The Rajah-- DMM edition lp, cadre rouge audiophile edition

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

i do not usually buy these, but ive seen them around-- now it mentions, from pate marconi- chatou.FR--- so what, is this a french pressing, is that it? also why is digitally remastered all over it? are these from digital tape copies or U-matic EQ limited copies like atlantic forced barry diament use for the 80s Genesis albums, or can someone fill me in w/ this release--- does it really out do my import cd version i bought inthe mid 90s?

Ps- ALWAYS one of my very, very top favourite HANK albums: side 1 of rajah is the best ever.

[David Ayers]

Those French issues have DMM=Direct Metal Mastering. See Wikipedia (!). So digital doesn't come into it! Most folks here dislike these, not me though. I remember when they first appeared and restored some pretty wonderful titles. Folks don't like the sound and they are now a bit sniffed at, but they were vivid enough for me at the time, I guess not 'authentic'. I'd say they are still a good source for certain titles that are scarce on CD and maybe only exist in older masterings.

[brownie]

I was very happy when these DMM came out in the mid-80s. Especially because they originated from the Pathe Marconi plant in the lovely suburban city of Chatou.

Quite a lot of reissues and several unreleased sessions (that included '<The Rajah) came out. But I became unhappy when I heard the sound.

It did not compare with the sound of the BN sessions from the Lion-Wolff era. Nothing natural about the DMM process.

'The Rajah' was a great session. Love it! I am still waiting for a proper edition of it.

I still have the DMM vinyl. Did not purchase the US CD which did not improve on the sound. Never got close to the Japanese CD.

[JohnS]

I find the French DMM pressings quite adequate. On release they were easy to obtain in Europe. So inevitably I bought them. As has been said, not the very best but still worth having for the music..

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

And the Pathe-Marconi releases came out at a time when we were starved of Blue Notes, because EMI shut BN down, when it aqcuired UA Music and Records Group in 1980.

But it wasn't just the fact that you could get some Blue Notes again after two or three years. They were reissuing some very interesting Soul Jazz (which I already had but props to the firm) - the reissue of Don Wilkerson's "Preach brother" was the start of the "Don Wilkerson is God" movement in 1983 and the beginning of Acid Jazz over here.

MG

I like Rajah, too

MG

[Chas]

Those French issues have DMM=Direct Metal Mastering. See Wikipedia (!). So digital doesn't come into it!

Well , digital certainly did come into it at the mastering of the recording stage ; DMM had to do with the mastering of the record .

Back in the 80s you could rationalize the purchase of these LPs , since while costing substantially less than their over-priced CD counterparts , they didn't sound substantially worse than them , allowing you to expand your collection at a faster pace than digital early-adopters . Plus , the LPs , unlike the CDs , came with giant label posters

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Plus , the LPs , unlike the CDs , came with giant label posters

So they did! I'd forgotten that!

MG

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

shit i payed 12 bucks for mine- no poster

[clifford_thornton]

Damn, twelve 'big ones'?

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

im still happy w/ it, even if its not diff. than the cd version, i mean, it sounds good in vinyl nevertheless and its one of my top favorite morgan albums

[sidewinder]

Never got close to the Japanese CD.

I still have my Pathe Marconi DMMs of "The Rajah" and "Far Away Lands" and they are OK, although I'm no great fan of DMMs, sonically. The music of course is fabulous. The definitive "Rajah" in my view is the Toshiba CD, Picked that one up for £5 equivalent in Israel ! (and they had a "Far Away Lands" Toshiba at same price which I also snapped up).

Edited October 23, 2009 by sidewinder

[sidewinder]

And the Pathe-Marconi releases came out at a time when we were starved of Blue Notes, because EMI shut BN down, when it aqcuired UA Music and Records Group in 1980.

The first ones I saw were in a rack at the record shop in ther RFH Foyer back around 1983/84. Picked up Joe Henderson 'Inner Urge' that night and subsequently bought dozens of them, which I've still got.

They were a real bolt from the blue - rare titles that the Blue Note starved Brit of that era thought they would , ever see. Especially after the demise of the domestic 'rainbow series' releases from UA.

[David Ayers]

Um, my usual question I suppose.... can anyone post a list of these DMMs?

[spinlps]

Um, my usual question I suppose.... can anyone post a list of these DMMs?

That might be a tough one... but I bet someone here has one! Now you've got me thinking about scanning & OCR-ing those OBI's...