Just to add, I have the 3 titles on CD (all by "Manufactured Recordings" 2016) - Sound Awareness, Move Ever Onward and Key To Nowhere. Key To Nowhere sounds "best", but all do sound like needledrops to me. Given that I usually suck at discussing these things I'm happy to say you can hear them, in their entirety, for yourself. FYI the Bandcamp links below sound exactly like my CDs! "Sound Awareness" Sound Awareness, by Brother Ah and the rest of the catalogue, here... Brother Ah Would be interested in what you think
RSD vinyl (2 LPs) edition, Thelonious Monk, LES LIAISONS DANGERUSES, 1960 (Sam Records). Needle dropping the whole thing. Fantastic music and quite excellent sound even though from digital masters. With Charlie Rouse and Barney Wilen on tenor saxophones, Sam Jones bass, and Art Taylor drums.
Thanx man, appreciate that. I'll check them out. I think going the CD route is the safest bet here, it eliminates at least one potential negative in the questionable pressing plant and in the digital domain they can at least clean-up any nasty sonic detritus from the vinyl source. Bummer, it would be nice to have the artwork in its full sized glory.
Tubby Hayes and the All Stars - Return Visit! (recorded in NY, 1962) Tubby Hayes (tenor sax, vibes), James Moody (aka "Jimmy Gloomy") (tenor sax, flute), Roland Kirk (tenor sax, manzello, flutes), Walter Bishop Jr. (piano), Sam Jones (bass), Louis Hayes (drums). (Fontana/Universal CD (2005)
Those two on CD I have are from IKEF Records, 2002/3. Key to Nowhere says it's a tape transfer. They sound good to me. BTW, the cover of the CD I have looks like this. I much prefer it to the other one:
Come to think of it, last time I tried to play this there was wicked distortion on the guitar tones that caused me to haul my turntable in to my friendly neighborhood hi-fi shop for a tune-up, with attention on the stylus. That was 9 months ago. When this night shift rotation is done I'll pull this one out and give it another spin.
Yeah. I should have mentioned I've played it before and never had a problem. That's how I knew something was amiss. I'll spin it this weekend and report back
Now Playing: Chicago Underground Trio - Chronicle I just got the DVD edition of this album on Saturday and am giving it the first viewing. So far it's a really interesting performance and I'm finding that the video effects are really enhancing the experience.
from (CD Warner Music Rhino Records 8122795904) .... revisiting another classic platter from the early 70`s and this box set features a stellar sound - (IMO) most likely the best way to enjoy these recordings nowadays (don`t know the new japanese SHM-CD though)....
I have the SHM-CDs for the Fat Albert Rotunda and Mwandishi albums, they sound pretty great (I don't have any other version of these to compare against though). As much as I like the sound of these two on SHM-CD, I do notice myself giving an "ahhhh" sigh of contentment, though, when I go from playing the SHM-CDs of those two albums to the Speakers Corner vinyl reissue of Herbie's Crossings.
Time to try out another new item that came in the mail on Saturday along with the Chicago Underground Trio DVD I was just playing. Jeff Parker - Slight Freedom
Best digital is this ^ boxset. Far better than the overly bright HDtracks versions. Best analogue are the original 70's WB LPs, which are not hard to find or expensive. All IMO of course!
Rollin' With Leo - Leo Parker (Blue Note) CD with Dave Burns (trumpet), Bill Swindell (tenor sax), Leo Parker (baritone sax), Johnny Acea (piano), Al Lucas|Stan Conover (bass), Wilbert Hogan|Purnell Rice (drums) Recorded 1961
Needle dropping this Record Store Day 2017 clear vinyl pressing (Omnivore, originally recorded 1956 and released on Tampa), mastered to perfection by Kevin Gray, all analog chain. One of those vintage mono recordings with tremendous depth and presence.
I am still waiting for the official release of the Frankfurt gig (Feb 7, 1987) from the tour supporting the album, with Mick Karn subbing for Tony Levin. Have you heard the somewhat related Bruford/Levin Upper Extremities (B.L.U.E.) project from the 90s, with (obviously) David Torn and, surprisingly, Chris Botti? Bruford Levin Upper Extremities - Wikipedia Their only studio album and, above all, the subsequent B.L.U.E Nights that documented the 1998 tour in its support are an interesting continuation of Cloud About Mercury.
