Blue Note never-ever titles

[Son Of Ice Bag]

To round ths topic up:

Jimmy Smith "The Singels" was released in Japan in 1983 on LP and did not get a CD release.

Yes, it's a compilation, and all titels ended up being bonus cuts on other Jimmy Smith CD's. I had to buy "Jimmy Smith at the organ" (Blue Note 1525) and "Softly as a summer breeze" (Blue Note 4200) twice because of them.

The only titel missing in my collection is the alternate take of "Plum Nellie", recorded 1957. 2. 12.

But I can't decide to buy the Mosaic-box only for one missing alternate take.

[Holy Ghost]

Why wasn't Hipnosis ever released in the Conn series? Too short playing time? It was released on LP in the "brown bag series" and the Mosaic, which tells me it was good enough for release. Too bad Patrick Roques didn't have a chance to design a cd booklet....

[Kevin Bresnahan]

6 hours ago, Holy Ghost said:

Why wasn't Hipnosis ever released in the Conn series? Too short playing time? It was released on LP in the "brown bag series" and the Mosaic, which tells me it was good enough for release. Too bad Patrick Roques didn't have a chance to design a cd booklet....

The Japanese released both sessions from the US LP of "Hipnosis" as standalone LPs and the earlier of of the two, that they titled "Jackie McLean Quintet", on CD, so it doesn't seem like a timing thing.

I have no idea why the "Hipnosis" session has only been on CD in the Grachan Moncur Mosaic Select though. Cuscuna only added the "Jackie McLean Quintet" date to the Connoisseur CD "Vertigo", so he must've felt that was the only way he could get that material out. Maybe he planned to add those other tracks to another McLean CD but ran out of time?

[sidewinder]

I have 'Hipnosis' on a King LP and very good sounding it is too. To my mind, this would be a good candidate for the Tone Poet series so only a matter of time I guess. Maybe more likely that plus a DL than a new CD reissue.

Edited Wednesday at 03:03 PM by sidewinder

[bertrand]

Definitely a title that should be on the front burner if ever Blue Note starts a CD reissue campaign again. Surprising that it has not even come out in Japan. It is a great record and the title track was a semi-hit.

 

[felser]

Also surprised that McLean's High Frequency never made it to standalone CD, only on the Mosaic box.  That session is a favorite of mine.

[bertrand]

2 hours ago, felser said:

Also surprised that McLean's High Frequency never made it to standalone CD, only on the Mosaic box.  That session is a favorite of mine.

Moonscape is one of Jackie's finest performances.

[Holy Ghost]

On 6/4/2025 at 4:12 PM, felser said:

Also surprised that McLean's High Frequency never made it to standalone CD, only on the Mosaic box.  That session is a favorite of mine.

Yeah, High Frequency too! 👍

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I definitely remember Michael Cuscuna saying that he was looking for some way to get that "High Frequency" session out on CD. It's why he didn't add any of it to the CD of "Jacknife". Again, it's likely that he just ran out of time.

[Holy Ghost]

3 hours ago, Kevin Bresnahan said:

I definitely remember Michael Cuscuna saying that he was looking for some way to get that "High Frequency" session out on CD. It's why he didn't add any of it to the CD of "Jacknife". Again, it's likely that he just ran out of time.

Right. Wasn't he rushing out material near the end quickly that was uncanny of the BN canon? Like, trying to get Andrew Hill, Sam Rivers, Jack Wilson, and Larry Young-like material out before the Conn's/RVG's ended?

 

[JSngry]

In the case of Hill and Rivers it seemed like he was trying to get them money when they maybe really needed it. Businessman AND benefactor.

A noble effort imo. Plus we the consumer benefitted as well 

 

[Kevin Bresnahan]

He definitely put out that John Patton Select to help Patton's widow, who was pretty deep in debt due to Big John's medical bills prior to his death. He was disappointed it didn't raise more money in the end.

[Holy Ghost]

13 hours ago, Kevin Bresnahan said:

I definitely remember Michael Cuscuna saying that he was looking for some way to get that "High Frequency" session out on CD. It's why he didn't add any of it to the CD of "Jacknife". Again, it's likely that he just ran out of time.

Does anyone here talk to Don Was? Maybe like a special Jackie Mac CD/LP set of Hipnosis/High Frequency? Gotta think the BN crowd would hip to that  (me included) in a heartbeat. 

