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

Anytime is a good time to discover BN and MM

 

I am grateful to have signed-onto the MM wagon from day 2 back in 2007, right after Horace Parlan Us Three was released. The cover, the sound....pow! Take that AP! First pill hooks you right?
Anyway, while I am grateful, I also regret not collecting original Blue Notes years ago. And amazon.com back in 1998. Ah, such is life.

 

Hi just curious on why you would go to ebay to buy these two titles. They should be available directly from Music Matters. I keep seeing posts from Elusive Disk stating that certain 33.3 MM lp's are sold out or out of print(and they stock them albeit at a higher price). I guess I don't understand but I am guilty of paying more than I should for a 1st pressing???? of 45 rpm titles as I wanted a numbered copy....hoping that it was a 1st pressing and maybe minimal potential defects.
Can someone please explain how Elusive Disk or AudiphileUSA operate? I've seen them sell Music Matters titles as out of print where they are clearly not and I've also seen them sell the same copy of numbered 45 rpm lp for a significant higher price.
The only thing I can guess is that the higher priced MM is of a lower s/n than the lower priced same lp.

I also started collecting these just this year and am blown away on the quality....so I keep on collecting
But I wonder as to what the benefit of buying from Elusive Disk instead of Music Matters(with respect to quality of the lp's pressing ...disregarding customer service)
Thanks
Tom

 

Believe it or not, the two titles are actually slightly cheaper through eBay from Jeff Barr than through Music Matters and other stores.

 

SOUL STATION. The first time I heard it, I just stopped dead in my tracks with wonderment.

 

Tom, it's marketing. Strictly speaking, they can say a title is out of print if no more are being pressed, even if copies are to be easily had. It sounds good, and it allows them to charge more.

 

I don't think the concept of "first pressing" really applies here. The 45s are limited to 2500 copies each, and only the first 1,000 are numbered. This is one of the rare cases--in fact, the only case I am aware of--where the reissue label worked with the pressing plant to see to it that the numbered copies are actually from the first stampers used (edit: and matched sequentially to the numbered jackets). That doesn't mean anything to me--some of mine are numbered, some aren't, and I don't care either way--but others are willing to pay a premium for that.

Edit: here's Joe Harley to explain: Music Matters Definitive 45RPM Blue Note Series-NOW SHIPPING!

 

Glad you had a better experience. I still haven't cleaned Undercurrent and I think I will upgrade my cartridge this year, so there is potential for better listening still. In this case I think the performance and quality of the music makes it a record worth keeping despite a few pressing issues. (Sorta off topic) I recently got Zappa's Joe's Garage reissue and it is printed on the gatefold - sourced from analogue masters - and although the sound was incredible, amazon delivered it with a ding on the spine. It sounds so good that I will keep it even with a damaged sleeve. Such is the life of an audio addict.

 

I know it's an AP pressing, but I opened, cleaned, and am now playing the AP 45rpm of Ike Quebec's It Might As Well Be Spring. This is a really good album, and it sounds mighty fine.

 

Clean it and get back to us. I have every MM released. Cleaned them all and they are all flawless.

 

I'm getting addicted to these Music Matters 33RPMs in lieu of paying the big bucks for the originals, tho I have splurged on a couple and lucked out on another ($15.00 for a sleeveless 1st pressing mono Somethin' Else on ebay). Although I love the MM "Maiden Voyage" I still really dig the sound of my King Masterpiece Replica 15 version and think it even sounds more...alive. But the MM mono "Blue Train" is pretty fantastic next to my "BT" King Replica 15 stereo (which sounds sweet). I've picked up a few MM based on verdicts here, such as "Idle Moments" which I love. I'm willing to buy some of the releases sound unheard as I know I'll be getting my value and learning something new. The packaging on these are stunning.

But I was curious about the Japanese Premium Blue Note mono releases "From The Original Masters" and happily learned Kevin Gray did cut them from the original masters using original 50's/60s equipment going for a different sound (based on what I read). I chose Wayne Shorter's "Night Dreamer" (never heard) and whoa, this is a treat. Love the big mono soundstage and the music is of course lovely. These Premium BN series are equal counterparts to the MM if I can base it on just this release so I'm due for more...make it stop...

 

Where does one get these?

 

I'm not familiar with these Japanese monos, but I just got the MM 33 of Night Dreamer last night. Musically, you're in for a treat. The recording sounds fantastic, especially on Elvin's drums. Also picked up the 33 of True Blue which sounded great too. These ARE definitely addictive. I think my next two will be Lee Morgan's Search for the New Land and either Mobley's Workout or Hancock's Maiden Voyage.

 

I just ordered 10 of these. I decided to go this route than search out mint originals which can be really hard and expensive to do. Even ones I found that look good have too.much surface noise.

But, I'll keep my eyes open as I dig through bins for originals!

 

They were released a few years back as limited editions in Japan for around 40-50 bucks (there are a couple threads here on that) but the prices have gone up as a glance on ebay and discogs will show. I just paid about 60 for my Wayne Shorter, comparable to MM prices but you get the mono version.

 

Are you talking about the Disk Union ones?

 

Wouldn’t monos of the 60s stuff be fold downs?

 

I think @Angel66 may be referring to these Disk Union exclusive releases, like this one: http://diskunion.net/jazz/ct/detail/JZ130801-11

 

Yep.

 

You just ordered 10 of what?? I hope you don't mind, but there has been a lot of different things which have been discussed here recently.

 

10 MM records. Juju, Jackie’s Bag, Undercureent, Our Man In Paris, Emyprean Isles, Ready for Freddie, Afro Cuban, Unity, Gigilo, and Back to the Tracks.

 

You are in for quite a treat!

 

I also love Grant's work on the soundtrack to The Final Comedown.

 

Yeah man! I already have a bunch of the AP releases that I haven't listened to yet too! Where to start is the next question...maybe I'll go chronologically.

 

Sonny Clark - sonnys crib

Coltrane! Woo hoo! But the beautiful tone from fuller, great to hear that kind of warmth and purity from a trombone.