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

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by MilesSmiles, Jul 19, 2013.

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  1. mikemoon

    mikemoon Forum Resident

    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    On a whim I actually took a plunge on Happenings and and Grant Green's Talkin' About since I was able to get them at Elusive Disc for $35.99 on Christmas Day. These prices were kind of hard to pass up and I wanted to increase my modest MM catalog (10 or so). All the one's I've heard so far are great but I have to admit that I've cheated on 1/2 of them by reading recommendations from forum member btf1980.
     
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  2. johnnypaddock

    johnnypaddock Senior Member

    Location:
    Merrimack Valley

    The man knows his s**t!! I always try to check out his recommendations as well.

    :cheers:
     
  3. TimArruda

    TimArruda Well-Known Member

    Location:
    St. Petersburg, FL
    Agreed
     
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  4. Parkertown

    Parkertown Tawny Port

    Nope...; I totally dig that one too. Even the singing. :agree:

    And the guitar is...outtasite!
     
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  5. Parkertown

    Parkertown Tawny Port

    Okay, I'm totally gonna play a Hutch LP next...either Happenings or Now.
     
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  6. GreatTone

    GreatTone Forum Resident

    Location:
    Falls Church, VA
    Another great one from MM with Joe Chambers is Wayne Shorter's "Adam's Apple." The title cut is esp killer, and Joe Chambers is amazing, both his playing and the incredible sound quality of his drums. I don't know why, but Joe Chambers and Tony Williams seemed to have the consistently best drum sound in Rudy's studio. Right up there is Elvin Jones too -- the drum sound on Grant Green's "Street of Dreams" is particularly top notch.
     
  7. DrJ

    DrJ Senior Member

    Location:
    Davis, CA, USA
    Both great ideas. I'm particularly fond of the Blue Mitchell title, it's excellent (a young Chick Corea on board, already showing signs of greatness) - as are STEP LIGHTLY, BOSS HORN, and BRING IT HOME TO ME. Basically anything by Blue in the span covered by the Mosaic Blue Note box would be lovely to see done by Music Matters. Blue is like Bobby Hutcherson, for some reason his fantastic output for the label gets very little respect at least as demonstrated by audiophile reissues.

    I like the later COLLISION IN BLACK and BANTU VILLAGE as well but I think it's pretty safe to assume we won't be seeing either of those done by MM, unfortunately - just too far outside of the type of stuff most people seem to want in these series. At least there's good old original vinyl copies.
     
    Last edited: Jan 2, 2014
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  8. DrJ

    DrJ Senior Member

    Location:
    Davis, CA, USA
    Oh I really like NOW also - it's just that I think it'd be a very long shot for reissue by MM. But if they did it, I'd buy. :thumbsup: Same deal with MONTARA and LIVE AT MONTREUX (the latter is just awesome - Woody Shaw!).
     
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  9. SteelyTom

    SteelyTom Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston, Mass.
    Now! had a very short reissue life as a Connoisseur CD. Bobby's work as leader on BN just hasn't gotten enough respect.
     
  10. DrJ

    DrJ Senior Member

    Location:
    Davis, CA, USA
    I should have included that one for sure, what was I thinking - Hutch/Land! Has one of the most hauntingly beautiful compositions ever on it, Land's "A Night in Barcelona."



    That flute/vibes thing slays me when done just so, and applied to the right kind of tune - and they absolutely nailed it to the wall on this one. Possibly even more gorgeous than Hutch's original recording of "Little B's Poem" on COMPONENTS with James Spaulding on flute.
     
    Last edited: Jan 2, 2014
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  11. DrJ

    DrJ Senior Member

    Location:
    Davis, CA, USA
    Agreed!

    ETCETERA is also worthy - perhaps my favorite of his albums for the label, due to several factors: the space the band have to roam on the 2 lengthy cuts on Side 2; the unusual (for a Blue Note date) presence of Cecil McBee on bass, a real favorite of mine; and the presence of the tune "Penelope" which is one of the least recognized but best of Shorter's incredible run of unforgettable, "so concise they're like a haiku" compositions from around that period. SCHIZOPHRENIA (a grower) and THE ALL SEEING EYE (the most challenging of his Blue Notes) are also fabulous.

    The pattern being established in this thread is clear - for many of the artists who recorded for the label essentially any of their albums would be worthy choices for MM. Bring 'em all on eventually, I say.

    I'll shut up now! :)
     
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  12. RelayerNJ

    RelayerNJ Forum Resident

    Location:
    Whippany, NJ
    Always thought this album had a strange mix (and a lot of reverb). I do love the compositions.
     
