BN Japan Complete Series

[brownie]

There are a couple of BN Complete Series from Japan 2CD sets 'Art Blakey, A Night at Birdland' and 'The Eminent JJ Johnson' available at a local store.

I already have 'The Amazing Bud Powell' from this series and failed to see any significant improvement on sound over what I already had on vinyl and CDs!

Are the Blakey and the JJ any better over what has already been reissued?

Anybody has a full list of this 'Complete Series'?

[jazzbo]

I have the Kenny Dorham at the Cafe Bohemia, and the Sonny Clark Trio set, and really like them. I think the sound is great, and I think that the booklets are great, with photos and album covers that aren't necessarily available elsewhere.

I guess in the sonics nature of things, it's a matter of personal taste, and really, if one has this material in other forms, there's no reason to get these unless you just like to collect Blue Note Japan items or are really enamored with the Japenese RVG sound.

I think besides those you mention there are also Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis sets. . . not sure of how many others.

[Chuck Nessa]

I have the Kenny Dorham at the Cafe Bohemia, and the Sonny Clark Trio set, and really like them.  I think the sound is great, and I think that the booklets are great, with photos and album covers that aren't necessarily available elsewhere. 

I guess in the sonics nature of things, it's a matter of personal taste, and really, if one has this material in other forms, there's no reason to get these unless you just like to collect Blue Note Japan items or are really enamored with the Japenese RVG sound. 

I think besides those you mention there are also Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis sets. . . not sure of how many others.

←

These are the same masterings as the current US RVGs. The Sonny Clark is the only set with any masterings not currently available.

[jazzbo]

Maybe, maybe not. . . . The Kenny Dorham and the Clark both sound different than the US, I have had both, not tremendously different, but different. The booklets are very different as well.

[brownie]

I guess in the sonics nature of things, it's a matter of personal taste, and really, if one has this material in other forms, there's no reason to get these unless you just like to collect Blue Note Japan items or are really enamored with the Japenese RVG sound. 

Thanks Lon (and Chuck) for the superfast answers!

The only BN sound I am really enamored is the one on the original BN mono vinyls! With the King vinyls reissues next to those. I like some of the other attempts at capturing the sound of the original releases but not all of these.

I have the two sets on hold and since the price is reasonable will get the Night at Birdland one and decide then if I need more.

Thanks again!

[jazzbo]

I hear ya. Of all the RVG reissues, I think these early Blue Note sessions are the ones that have most benefited from the remastering. I had a few of the earliest Japanese RVGs of the Miles and Monk and Bud and JJ material, and kept the American versions which were released later as they were actually from the original disc sources. I believe that the Dorham and Clark that I have are not the same remasterings as the US; to my knowledge and view of the chronology they were among the last of the Japanese series that were done over again for the US or vice versa. But I could be wrong. They do sound different, subtly, and phase and pressing plant differences may be responsible.

Anyway, nothing is going to sound as good as the vinyl originals I think! But few of us have those!

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I have the two sets on hold and since the price is reasonable will get the Night at Birdland one and decide then if I need more.

←

Brownie, what's "reasonable"? I have a few of these "Complete" sets and I'd like to get them all. Unfortunatley, Red Trumpet, the only place that stocks them, wants almost $45 + shipping for each of them. Too rich for me. I'd buy both of these sets if they were reasonable and since you don't want that JJ set, let me know how much it is. I might be interested.

Kevin

[J.A.W.]

I have the two sets on hold and since the price is reasonable will get the Night at Birdland one and decide then if I need more.

←

Brownie, what's "reasonable"? I have a few of these "Complete" sets and I'd like to get them all. Unfortunatley, Red Trumpet, the only place that stocks them, wants almost $45 + shipping for each of them. Too rich for me. I'd buy both of these sets if they were reasonable and since you don't want that JJ set, let me know how much it is. I might be interested.

Kevin

←

Kevin,

Why don't you ask Hiroshi? He might be able to get them for you at a reasonable price - if Brownie can't, of course.

Edited July 19, 2005 by J.A.W.

[brownie]

I have the two sets on hold and since the price is reasonable will get the Night at Birdland one and decide then if I need more.

←

Brownie, what's "reasonable"? I have a few of these "Complete" sets and I'd like to get them all. Unfortunatley, Red Trumpet, the only place that stocks them, wants almost $45 + shipping for each of them. Too rich for me. I'd buy both of these sets if they were reasonable and since you don't want that JJ set, let me know how much it is. I might be interested.

Kevin

←

Kevin, both sets were €20 ($24) each. Bought the two of them, sorry! Took the plunge on the JJ mainly for the Brownie session!

The sets are as new, with all the trimmings including obis!

Starting to listen to the Birdland set which sounds very good! Although Blakey's cymbals tent to saturate... Will have to compare with the 47W63rd vinyls I have.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

BTW, supposedly RVG had better sources for the Monk and Davis sets so these two are the only ones that you might find sounding a little better if you get the US versions. I believe for the Monk RVGs, they found the original metal masters.

As for the JJ Johnson set, I am almost certain that US BN used the same masters as the Japanese twofer, however, I really like the packaging/artwork of these complete CD sets.

I still say the Sonny Clark set has some of the best sounding CD audio I own.

Kevin