Blue Note Subscription Series

"Jazz is not a crime"... how dumb!

 

I've been thinking about the Newvelle series. Have you, or anyone else for that matter, heard both the first and second seasons? If so, do you have a preference? I could also do the adventurous thing and go with the third season.

 

Different strokes. I know a great many people who equate jazz with the likes of Kenny G, so I get the sentiment behind the slogan. Justifying my interest in jazz gets tedious at times.

As for the set itself, I bought it. The Blue Mitchell album alone is what sold me -- mint copies of either Japanese pressing are not easy to find and VG+ copies start around $60 --and the compilation looks pretty great. Sure, the scarf is silly, but at least it's nicely done.

 

$20 will get you the worst pressing of that album. From the crap sleeve design to the SQ, records from that series are hands Blue Note at its worst. Even at $10 a pop, I found those albums a waste of time.

 

It's way too early to decide, but I doubt I will go for this.

Bearing in mind how much some of these originals go for, I suspect if they are AAA then they will be able to sign plenty of people up.

I like the $99 a pop idea. Pitch the scarf, that awful slogan along with the TT mat and all of this nonsense. Cut the records AAA and issue them definitely in a box with session photos. Some unreleased stuff is great. Trying to throw in modern recordings from artists on their roster is understandable, but the very first one?

 

Analog Planet has some more news:

Blue Note Review Is a Biannual Limited Edition Luxury Box Set Subscription Series

Fremer says:

"Who mastered and from what source and where this is being pressed is not among the information the press release provides but I did find out that the Step Lightly was cut by Ron McMaster from the original master tapes and that Bernie Grundman cut the double LP of new recordings from the "original masters", which were most likely digital recordings."

 

I love Ryan Adams but I agree with you here...

 

Side thought here too. Culturally (at least in the USA) we are shifting toward many products and services being sold as a “subscription” - it may be food, movies, streaming, music, etc. Consumers are “busier” than they were years ago and have less time to shop and browse to make purchases. So we can get gratification (and our decisions made for us) without ever leaving the sofa. I will not go too far off topic here, but you see where I am going... Why bother going to the store to pick up a record (or even buy one from an online vendor) when you can subscribe and have it picked for you? Why bother going to the store to buy dog treats when a company will package some up and sell them to you as a subscription?

 

More and more I am realising that just because Don Was produced Love Shack, which i enjoy, does not necessarily mean he is the best chairman for blue note, which i also enjoy.

 

Although I would be a lot more interested in a subscription based service if I get quality products with no frills - to each their own though! Certainly can’t blame the vendor if they can sell a lot of these!

 

I just don't see any significance to the slogan "Jazz is not a crime."

EDIT: I just read something about the slogan being Ryan Adams' idea, not the label's. But why, and to what meaning? It sounds sophmoric. Why not ask a living jazz musician to offer a slogan instead?

How about something meaningful and uplifting like:

"Jazz: The Original American Art Form"

"Jazz: Music That Touches The Soul"

If you think the average music consumer doesn't get jazz, now you may wonder about the industry itself.

 

The label is pre-supposing that when you are out in the world wearing your limited edition Blue Note scarf you will be forced to defend the life choices that lead you to purchase the scarf in the first place, to which they have provided the helpful defensive crouch that, "jazz is not a crime". That will tell off the detractors.

 

A Blue Note logo slipmat would have been better.

 

As far as I can tell, at least, the slogan borrows a trite, overused phrased that's been applied to dozens of subjects. In addition to your suggestions, there are a number of great quotes from jazz musicians and writers. Heck, I'm even tempted to learn needlepoint just to stitch Monk quotes on pillows. I'd start with, "You have to dig it to dig it, you dig?"

But then I imagine what Monk might have said if being told about this subscription service and the price. I picture his making a thoughtful but somewhat baffled face, looking down for a moment, considering, shuffling, then looking back and saying, "You... you're going to do what now?"

 

That is such a simple brilliant idea why they didn't think of it who knows...

 

They made one as a retail promo for their 75th anniversary.

 

I've seen the scarf in person. I dig it.
Just in time for winter.

 

Notice anything strange in this pic? (hint: not don was)

 

Looks like I've started a thread that overlaps with this one which may answer the question about mastering..

Blue Note to start reissuing AAA vinyl

 

Nobody??? Do you see how A New Perspective and Free for All have been digitally alterted, for the sake of keeping with the "blue" theme? FAIL.

 

"Fail" that no one noticed, or "fail" regarding the color processing?

Most of the album artwork on the wall in the photo have a blue tint to them – the Wynton Marsalis album would have green on the actual album, the Joe Henderson album would have magenta and red / orange, Norah Jones would have more natural skin tones, etc.

 

the latter--- big blue note office fail

 

It's not necessarily what I would have down, but I'm not sure I'd categorize it as a "fail." I've seen way less appealing wall decorations in a professional office.

 

Jazz is a crime, if you love crime jazz as much as I:

 

Blue Note's facebook page has a video of Don Was talking about the box set for about 20 minutes.

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