  13. RelayerNJ

    RelayerNJ Forum Resident

    Location:
    Whippany, NJ
    Believe me, I'd have most of them if they weren't $50 a pop. Worth it, but tough for me. It's probably why most of them are not sold out.
     
  14. Questhate

    Questhate Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bay Area, CA
    I bought 8 titles from the Elusive Disc sale on Sunday, and the package just arrived today. This was my first time ordering from them, and I'm super impressed with the way everything was packaged. The LPs were in a box with packing popcorn, placed inside of a bigger box with MORE packing popcorn and packaging materials. I've ordered through Music Direct, Acoustic Sounds and Soundstage Direct in the past, and never remembered any package being this overkill. Even the thin Analog Production sleeves have all made it over with not a single seam split. Somehow I've avoided ordering from Elusive Disc over the years because the website is a bit harder to navigate than others, but they're my go-to site for now.

    Just went in for 6 more while this sale is still going on. I have a feeling I won't ever be able to buy these titles for 36.99 again so I have to blow through my vinyl budget for the next couple months to take advantage.

    The Music Matters releases are by far my favorites in my short couple of years collecting vinyl. The quality is so consistent from a fidelity standpoint, and the quality sleeves really add to the experience in some weird way. I love just holding the gatefolds, reading the review on the back, and looking at the session photos to imagine the musicians in the room. I'm sad to see the series come to an end, but that gives me time to catch up on all the releases I've missed.
     
  15. RelayerNJ

    RelayerNJ Forum Resident

    Location:
    Whippany, NJ
    the sale is on? All I see is 10% off entire order. where is it?
     
  16. RelayerNJ

    RelayerNJ Forum Resident

    Location:
    Whippany, NJ
    nevermind. it's only on certain titles
     
  17. mikemoon

    mikemoon Forum Resident

    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    This is the reason that I'm happy that MM is reissuing some titles on 33 rpm. I should only have one duplicate of those titles. I might actually subscribe if I like what I sample.
     
  18. GreatTone

    GreatTone Forum Resident

    Location:
    Falls Church, VA
    Elusive Disc is probably the online seller I've used the most. The search function on their website is recently improved, but still not as easy as Acoustic Sounds. AS makes it really easy to find things, because you can click on the reissue series (Music Matters, for example), and you get all the titles; if there is vinyl and CD, you can click to refine it that way. You can get to a series on Elusive Disc, but you have to search on the prefix sales code to get there, which is pretty obscure. Good company though.
     
  19. Michel Jazz

    Michel Jazz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Antwerp, Belgium
    It is the Musicmatters 45rpm thread but did somebody used the ED sales for the Impulse 45rpm series ?
    Most titles are also 35,99$ ....
     
  20. BRush

    BRush Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Yes, I ordered the AP/Impulse 45 of John Coltrane Quartet Plays for $36. It arrived yesterday, along with a couple more MM titles. I believe it was the only Coltrane AP/Impulse 45 on sale. It was also a numbered copy, somewhere in the 700's. None of the 16 MM titles I've gotten over the past 2 weeks have been numbered. I am grateful that Elusive Disc had this sale, I've slacked off getting a lot of the more recent MM titles
     
  21. Blank Slate

    Blank Slate Forum Resident

    Location:
    Rochester, NY
    Before paying more than $49.95 for an OOP title check directly with MM. In the email sent to subscribers they mention having a few OOP titles available at the original price. Even prior to this announcement I was able to pick up "Speakin' My Piece" and "Soul Station" direct even though they were showing up as OOP on the MM website.
     
  22. Josquin des Prez

    Josquin des Prez I have spoken!

    Location:
    U.S.
    I think that was an offer for subscribers. They held some out for possible future subscribers, but since the series ended they closed subscriptions and gave current subscribers first right of refusal on remaining copies of OOP titles. That is how I interpreted it, since the website shows the OOP titles as not available.
     
  23. Blank Slate

    Blank Slate Forum Resident

    Location:
    Rochester, NY
    You may be correct. It would still be worth a shot rather than paying more than the normal price. If you are interested try contacting Lori ([email protected]). She has always been very helpful. You may be pleasantly surprised.:agree:
     
  24. JMCIII

    JMCIII Music lover first, audiophile second.


    Don't think Lori is still working for Music Matters any longer........ =(
     
  25. whaiyun

    whaiyun Forum Resident

    Location:
    Windsor/Detroit
    Last I got a reply from Lori @ MM was Dec 20th...
     
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