Is this an original pressing of the Empyrean Isles?

[Dmitry]

label - BLUE NOTE RECORDS INC*NEW YORK USA BST 84175

dead wax - VAN GELDER. No Ear.

inner sleeve - 27 Years of Blue Note [might not be original to Lp though]

jacket - For Complete Catalog Write to BLUE NOTE RECORDS INC., 43 West 61st St., New York 23

Edited October 11, 2006 by Dmitry

[brownie]

Dmitry, original BN vinyls still carried the Ear stamp on the dead wax at the time of 'Empyrean Isles' release.

My mono copy of 'Basra' (BN 4205) has that Ear.

[sidewinder]

Sounds like an early Liberty-era pressing. The original of this one definitely has the ear.

I have a mono one of those though and it sounds GREAT !

[Dmitry]

Dmitry, original BN vinyls still carried the Ear stamp on the dead wax at the time of 'Empyrean Isles' release.

My mono copy of 'Basra' (BN 4205) has that Ear.

Thanks. Is yours signed RVG or VAN GELDER? When did BN stopped using the Ear? Is yours a deep groove?

Sounds like an early Liberty-era pressing. The original of this one definitely has the ear.

I have a mono one of those though and it sounds GREAT !

Why do you think it's an early Liberty pressing?

[Daniel A]

When did BN stopped using the Ear?

Hi Dmitry. I happened to find this thread in a search recently. Some info on the subject from Allan Songer here and from Peter A here.

Sounds like an early Liberty-era pressing. The original of this one definitely has the ear.

I have a mono one of those though and it sounds GREAT !

Why do you think it's an early Liberty pressing?

Obviously, I'm not sidewinder, but I suppose it's because it's got no "ear"...

Edited October 11, 2006 by Daniel A

[Dmitry]

When did BN stopped using the Ear?

Hi Dmitry. I happened to find this thread in an search recently. Some info on the subject from Allan Songer here and from Peter A here.

Sounds like an early Liberty-era pressing. The original of this one definitely has the ear.

I have a mono one of those though and it sounds GREAT !

Why do you think it's an early Liberty pressing?

Obviously, I'm not sidewinder, but I suppose it's because it's got no "ear"...

Thanks for the leg-work, Daniel. I just read the thread you linked to. Eye-opening stuff!

Looks like this Empyrean Isles is an early Liberty pressing. But it's a keeper.

It sounds amazing, trounces the RVG cd from the first second to last. What a difference in sonics. LP is involving, vivid, while the cd is muddy, lifeless, with terrible sound-stage.

Edited October 11, 2006 by Dmitry

[michel1969]

From my knowledge here's a list of NY LABEL ORIGINAL FIRST PRESS ORIGINALLY ISSUED WITHOUT THE EAR ;

4193 / 4196 / 4203 (LIB issued later than cat #) / 4204 / 4206 / 4209 / 4212 (LIB issued later than cat #) / 4213 / 4214 / 4215 / 4217 / 4218 / 4219 / 4222 AND AFTER. This is subject to modification ! All correction welcome.

Regarding Empyrean Isles : issued with an Ear

[michel1969]

Add also 4118 and a G Braith no time to check which one

[brownie]

Dmitry, original BN vinyls still carried the Ear stamp on the dead wax at the time of 'Empyrean Isles' release.

My mono copy of 'Basra' (BN 4205) has that Ear.

Thanks. Is yours signed RVG or VAN GELDER? When did BN stopped using the Ear? Is yours a deep groove?

Both sides bear the VAN GELDER stamp. No deep grooves...

[jazzhound]

had the opportunity to compare mono copy with ear in vg++ condition to a mono with0out ear in mint conditionl. the one without the ear sounded just as good maybe better ; was a little fatter sounding, maybe more compressed. Obviously this is one of the top sounding Blue Notes.

[clifford_thornton]

From my knowledge here's a list of NY LABEL ORIGINAL FIRST PRESS ORIGINALLY ISSUED WITHOUT THE EAR ;

4193 / 4196 / 4203 (LIB issued later than cat #) / 4204 / 4206 / 4209 / 4212 (LIB issued later than cat #) / 4213 / 4214 / 4215 / 4217 / 4218 / 4219 / 4222 AND AFTER. This is subject to modification ! All correction welcome.

Regarding Empyrean Isles : issued with an Ear

Damn, dude, you're worse than me!

[JohnS]

I still have my original mono album. Ear in the run out, NYC label, jacket is 43 West 63rd St.

[michel1969]

From my knowledge here's a list of NY LABEL ORIGINAL FIRST PRESS ORIGINALLY ISSUED WITHOUT THE EAR ;

4193 / 4196 / 4203 (LIB issued later than cat #) / 4204 / 4206 / 4209 / 4212 (LIB issued later than cat #) / 4213 / 4214 / 4215 / 4217 / 4218 / 4219 / 4222 AND AFTER. This is subject to modification ! All correction welcome.

Regarding Empyrean Isles : issued with an Ear

Damn, dude, you're worse than me!

Yes ! maybe... but i've noticed (too late) this list exists in another thread. Its a relief Someone's EVEN worse than me (and you)

[wolff]

Looks like Michel is a Cohn desciple.....

Dmitry, glad you got a keeper. Very decent sounding Blue Note, with or w/o the ear.

Did I sell you this one?? I had a few copies, and only see a stereo on my shelves.

[Dmitry]

Looks like Michel is a Cohn desciple.....

Dmitry, glad you got a keeper. Very decent sounding Blue Note, with or w/o the ear.

Did I sell you this one?? I had a few copies, and only see a stereo on my shelves.

It's possible I got it from you, or from a record fair somewhere. I'm slowly but surely shifting through the hundreds of albums I've accumulated and never played.

Now just yesterday I got a lead on a storage unit with 40,000 albums! Most of them are crap, but maybe if I spend a day I'll find something worthwhile.