Hank Mobley - The Feelin's Good

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Well this is the first time Music Matters have actually 'compiled' their own album. They have intervened into the official story before, by ignoring the first issue Japanese release covers and re-presenting their own version. I guess it raises questions about how people see the 'authenticity' of the history, warts and all. They did this with Grant Green's Matador and Solid plus others I believe. Contemporary Blue Note retained the Japanese Matador cover for its cd, but re-designed Solid, as Solid was first released during the 'obtuse album cover' re-issue series. Music Matters by-passed these covers, and seem to have a position that if a session was first released post 60's, the presentation is 'up for grabs'. This is not to deny the beauty of their product however.

What I feel is a shame, is they are definitely making critical choices about what part of the labels legacy they are prepared to represent. So this is not a scholarly re-evaluation like Mosaic, but one driven by the tastes of the label owners.

For instance, while we get a nice packaging of this Mobley session, a more considered choice like the John Patton session with George Coleman, which was 'never' heard in the day, and subsequently spread across two Rare Groove re-issues, will never be considered by a label like this - that essentially has both eyes on the 'Rock listening' audiophiles with deep pockets - who like Kind Of Blue.

There is an element of boutique vinyl 'mix tape' mentality about the label, who essentially have become the only game in town. So how far are they prepared to go for the music? Will they push to release some of the last few unreleased sessions, or will they over ride their own biases and attempt to present more of the whole story, including some historically important Free-er stuff and some Soul Jazz. I bet when they get down to that stuff, they'll close the bank account and open up negotiations about other archival labels.

Mosaic, too, is a label driven by the taste of the owners. What do you expectr? So is Nessa, so were Chess, Vee-Jay, Verve, Atlantic, Blue Note, Contemporary etc (plus some localisation elements, of course). Any label owned by an entrepreneur is going to focus on what the guy or guys think or thought would make money. Chuck doesn't chuck his money away.

Oh, and how many soul jazz boxes have Mosaic issued? Not many and most on the verge of getting it on -

Big

Blue Mitchell

Stan Turrentine

Jazz Crusaders

Select

John Patton

Curtis Amy

Bennie Green

Duke Pearson?

No Freddie Roach, because MC doesn't think the quality's up to much. No McGriff on Sue or Solid State (both owned by EMI). No Lou Donaldon late BNs. Ditto Grant Green. No Les McCann on PJ or Atlantic. No Hank Crawford or Dave Newman Atlantics... The list of classic soul jazz that Mosiac could but won't issue is endless.

MG

[CJ Shearn]

Yeah, freelancer! The problem with audiophile labels is that they don't seem to go for "unsafe" choices, and I don't know if that's because their customer base doesn't want to be challenged musically or what, but I've never noticed any organ dates in audiophile release lineups. The notion I have (which could be mistaken) that some audiophiles don't always want challenging music but something that sounds incredible is evidence why some still enjoy GRP releases for example.

[J.A.W.]

Yeah, freelancer! The problem with audiophile labels is that they don't seem to go for "unsafe" choices, and I don't know if that's because their customer base doesn't want to be challenged musically or what, but I've never noticed any organ dates in audiophile release lineups. The notion I have (which could be mistaken) that some audiophiles don't always want challenging music but something that sounds incredible is evidence why some still enjoy GRP releases for example.

Analogue Productions released a few dates with organ in their Hoffman-mastered audiophile Blue Note series (Lou Donaldson - Here 'Tis, Jimmy Smith - Midnight Special and Back at the Chicken Shack, Grant Green - Grantstand, Fred Jackson - Hootin' 'n' Tootin', Ike Quebec - It Might As Well Be Spring, John Patton - Along Came John), while the audiophile Audio Wave label has planned Grant Green's organ date Talkin' About! in their Alan Yoshida-mastered XRCD series.

Both labels also released a few more "challenging" Blue Notes from the 1960s.

Edited April 2, 2013 by J.A.W.

[CJ Shearn]

Cool, thanks for the information. Hutcherson's "Dialogue" was one of those?

[J.A.W.]

Cool, thanks for the information. Hutcherson's "Dialogue" was one of those?

That would have been nice, but nope.

[robertoart]

You're both right of course MG & CJ.