 

[Kevin Bresnahan]

6 minutes ago, Holy Ghost said:

Does anyone here talk to Don Was? Maybe like a special Jackie Mac CD/LP set of Hipnosis/High Frequency? Gotta think the BN crowd would hip to that  (me included) in a heartbeat. 

I've tried establishing a relationship with Don Was several times with no luck. Your best bet is contacting @Joe Harley. He is a member here, so if you PM him, he should get an E-mail telling him that there is a message here.

[Holy Ghost]

1 hour ago, Kevin Bresnahan said:

He definitely put out that John Patton Select to help Patton's widow, who was pretty deep in debt due to Big John's medical bills prior to his death. He was disappointed it didn't raise more money in the end.

This is sad to read, but cavalier to know how much Michael Cuscuna really cared about BN and their artists. 

[Holy Ghost]

17 minutes ago, Kevin Bresnahan said:

I've tried establishing a relationship with Don Was several times with no luck. Your best bet is contacting @Joe Harley. He is a member here, so if you PM him, he should get an E-mail telling him that there is a message here.

Messaged Mr. Harley. See what happens.  

[Holy Ghost]

1 hour ago, Holy Ghost said:

Messaged Mr. Harley. See what happens.  

Joe wrote back!

"Hi William, thank you for your message. We're working over two years ahead at this point....almost three actually. You'd be amazed at what has already been mastered...and pleased. Having said that, we announce the coming year's titles every year in November. Thanks again, I appreciate your comments and our shared love of JackieMac!

Joe"

Cool, but dunno about the rest of you, but he did not mention any explicit release of Hipnosis nor High Frequency...thoughts/interpretations on this? Maybe Mr. Harley is going to break some awesome news that these sides are going to be released in the fall?

 

[Dan Gould]

2 minutes ago, Holy Ghost said:

Joe wrote back!

"Hi William, thank you for your message. We're working over two years ahead at this point....almost three actually. You'd be amazed at what has already been mastered...and pleased. Having said that, we announce the coming year's titles every year in November. Thanks again, I appreciate your comments and our shared love of JackieMac!

Joe"

Cool, but dunno about the rest of you, but he did not mention any explicit release of Hipnosis nor High Frequency...thoughts/interpretations on this? Maybe Mr. Harley is going to break some awesome news that these sides are going to be released in the fall?

 

I read it entirely as (we announce new titles in November, I am not sharing information about the next three years publicly, you'll know 2026 in 5 months.)

[Holy Ghost]

8 minutes ago, Dan Gould said:

I read it entirely as (we announce new titles in November, I am not sharing information about the next three years publicly, you'll know 2026 in 5 months.)

What do you know? I mean, come on! No crumbs? Jackie?

[felser]

33 minutes ago, Dan Gould said:

I read it entirely as (we announce new titles in November, I am not sharing information about the next three years publicly, you'll know 2026 in 5 months.)

Not me, I also read "You'd be amazed at what has already been mastered...and pleased."

[Holy Ghost]

11 minutes ago, felser said:

Not me, I also read "You'd be amazed at what has already been mastered...and pleased."

Complete Teaser!!!

[bertrand]

8 minutes ago, Holy Ghost said:

Complete Teaser!!!

This is similar to the reply I got from Strata-East but I was told my wish list was being forwarded so that is promising.

The Blue Note reissues now are almost exclusively vinyl.

[Dan Gould]

29 minutes ago, felser said:

Not me, I also read "You'd be amazed at what has already been mastered...and pleased."

OK but they are working three years ahead ... so to me, absolutely zero assurance that its "just around the corner".  Probable that its mastered, no idea what year it might show up.

 

[felser]

4 minutes ago, Dan Gould said:

OK but they are working three years ahead ... so to me, absolutely zero assurance that its "just around the corner".  Probable that its mastered, no idea what year it might show up.

 

Agree with that assessment.  It'll come around, us old-ish guys just need to stay around long enough to see it 🙂.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

8 hours ago, bertrand said:

This is similar to the reply I got from Strata-East but I was told my wish list was being forwarded so that is promising.

The Blue Note reissues now are almost exclusively vinyl.

This is true that single titles are vinyl only right now. They only seem to be doing CD for the extensive multi-disc release like the latest Kenny Burrell release. I don't think you'll be seeing any CDs of "High Frequency" or "Hipnosis" any time soon.

Joe might be able to ask Don Was if there might be a chance and see if he can get a definitive answer there.