SH Spotlight 45 RPM mastering "Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section", one of THE greatest albums of all time.

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Steve Hoffman, Nov 12, 2002.

  1. Jerry James

    Jerry James Rorum Fesident

    This was among the first Jazz cd's I ever heard, back in about 1995. It immediately struck me, with it's clarity and crisp sound. I still play it regularly, and my ears always perk up when it begins to play.
     
  2. scottc1963

    scottc1963 Forum Resident

    Kinda figured that this thing wouldn't be cheap now. Didn't Steve mention that later Japan pressings were clones of the JVC?
     
  3. wcarroll

    wcarroll Senior Member

    Location:
    Baton Rouge, LA
    I ordered one from Amazon yesterday. Found it listed under "Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section by Art Pepper (1986) - Import." It does look like one of the listings under this heading is for the wrong CD.
     
  4. scottc1963

    scottc1963 Forum Resident

    Found one (Hopefully).
     
  5. wcarroll

    wcarroll Senior Member

    Location:
    Baton Rouge, LA
    My 1986 Japanese CD # VDJ-1556 arrived and it really sounds fantastic. Thanks to Steve and others in the thread for turning me on to this version. I'm on a bit of a Contemporary kick and have been playing some other great music as recorded in the mail room. Revisted the OJC three-CD series of Hampton Hawes "All Night Session!" (also recommended by Steve a while back). Great sound! And some original vinyl too - Barney Kessel, Andre Previn, etc... I also have a pile of Good Time Jazz records of Bunk Johnson, Kid Ory, Firehouse Five, etc. that I'll be spinning soon.

    http://www.soundfountain.com/contemporary/contemporary.html

    Here's a nice page dedicated to Contemporary Records. :righton:
     
    JRM likes this.
  6. PNeski@aol.com

    [email protected] Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    That disc is a classic ,but Modern Art is also great I am talking music not Sonics VDCJ 60311
    sounds great
     
  7. Lonson

    Lonson I'm in the kitchen with the Tombstone Blues

    Steve asks:

    Is "Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section" one of THE greatest jazz albums of all time?

    I'd have to say, no, not in my opinion. Try as I might over the years I'm just not a big fan of Art Pepper. I like his earliest work the best, when he was most influenced by Lester Young. After the first half of the 'fifties, I just don't care to listen to him that much.
     
  8. ponkine

    ponkine Senior Member

    Location:
    Villarrica, Chile
    So, after a decade

    Which one is the best CD version? (not nearly impossible to find)

    :wave:
     
  9. KeithH

    KeithH Success With Honor...then and now

    Location:
    Beaver Stadium
    As discussed throughout this and other threads, the original 1985 Japanese CD with catalog number VDJ-1556 is excellent. It is long out of print, but it is not impossible to find. Otherwise, I would get the original U.S. Original Jazz Masterpieces (OJC) CD. The OJC CD is easier to find and cheaper than the Japanese VDJ CD.
     
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  10. ponkine

    ponkine Senior Member

    Location:
    Villarrica, Chile
    Thanks! :)
     
  11. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Try and avoid the OJC CD. One of my least favorites. Too mellow, too much reverb. There is a boot (or reissue) of the JVC out there on Amazon, gotta be better than the OJC.
     
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  12. ponkine

    ponkine Senior Member

    Location:
    Villarrica, Chile

    Oh thanks!

    I'll follow your advice :wave:
     
  13. Evan

    Evan Senior Member

    The MFSL silver "Way Out West" CD sounds best IMHO, less as you said, brittle, but you need the JVC for the two alternate takes of Way Out West and I'm An Old Cowhand. I use my tone controls to adjust the sound on the JVC so the sax sounds closer to the MFSL CD.
     
  14. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Just so we understand. The SONNY ROLLINS "brittle" I'm talking about is what is on the master tape, the JVC just transferred it "as is", the MoFi silver (which is rare as hell) did a little needed mastering.

    Remember, Roy added a slight 10k boost to all Contemporary recordings in the studio to be reduced in lacquer cutting (primitive noise reduction) and if the modern mastering doesn't do that reverse EQ as well, the stuff sounds too sharp.
     