Maybe if they have made some good money out of this label, they might be able to research some releases that actually add to the legacy instead of just re-hashing what is already out there, even if it is not in such a pristine consumable package as Music Matters provide. But more than likely they won't. I just think, perhaps wrongly, that if you are going to get carte blanche licence to re-issue the archives for a certain slice of the market - for your own profit and pleasure - well and good. But if you are going to take some liberties with the historical record, and begin to cut and paste to your own image - of what the past should have been (and also have the gall to name check the decisions of original label owner in your own self serving publicity), then you are moving slightly beyond just being an Audiophile re-issue label (for profit and pleasure).

Analogue Productions released Along Came John and then said that would be the last Patton they would release.

Music Matters have released the Larry Young/Grant Green collaborations, and Unity. Anything with Grant Green is probably a guaranteed seller for them. They have released most of it. I doubt they would ever master Of Love and Peace though. I think the only challenging Blue Notes they released would be the 'usual' - Out To Lunch. I suppose Unity is considered a 'challenging' session to these guys. Any Moncur, Hill?

Edited April 2, 2013 by freelancer

[CJ Shearn]

Doesn't any label deal with a specific set of tastes in mind? like Concord (before the buyout, they didn't have anything hard bop or mainstream really until the last decade it seems) Telarc (until Hiromi, they seemed much like Concord) any Legacy reissue?

[jazzbo]

I think the fewer the releases there are, the more conservative or 'safe' those releases will be. In that sense soul jazz and more adventurous dates get less respect.

Hans, sorry if you felt I was "fighting" you. . . I didn't feel that way. Was just expressing some of my own audio experience about ways to make the best of bad masterings.

I haven't bought many of these boutique Blue Note releases. Yes, they sound great. But I already have bought the titles several times. Tiring.

Edited April 3, 2013 by jazzbo

[JETman]

Why would anyone expect labels like Music Matters to care about some of these titles when Blue Note obviously doesn't?

"Of Love and Peace"? We were lucky to get the Conn in 2004.

[sidewinder]

Any Moncur, Hill?

They have already put out Hill's 'Judgement' and 'Point of Departure' as well as the Moncur 'Evolution'.

[mikeweil]

But if they weren't Blue Notes, they wouldn't touch them.

[CJ Shearn]

But if they weren't Blue Notes, they wouldn't touch them.

Right, which adds to the fetishism aspect. There's plenty of music on Prestige and Riverside from that time period, but they don't touch that stuff that much either.

[jazzbo]

Well, there's now a Prestige series on another audiophile label, Analogue Productions. Who have been doing Impulse titles. Still, not many adventurous or greasy titles.

Edited April 3, 2013 by jazzbo

[J.A.W.]

Like Lon said above, Analogue Productions are releasing 50 (25 mono and 25 stereo) hybrid Prestige SACDs and they've already released several impulse! titles, also on hybrid SACD and all mastered by Kevin Gray. I like Gray's work very much. Analogue Productions also put out a series of hybrid Verve SACDs, mastered by the late George Marino. OK, maybe not very adventurous music, but still.

There's quite a bit of misinformation in this thread about audiophile labels not putting out stuff like that.

Edited April 3, 2013 by J.A.W.

[king ubu]

... but, he asks, stepping awkwardly onto foreign grounds, where's "Natural Essence"? and then he's gone again ...

Edited April 3, 2013 by king ubu

[colinmce]

I am shocked and apalled that Dodo Greene remains neglected as well!

But in all seriousness, someone needs to put Portrait of Shiela back in print.

[robertoart]

Like Lon said above, Analogue Productions are releasing 50 (25 mono and 25 stereo) hybrid Prestige SACDs and they've already released several impulse! titles, also on hybrid SACD and all mastered by Kevin Gray. I like Gray's work very much. Analogue Productions also put out a series of hybrid Verve SACDs, mastered by the late George Marino. OK, maybe not very adventurous music, but still.

There's quite a bit of misinformation in this thread about audiophile labels not putting out stuff like that.

I don't think the quality of mastering is in question. Of either of the two labels. At least not by me.

As jetman said, the majors that own Blue Note etc al, have obviously lost interest in their archival legacy, and are now putting their money behind Blue Note as their contemporary Boutique Blues and Roots label (mostly). They appear content that enough titles are still in print and accessible in the racks.

So these franchised re-mastering labels will probably be the way of the future. I guess it was inevitable they would start to compile their own albums as well. Hopefully they will find some useful projects to do in this regard. Otherwise go back to re-mastering Linda Ronstadt.

