: Latin Jazz Quintet/Eric Dolphy, Caribe

60451: Jackie McLean, McLean's Scene

60452: Eric Kloss, In the Land of the Giants

60453: Jerome Richardson, Roaminā€™

60454: Art Farmer, Early Art

60455: Lem Winchester/Benny Golson, Winchester Special

60456: The Return of Tal Farrow

60457: Pat Martino, East

60458: Red Garland, It's a Blue World

60459: Barry Harris, Magnificent

60460: The Jaki Byard Experience

60461: Lee Konitz/Miles Davis, Ezz-Thetic

60462: The John Eardley Seven

60463: Thelonious Monk Quintet

60464: Eric Dolphy Memorial Album

60465: Mal Waldron/Eric Dolphy, The Quest

60466: Phil Woods/Red Garland, Sugan

60467: Sonny Criss, Portrait of Criss

60468: Jaki Byard, Hi-Fly

60469: Ron Haynes Trio, Just Us

60470: Cedar Walton, Spectrum

60471: Bill Evans, At Shelley's Manne-Hole

60472: Thelonious Monk Plays Duke Ellington

60473: Mulligan Meets Monk +3

60474: Sonny Rollins, The Sound Of Sonny +1

60475: The Wes Montgomery Trio

60476: Milt Jackson/Wes Montgomery, Bags Meets Wes +3

60477: Cannonball Adderley/Milt Jackson, Things are Getting Better +2

60478: Milt Jackson, Invitation

60479: Art Blakey, Ugetsu +3

60480: Johnny Griffin, The Kerry Dancers

60481: Chet Baker, It Could Happen to You +2

60482: Nat Adderley, Much Brass

60483: Charie Byrd, The Guitar Artistry of Charie Byrd

60484: Barry Harris, At the Jazz Workshop +3

60485: Kenny Drew Trio, Pal Joey

60486: Don Friedman, Flashback

60487: Junior Mance, Happy Time

60488: Bobby Timmons, Born to Be Blue

60489: George Russell, Ezz-thetic

60490: Abbey Lincoln, Abbey is Blue

60491: Thelonious Monk, Thelonious in Action +3

60492: Sonny Rollins, Freedom Suite

60493: Cannonball Adderley, Portrait of Cannonball +3

60494: Chet Baker in New York +1

60495: Nat Adderley, Naturally

60496: Blue Mitchell, Blue Soul

60497: Harold Land/Wes Montgomery, West Coast Blues

60498: Jimmy Heath, Triple Threat

60499: James Cray, Double Dose of Soul

60500: Don Wilkerson, The Texas Twister

60501: Julian Priester, Spiritsville

60502: Matthew G, Jazz By G

60503: JFK Quintet, New Jazz Frontiers From Washington

60504: Charlie Byrd, Bossa Nova Pelo Pasalo

60505: Red Garland, Bright and Breezy

60506: Bobby Timmons, Trio in Person +2

60507: Barry Harris, Promenade

60508: Junior Mance, At the Village Vanguard

60509: Billy Taylor with Four Flutes

60510: Joe Albany with Warne Marsh, The Right Combination

60511: Thelonious Monk, At Town Hall

60512: Cannonball Adderley Quintet, in New York

60513: Chet Baker, with Fifty Italian Strings

60514: Ben Webster/Joe Zawinul, Soul Mates

60515: Johnny Little, Nice and Easy

60516: Red Garland, Solar

60517: Junior Mance, Big Chief

60518: Joyce Collins, Girl Here Plays Mean Piano

60519: Dick Morgan, See What I Mean

60520: Evans Bradshaw, Pieces of 88

60670: Art Farmer Quintet Featuring Gigi Gryce

60671: Freddie Redd Trio/Hampton Hawes Quartet, Piano East/West

60672: Gene Ammons, Jug

60673: Roland Kirk, Kirk's Works

60674: Arnett Cobb, Sizzlin'

60675: Ronnie Matthews with Freddie Hubbard, Doin' the Thing

60676: Bobby Timmons, Chun-King

60677: Carmell Jones, Jay Hawk Talk

60678: Booker Ervin, Heavy!!!

60679: Pat Martino, Strings!

