You folks know I like to have some fun here every now and then. My wife and I are trying to create special theme nights if you will around great sounding music. So this Saturday, we have come up with our first in this series. "The Alligator-Shing-A-Ling Jazzy Soul Fest" .....Good times guaranteed by all that attend! featuring the incredible smokin' hot music from Lou Donaldson, Lee Morgan, Lonnie Smith, Reuben Wilson, Baby Face Willette, and Grant Green. Appetizers will consist of...alligator bites, BBQ ribs, Fried Chicken, and Cornbread... So get your "gator" shoes on, grab some cold ones or whatever your poison is and be prepared to groove the night away!
Hi all, I will be brief as I may be recycling some info that might already have been posted. So I picked up a second copy of Doing Alright from Dexter Gordon, and the click (more like tearing sounds) occur again in the same place. Not sure if any of you have experienced this... The cover was fine, and I cut the disc out of the paper sleeve. I have yet to clean it so that may improve things. Otherwise, it does sound very good with great range of frequencies. I'm not about to return it, however I am thinking Tone Poet releases will have a better chance of being perfectly pressed...
I've had good luck with the Grant Green, Reuben Wilson, and Lonnie Smith releases but my last purchases have had issues. 1. Alligator Bogaloo (as @timzigs has noted) does have the symbols go muted around 40 seconds into One Cylinder. I compared this to my original pressing and there is no muting on the original. Something is a bit off. Also, the center hole is pressed a fraction too large. 2. The Donal Byrd center hole is pressed so wide, I needed to return the record. In 40 years of collecting I don't think I've ever encountered this defect. I will continue to buy this series, but it seems like QC is just a bit off.
This is bad to hear. I was really looking forward to getting Alligator Bogaloo. Does anyone have a copy of the 80th that does not have the drop-out on track 2? Wondering if this is happening on all copies or just some. Thanks,
timzigs said: ↑ Received Alligator Boogaloo this weekend, and it sounds great for the most part. However, I'm hearing some weirdness of track 2, "One Cylinder". At around 40 seconds in, it seems like the crisp sounds of the cymbals become muted, and song as a whole becomes a bit fuzzy through the midsection, returning to normal through the latter third of the track. I streamed the version on Apple Music and don't hear anything this blatant. At first, I thought it might be a change up on the cymbals, but it happens with no change in strike or rhythm of the ride cymbal. Anyone else experiencing this?
It's there and it's most likely a tape issue ....likely that something had to be flown in for those few minutes. It happens with these old tapes. But aside from that, this edition is miles beyond anything that came before IMO.
I've had 2 copies now with non fill about halfway through the first song on side 1. Will be returning and either going for the MM since it's at a pretty good price right now or wait a bit for a possible repress.
I've got 2 spots in mine where for about a second, side 1 track 1 a couple of minutes apart, there's some very minor crackly distortion that sounds like a dirty needle (non fill?) but easy to live with as it's well below the music. We're a tough crowd to please and I appreciate the effort the team is putting into this inexpensive series & I can live with the odd tiny glitch on an occasional lp but I'm not always as forgiving: I just returned an Ebay purchase the 4 disc 45 rpm Duke Ellington Blues in Orbit because my most favourite track on the album "The Swingers Get the Blues Too" had a repeating tick which sounded like a scratch but was a pressing issue that came & went for about 30 seconds a couple of times during the one song (but that was a $160 CAD purchase with shipping for a "opened but never played" lp and at that price I'm less forgiving).
Inventions & Dimensions [LP] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VHY4TVQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_csawDb1ZF0YEJ Finally up on Amazon . Herbie
Super-sounding Sunday Soul-Jazz . . . 1970/2019 Blue Note – 7753122, UMe – 7753122 Blue Note 80 Vinyl Reissue Series – KPG@CA
Another cool Reuben Wilson title that I only have on CD (hint) is Love Bug. Features Lee Morgan, Grant Green, and some cat named Leo Morris (ha!) on drums. The CD does include a bonus track of "Hold On, I'm Comin'" and while not quite in the same league as "Blue Mode", it's a fun listen, none the less. Awesome pic "SJR"!
I really enjoy that one too. I fully realized my mistake in cancelling this record last minute and only going with Think! that round. It took me a month to fix that glitch. This pulls you in with some incredible beats and sounds so spectacular through the entire set. Yet another great and beautifully made record, included in this series for good reason.
I picked up Alligator yesterday at a local shop. I have now listened through it twice and can say it sounds fantastic. The issue on one cylinder is there but it does not take away from the experience. The pressing I got is perfect and the album has the analog sound that drew me to this reissue series. If dealing with the analog processes, old tapes etc.. means having some small anomalies, I think its worth it. Great music on this LP as well.
Just to me even more precise, it goes muted at around 40 seconds and it comes back 2:40 minutes after. It's not only the cymbals, as @timzigs pointed out, it's the whole mid section that becomes kind of muffled and there is even some distortion in my setup.
This one was totally new to me and I've only played it a couple of times, but I love what I'm hearing.
finally picked up the bobbi humphrey "blacks and blues" and while this isn't typically my favorite type of jazz, this is a really fun record. i'd never heard any of it, but i've previously dabbled in post "black byrd" donald byrd, and this feels like that. think i'll keep on exploring.
Just received Ethiopian Knights, Hand Jive and Alligator Boogaloo. Very excited to listen to these. Of course, all of the lp's have got slight to medium warp which seems to be par for the course with this series. The combination of amazing sound with pressings that are almost universally warped (in my experience) and, in many cases, pressed off-center, is weird. In my case, Amazon always packs these with great care. The outer box plus the inner box and air bags etc. The works. This leads me to believe that the warping is likely caused by the plant itself, in this case Optimal. Anyways, they will be heading back to mama for an exchange. This time I am trying a different tack. Instead of returning immediately, I will wait for at least 3 weeks or so. who knows, I might get the next one from a better batch. Really envy all those of you who report all pressings perfectly flat and centered. This definitely ain't the case with me.
Public service announcement for those who like the recent, funkier BN80 releases. I picked up a copy of Chicken Lickin’ by Funk Inc on vinyl and it is super funky. Recorded by none other than RVG. My copy has some noise but the funk can’t be held back. Some serious grooves on this one and highly recommended for those who are looking for more funk in their lives.
Just finished Ethiopian Knights. Wow! this is one funky album. Totally love it. Shades of "On the Corner" and "Bitches Brew".