Edited April 3, 2013 by freelancer

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I think the fewer the releases there are, the more conservative or 'safe' those releases will be. In that sense soul jazz and more adventurous dates get less respect.

Well, I dont think that these audiophile LP releases are at all suitable for soul jazz. Hell, the music was always for parties and dancing! No audiophile company is going to want people spilling beer over their product, or bouncing up and down near the turntable, causing the stylus to bounce sympathetically, then complaining it doesn't play properly. Good job too

MG

[robertoart]

I think the fewer the releases there are, the more conservative or 'safe' those releases will be. In that sense soul jazz and more adventurous dates get less respect.

Well, I dont think that these audiophile LP releases are at all suitable for soul jazz. Hell, the music was always for parties and dancing! No audiophile company is going to want people spilling beer over their product, or bouncing up and down near the turntable, causing the stylus to bounce sympathetically, then complaining it doesn't play properly. Good job too

MG

and who wants to stop dancing or chatting to that pretty woman to change the side after only one track? That could ruin your prospects for the night right there. Then again maybe you could have a designated 'side changer' at every party...kinda like a designated driver when a group of people go out for a few drinks.

...yeh, but wouldn't you like to hear the Grant Green/Gene Harris trio session.

Or the Grant Green/Kenny Dorham session?

Or the significant amount of out-takes from Stanley Turrentine's Mintons session.

Actually that's one the audiophile label might like to stick their teeth into, Up at Minton's volume 3 and 4.

Edited April 3, 2013 by freelancer

[CJ Shearn]

Hmm, aren't those alternates from "Up at Minton's" lost like the JOS "Club Baby Grand" outtakes? I would have liked to hear those also? Back in the Mosaic prime years a Complete One Night With Blue Note would have been nice too.

[jazzbo]

Was a Green-Dorham sesion rejected? We're likely to never see reissues of any Blue Note rejected sessions. And I've never seen any indication that there were surviving takes from Minton's.

[J.A.W.]

Like Lon said above, Analogue Productions are releasing 50 (25 mono and 25 stereo) hybrid Prestige SACDs and they've already released several impulse! titles, also on hybrid SACD and all mastered by Kevin Gray. I like Gray's work very much. Analogue Productions also put out a series of hybrid Verve SACDs, mastered by the late George Marino. OK, maybe not very adventurous music, but still.

There's quite a bit of misinformation in this thread about audiophile labels not putting out stuff like that.

I don't think the quality of mastering is in question. Of either of the two labels. At least not by me.

As jetman said, the majors that own Blue Note etc al, have obviously lost interest in their archival legacy, and are now putting their money behind Blue Note as their contemporary Boutique Blues and Roots label (mostly). They appear content that enough titles are still in print and accessible in the racks.

So these franchised re-mastering labels will probably be the way of the future. I guess it was inevitable they would start to compile their own albums as well. Hopefully they will find some useful projects to do in this regard. Otherwise go back to re-mastering Linda Ronstadt.

I was referring to the various posts here by CJ Shearn stating that audiophile labels paid hardly any attention to Blue Note and Prestige albums and the like. That is simply not true. My remarks about Kevin Gray's mastering work were side comments.

Edited April 3, 2013 by J.A.W.

[CJ Shearn]

I wasn't aware of much outside of knowing about a few SACD or XRCD issues, so it was good information. Will an audiophile label issue an album like "Song X" or "Special Edition"? Probably not.

[J.A.W.]

I wasn't aware of much outside of knowing about a few SACD or XRCD issues, so it was good information. Will an audiophile label issue an album like "Song X" or "Special Edition"? Probably not.

Well, posting that audiophile labels were hardly releasing Blue Note and Prestige albums while the opposite is true isn't good information in my view.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Hmm, aren't those alternates from "Up at Minton's" lost like the JOS "Club Baby Grand" outtakes? I would have liked to hear those also? Back in the Mosaic prime years a Complete One Night With Blue Note would have been nice too.

I was told by Cuscuna that all that they have from Turrentine's Minton's recording dates are the released tunes. No master tapes exist as far as he knows. If someone has a "private" tape with more, it's more than Blue Note has.

FWIW, Lee Morgan's "Lee Way" is in the same boat. No master session reels. What we got is what we can get.