60680: Jaki Byard, Sunshine of My Soul

60681: Oliver Nelson, Meet Oliver Nelson

60682: Gigi Gryce, Quintet The Hap'nins

60683: Walt Dickerson, To My Queen

60684: Coleman Hawkins with the Red Garland Trio

60685: Various Artists, Swing Journal Readers Request Prestigeā€™s Best

60686: Cannonball Adderley and His Orchestra, African Waltz

60687: Lee Morgan Quintet, Take Twelve

60688: Milt Jackson Orchestra, Big Bags

60689: Kenny Drew, A Harry Warren Showcase

60690: The Soulful Piano of Junior Mance

60691: Barry Harris, Newer Than New

60692: Sonny Red with Blue Mitchell and Grant Green, Images

60693: Blue Mitchell, A Sure Thing

60694: Sam Jones Trio + 10, The Chant

60695: Charlie Byrd at the Village Vanguard

60696: The Mundell Lowe Quartet

60697: Johnny Griffin, Do Nothing 'Til You Hear from Me

60698: Jean Thielemans, Man Bites Harmonica!

60699: Clifford Jordan Quartet, Bearcat

60700: Tadd Dameron and His Orchestra, The Magic Touch

60701: Various Artists, Swing Journal Readers Request Riversideā€™s Best

One thing to bear in mind is that part of this series is now being re-reissued in Japan, in jewel cases, with new catalog numbers (4000 etc.), and the price for a single disc is 1500Ā„, as opposed to the previous 2520Ā„. Somebody here can probably come up with that list.

Edited by Late
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So Late,

Does that mean that you can't get the mini-lp covers anymore on the VICJs?

VICJ's are actually still available in mini-LP format. It's just that they're now technically "out-of-print." I'd e-mail Hiroshi Tanno with a list of what you're most interested in ā€” he might be able to help you out. In fact, he has some listed right now on his CD Stock list. A fair price for a new VICJ 6000 series, I'd say, is generally between $20-$25. Occasionally, you can find them for less, and I certainly wouldn't pay more than $25, unless you absolutely have to have it (which has happened to me before). When they initially came out in Japan, I'm pretty sure they were 2520Ā„.

Edited by Late
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I think my next VICJs will be some new titles I still don't have. I'm not much of an upgrader and am normally happy with what I have. Even some early 90s CDs. I only pick up reissues of records I already have in very special cases, or when I can get them cheap.

But I never really warmed to the ZYX OJCs, soundwise and packagewise. How can somebody produce such an unappealing object with such great source material? So I will slowly replace them over time. With VICJs or US K2, wherever these are cheaper. From what I have I'd say the Bill Evans are the prime candidates. The other day I was listening to New Jazz Conceptions in its 20bit edition and thereafter to Kenny Drew Trio, a great, great piano trio session IMO, as an earlier '92 Fantasy remaster. And it sounded much better.

The rest will or will not follow, but only at lower priority, compared to getting new material.

Oh, and I forgot, there is a bunch of VICJs reissued in 09/04 which are supposed to be a budget edition at 1500Ā„. But I don't know the full list. Maybe it's on the Losin site. I know the most popular titles are in there.

Edited by Bluesnik
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  • 1 month later...

According to the indispensible Jazzmatazz site the following CDs will come out as K2's in April:

NEW Art Pepper - Winter Moon (Fantasy) Apr ā€” 20-bit K2 remastered

NEW Miles Davis - Dig (Fantasy) Apr ā€” 20-bit K2 remastered

NEW Coleman Hawkins - Soul (Fantasy) Apr ā€” 20-bit K2 remastered

NEW John Coltrane - Standard Coltrane (Fantasy) Apr ā€” 20-bit K2 remastered

NEW Yusef Lateef - Eastern Sounds (Fantasy) Apr ā€” 20-bit K2 remastered

NEW Kenny Drew - Kenny Drew Trio (Fantasy) Apr ā€” 20-bit K2 remastered

NEW Thelonious Monk - Thelonious Alone in San Francisco (Fantasy) Apr ā€” 20-bit K2 remastered

NEW Cannonball Adderley Sextet - In New York (Fantasy) Apr ā€” 20-bit K2 remastered

NEW Bill Evans Trio - At Shelly's Manne-Hole (Fantasy) Apr ā€” 20-bit K2 remastered

NEW Abbey Lincoln - Abbey Is Blue (Fantasy) Apr ā€” 20-bit K2 remastered

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Tower online also still carries some, and Red Trumpet does as well. A fair price for a new VICJ 6000 series, I'd say, is generally between $20-$25. Occasionally, you can find them for less, and I certainly wouldn't pay more than $25, unless you absolutely have to have it (which has happened to me before). When they initially came out in Japan, I'm pretty sure they were 2520Ā„.

.......In fact, here's Red Trumpet's VICJ list.Ā 

http://www.redtrumpet.com/search/qsresults...sid=1035534217Ā Ā 

Yeah, not a bad Red Trumpet price for some of those VICJs (the JFK sounds great) but have you perused the JRVGs lately, Late? ;) $50 for Jutta, La Rocca, & Chambers!!! :o

http://www.redtrumpet.com/search/qsresults...&sid=1035534217

Edited by Son-of-a-Weizen
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