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  15. Espen R

    Espen R Senior Member

    Location:
    Norway
    That primitive noise reduction may be the best "noise reduction system" there is...does least harm to the sound/music ;)
     
  16. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    The Ampex 350-2 is OK with this, as long as it is slight (being the key word). The machine could not handle any overmod and would saturate and splatter (not in a good way) if pushed too hard above 0 VU with too much treble. The old AME EQ pretty much killed the sound which is why Contemporary and other logical labels never used it and stuck with good old NAB.
     
    kt66brooklyn likes this.
  17. Evan

    Evan Senior Member

    Also, the JVC is titled "Way Out West Plus". The cover is an alternate picture of Sonny in the desert with his hat off. Kind of cool. Catalog number VDJ-1551. And, as Steve said, a dry, flat transfer of the master-tape. May be easier to find than the MFSL CD.
     
  18. gingerly

    gingerly Change Returns Success

    Sorry to necro this thread, but I've been keeping an eye out in the bins for a copy of this CD, and came across an Original Jazz Classics reissue from 2010, mastered by Joe Tarantino at Fantasy, and WITH the little bit of reverb/echo for $5.95. I figured, "why not?.

    I must say I NEVER would have picked this up and would have passed it over as old fashioned with Art Pepper on it, and without knowing who the "rhythm section" was. The fact is that it's a fabulous date, and a GREAT recording. Definitely will be one of my fav jazz CD's. If the sound of this CD can be improved upon by a different digital reissue, I need to find it. I imagine this is why the JVC/etc. versions are so pricey. :cry:
     
  19. hvbias

    hvbias Midrange magic

    Location:
    Northeast
    Sort of amazed to see a run of the mill 60s pressing (yellow label with CR logo) go for $50 on Ebay.
     
  20. DrJ

    DrJ Senior Member

    Location:
    Davis, CA, USA

    As much as I like MEETS THE RHYTHM SECTION, and it is an all-time classic in my view, the material originally issued on Omegatape - ART OF PEPPER - is my favorite Pepper for musical content - he never sounded less uptight, more in command and flowing. For early Pepper, can't be topped. MODERN ART is also extremely fine, musically.

    These don't have the wonderful sound quality of his recordings for Contemporary, though.
     
    JRM likes this.
  21. PNeski@aol.com

    [email protected] Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    Return of is also great
     
  22. David Beckwith

    David Beckwith Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    Hi Guys,

    So in addition to my original NM UK mono Contemporary Vogue and my OJC CD, I recently picked up the JVC CD and a NM 70's / 80's US Contemporary stereo vinyl. Interesting to compare them.

    - original UK mono Contemporary Vogue - this definitely had that old school, vintage sound. Not perfectly balanced, but raw and gutsy. Art's horn perhaps sounds the most natural on this. The bass is pretty strong on this as well. Each note left an impression in the air. Fun stuff.

    - 70's / 80's US Contemporary stereo vinyl - this had noticeably more clarity and a wider soundstage than the original mono. Vinyl is much thinner as to be expected. Really clean sounding and very, very enjoyable. A bit brighter than the mono, but that's more than made up for with the soundstage. This sounds better than one would expect from a reissue. Tough to say which vinyl is better as they are so different.

    - JVC 1980's CD - very similar to the above mentioned stereo LP. Just a hair brighter and more compact sounding.

    - OJC 2010 CD - the most reverb out of any of these which you really get on the drums. The drums seem "taller" in sound, but not naturally so. Sound is much more compact as well. I may give this away to a friend as I'm not sure I'll really listen to it with my other copies.

    As I mentioned before, I am with Steve in that this is one of the greatest Jazz albums out there. The sound is just so easy and flowing. The group was locked in from note one. Don't we wish all sessions could be like this! And cheers to Roy DuNann for turning a mailroom into a sonic delight!
     
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  23. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven

    This is a great album musically and sonically, and I have the 1988 OJC CD which sounds fine to me for now, as this is my first copy. Thanks SH.tv for turning me on to this album.
     
  24. JRM

    JRM Forum Resident

    Location:
    Eugene, Oregon
    Found what appears to be the original Japanese CD for $18.99 on Amazon...

    [​IMG]
     
  25. jfeldt

    jfeldt Forum Resident

    Location:
    SF, CA, USA
    Looks like it, if the picture and text are accurate. I have that disc, I highly recommend you don't hesitate.
     
    JRM likes this.

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