Music Matters Definitive Blue Note 45 RPM and 33 & 1/3 RPM vinyl series (pt7)

I the absence of new releases from MM, has anybody checked out the Pure Pleasure catalogue? There's some really interesting titles in there. I know the SQ's not as good but the music...............................

 

How do you know the SQ is not as good? I have the Complete Art Pepper at Ronnie Scott's Box. I consider it the single best reissue vinyl purchase I have ever made. Amazing performances with SQ to match.

 

Is there a quick link to the Pure Pleasure jazz titles that you know of?

 

Try this:
Pure Pleasure Records Online Store 180g Vinyl »

 

I have several and IMO they are not as good SQ wise as MM. But as I say, just my opinion.

 

This morning I checked out the Jazz Record Center on 26th St. in Manhattan. It was pretty much my definition of heaven. Normally here in NYC, the record stores have incredibly mediocre jazz selections - lots of Wax Time, DOXY, some OJC (which is great), a few Miles Davis Mo-Fi, and then used copies of LPs that haven't moved in decades.

Well, the Jazz Record Center is ridiculous. It makes you feel like a kid in a candy store. After I went though all of the used bins - took me almost an hour and I amassed 8 amazing records from my want list- I stumbled onto the New Jazz section.

Ouch. They had about 30 MM titles (and at least a dozen AP titles) siting there tempting me. I've never seen MM titles in the wild before, only ordered online. It was kind of overwhelming. We are going on vacation to Sonoma on Tuesday, so I'm trying not to spend money - I had limited myself to $150.

I had about 8 used albums set aside when I hit the MM goldmine. At first I was like "OK, I'll grab this Kenny Burrell 'Midnight Blue' 33rpm at regular price and put a couple of these used LPs back, but then I stumbled onto Grant Green's "Gooden's Corner" 45rpm. So there goes $90. All of my used LPs went back and I thought I would walk out under $100. And then I stumbled onto Horace Parlan's "Up and Down" 200g Classic Records LP.

Ooof, I consider it a victory that I managed to walk out with only 3 LPs and $120 poorer. I could have seriously purchased 50 records off of my want list at one time. I've never experienced anything like this. I'm almost afraid to go back...

 

Being a small to midsized city person most of my life I envy you. I would just like to walk around in a store like that. Im old enough now I think I could contro...oh who am I kidding....Id have spent a thousand bucks.

 

I'm still shaking thinking about it. I could have spent easily spent two thousand dollars there and never veered from my want list. Normally I walk into a record store and there's nothing that tempts me, but I find one or two records to make it worth my time. Today I was constantly doing the math in my head as I stumbled onto yet one more LP I "had to have." I feel like walking out with only two MM titles was a major victory.

 

That Gooden's Corner Re is awesome.

I was raised just outside NYC.

I miss being able to shop for hours on end every other week or so. Always great new stuff, great new used stuff...

out here, once you go through a shop a time or two you get as tired of seeing the same old LPs as the shop owner.

And Jazz Titles are like hens teeth!

 

Honestly, that's EXACTLY what it's like in all of the NYC record stores now when it comes to jazz. I feel like everything is so picked over. And the same old records in the used section never go anywhere. But this place was incredible. I texted my wife when I left and was like "OMFG." She was all "Did you find anything on your want list?" And I was like "Yeah, about 50 out of 75 LPs on my want list were sitting right there."

Luckily, I had the financial sense to resist all of the those MM albums. Next time though...

 

I live about 5 blocks from that store. I went in once, bought a handful of used records that I like at pretty good prices, but I didn't see any MM releases there? Maybe I missed the new records section or something. I definitely didn't have the experience you had but I was successful nonetheless.

I will say that it's definitely less picked-over than the rest of the NYC stores. Most stores here are either ridiculously overpriced or just have a crappy selection since the good used stuff flies so quickly. The Jazz Record Center is a gem because it's so well hidden up on the 8th floor of that building or whatever. No advertising whatsoever.

 

You might have missed the New Records section. It was pretty easy to miss as you are kind of overwhelmed already, but once you stumbled onto it you wouldn't be the same. I was about to walk out until I saw the new section, which changed my life forever...

If you still live close by, you should check it out! Though don't take all the MM titles.

 

Oh man, I know the feeling. It reminds me of one Thanksgiving when I was visiting distant family. I decided to stop in a record shop, allowing myself an hour before we met. Nothing impressed me until I noticed on the ground stacks and stacks of boxes, full of 1 and 2 dollar jazz records with real gems interspersed amongst the garbage. The labor and back pain of going through it all! Not to mention the angry looks on the faces of family when I returned back during the middle of dessert! But it was worth it I tell ya, worth it

 

Sounds like we are extremely lucky to have two stores that I know of carrying MM in Austin.

 

Never seen any of the AP or MM titles in the wilds of Montuckey.

Of course, most of the shops would probably go straight to eBay with one.

 

Aside from the extreme high-end that distorts the recording occasionally, I think this is a superb live recording. My RVG CD sounds great TME. I had an original pressing but found that the high-end was a bit much. Dunno if others have the same experience but the Classic was a non-starter for me because there was some sort of wicked high-pitched noise at the start of side 2 on my copy; I assumed it was a mistake that occurred during mastering. I haven't heard the Disk Union version.

 

I don't mean to give you a hard time but Song for My Father is a bonafide classic (and one of my favorites)...a must listen (soon).

 

There's a lot of info on the web about his methods. This is the probably the best single treatmemt of them out there:

http://jazzstudiesonline.org/files/jso/resources/pdf/RudyVanGelder.pdf

But there's mutiple articles that add more to the story. I could list all the links I have if you were interested.

 

Sure would be interested. Any comments or insight?

 

OT I know but please forgive. I trust this thread for the best opinions.
I'm thinking of getting the ORG issue of My Favourite Things by JC. Can anyone comment on the SQ?

 

I have that box set and agree, it is an outstanding reissue of what was, let's not forget, a live performance from 1980.

 

- "Rudy Van Gelder in Hackensack: Defining the Jazz Sound in the 1950s" (2001)
- Tape Op Magazine 2004 interview
- Smithsonian National Museum of American History 2011 interview
- JazzWax.com 2012 interview

There's several other interviews and articles out there but they aren't as focused on his techniques and they repeat a lot of what's expressed in these.

I could talk for days about Van Gelder's style and methods. But in response to one of the questions you asked, keep in mind that Van Gelder has made it clear on numerous occasions that the most important thing to him was helping the artists and producers get the sound they wanted. Of course his own style and creative choices can be heard on his recordings but he's always been humble about this in print.

 

Thank you for the links. Id be more than happy to read your further comments you have. I think it adds to the thread nicely.

Sure beats pickin on each other because we dont have any more titles coming yet lol. Men and their toys. heheh.

 

My latest haul:

 

There's so much goodness in that pile!