What's the definitive word on Definitive Records

[Van Basten II]

Saw a few sets of this label at the used cd store last night, some Illinois Jacquet, a bunch of Louis Armstrongs and plenty of stuff that is getting tougher and tougher to find. Now besides the obvious Copyright issues, how do they rate besides the Proper, Lonehill, Quadromanias of the world in terms of sound quality and overall value ?

Edited February 7, 2009 by Van Basten II

[JohnS]

Generally fine imo.

[ejp626]

I would say of all them Quadromania/Membran and JSP have the best sound quality. Proper generally has the best value for overview sets. Definitive and Lonehill are pretty average in terms of sound quality, though that hasn't stopped me when they have had some interesting item that would never be reissued in the States.

[mikelz777]

If there's something I'm interested in on Definitive, I won't hesitate to buy it. I've never been disappointed by anything I purchased from them.

[John L]

Lonehill, Definitive, Gambit... I have trouble distinguishing between them. They seem to be in the same sort of business in what they reissue, seem to do it in a coordinated way (I can't recall seeing two of these labels reissuing the same music), choose the same sort of weird titles (i.e. the Complete After Hours Quartet Sessions), and offer the same kind of low quality liner notes. Are they really different firms?

That said, they are reissuing a lot of interesting music, much of which has never been on CD before. I buy their discs sometimes, but only if there is no legit version available.

[Swinging Swede]

Are they really different firms?

No.