Blue Note Subscription Series

I would much rather have a subscription to 15 ips master tape dubs of my favorite BNs.

 

I have to assume that Blue Note has some sort of clue about their market and what will sell.

That being said, I think this approach is really lame. I've never liked box sets and the extraneous, ah, "stuff" they include, ostensibly to appeal to consumers but in my grumpy opinion mainly to jack the price up. Won't be buying any of these.

I'd be interested in the Blue Mitchell lp as a standalone, but it remains to be seen how it sounds. Haven't been that impressed with Ron McMaster's work to date.

I think this project is a huge FAIL. At least to me. Kind of sad they can't find some middle ground between ho-hum reissues made from digital remasterings (75th anniversary series), and $200 box sets. Why can't Blue Note use their economies of scale and put out something like the Music Matters 33s but perhaps with a bit less fancy sleeves and price them at $35?

 

I do agree that there should have been some middle ground with the reissue thing, if keeping the legacy alive is important.

Personally, I prefer the titles offered in the 75th anniversary series, but would have liked a better quality recording. I'm pretty tired of the same ole retread titles always getting the star treatment. That stuff has been done, decade in, and decade out...

 

The John Varvatos scarf + the mat is a disgrace for label like Blue Note.

 

They missed the Blue Note Boat on this one..

 

What exactly is disgraceful about it? It's marketing. Everyone can talk around it all they like, but the audience for jazz in 2017 is fairly limited. The whole point of this is to package the records in such a way that they're not losing money, but also creating the impression (or illusion, if you prefer) that buyers are getting something extra for their money. Would I prefer they just created a subscription program based around a classic album, plus a sampler of new / classic material and some kind of magazine? Absolutely, and I think that would likely reach more of the audience they're trying to hit, but I don't think trying something new like this is "disgraceful."

 

Seriously? Why not a line of Blue Note clothes (for the devoted fan), why not soft drinks? I'm sure there would be people stupid enough to buy them.

The answer is because this has nothing to do with the music: Blue Note is a historical record label not Coke, objective is to make good music not profit out of merchandising. 200 dollars for 2 LPs with cheap gizmos made in China is a ridiculous amount to ask, even the fact that they suggested it shows how much the company has lost any sense of purpose. Lion, Wolff and the rest lost their sleep to make great sometimes unprofitable records so now Blue Note can sell scarfs, it's pathetic to say the least.

 

The marketplace that allowed the Blue Note of yesteryear to become a success does not exist anymore. The world that marketplace existed is in long gone. It's a lovely dream that we can just do everything as we did in the past to satisfy an audience that has been shrinking for years, but that's just not realistic in this day and age.

 

I don't think it makes any sense to do what they are doing.

On the one hand, it looks like they are trying to appeal to a younger jazz audience with a new tag line and clothing.

But this price point isn't going to attract new fans. So is the hope that older fans who buy these will spread this stuff around, be seen with their "scarfs" and so on? From 1500 sets printed?

IMO, they are watering down the brand in a very strange way. And even if they want to expand their audience, these $200 sets really seem like the wrong campaign for it.

"Jazz Is Not a Crime" may well be the worst tag line I've ever heard. That this was not only an idea, but considered, debated and ultimately printed? Boggles the mind...

 

I don't think they're trying to appeal to a younger audience at all – I think they're narrowcasting their marketing in an attempt to create "exclusive" product that will generate talk amongst older, more well-off collectors and fans. It's not the direction I would have chosen were I in charge of Blue Note, but I think they're looking at things like Loot Crate (pop culture collectibles) and Owl Crate (books) and trying to emulate that model to create some excitement among their fanbase. I don't think "jazz is not a crime" is the worst tag line I've ever heard, and while I agree it's not particularly inspired, I think the aim was to create a statement that attracts attention.

As far as watering down the brand goes, I'd say that having non-jazz albums on the label kicked that off. I mean, I love Ryan Adams, but why is he on Blue Note? I think the main problem with Blue Note is that they're having a hard time grappling with where American jazz is at right now, and whereas a label like Stax is using its 60th anniversary to embrace its status as a legacy label, Blue Note is acting like it's.... I don't know, Playboy? It's a mid-century brand that is trying to re-establish its relevance in the 21st Century and not doing a very good job.

 

Blue Note clothes? Hey, I have a couple of T-shirts. (they already did it)

Blue Note also had a club in Las Vegas for awhile. I think it didn't make it. More clothing was also sold there.

 

Some good points, for sure.

I guess I just don't get going with the "Jazz Is Not A Crime" slogan if it was anything BUT trying to appeal to a younger audience. What older music fan who wasn't into jazz would be converted to jazz with that tag line? And what fan of jazz (who would be the market for this set in the first place) would be able to relate to that in any way?

Like the converted fan needs to defend his taste in music? It's just not with the times at all. These days most people probably listen to anything they want to proudly. And while jazz music certainly has had its challenges maintaining modern relevance, older recordings are some of the most sought after and prized around. It's already so highly regarded by so many. The slogan takes the defensive. Awful marketing decision, IMO. But what do I know...

 

That "Jazz is not A Crime" tag is making my skin crawl.

I used to skateboard in my childhood/youth in the '70's and '80's. It was mostly an underground movement for years, then; around '86 or so, it started getting really popular. The slogan that suddenly erupted all over the skateboarding world (and quickly beyond....) was "Skateboarding is NOT a Crime". Large, rectangular stickers were mass produced and were plastered ad nauseam. Around this exact time, skateboarding became heavily trendy; companies that made only quality skateboards suddenly were hastily making (crappy) stickers, bags, shirts, shoes, watches, sunglasses etc., and their actual skateboards and equipment began to really go downhill in quality. A lot of the originators and old-timers were sick to their stomachs (or sold their souls) and exited. But, pop culture, the general public and kids lapped it up, for a while....

Sounds awfully familiar to me

I wish they'd just put out high-quality, appropriately priced releases worthy of carrying on the Blue Note legacy.

 

I'm 49. People I know constantly tell me how **** jazz is, so I relate.

 

Lets not forget that Blue Note is not an independent small label anymore but part of a multinational group. That group has specific sales expectations from the label each and every year. If the fan base is not growing (which it isn't) the scarfed guy at the top has to find other means of bringing in the money, licensing & merchandizing is actually an easy one + drain the obsessed fan who is willing to put down $200 down for 2 LPs because they got the Blue Note badge on them.

 

Would I prefer they just created a subscription program based around a classic album, plus a sampler of new / classic material and some kind of magazine? Absolutely, and I think that would likely reach more of the audience they're trying to hit, but I don't think trying something new like this is "disgraceful."[/QUOTE]

A potential problem for lovers of the music and LP format, is I think that this box wont appeal to those who value the music or at the price to casual trendy buyers. This could lead to this being a failed marketing attempt and the excuse from Blue Note that when they made a AAA pressing available it didn't sell and thus claim that there is no demand

 

Hate to quote myself, but Acoustic Sounds is doing this with the RCA Living Stereo titles and a handful of them have amazing sonics and performances. I know this would be expensive, I imagine it would be slightly cheaper if done directly through BN since they own the licenses. I would strongly consider getting back into tape if it was done this way. Just thinking about something like Sonny Rollins Vol. 2 (with my favorite version of Misterioso) at 15 ips tape or Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Herbie Nichols. No hand wringing from surface noise, poor quality pressings, tics/pops, non-fill or cutting distortion and those big reels spinning away...

 

And they could throw in a scarf for good measure

 

A potential problem for lovers of the music and LP format, is I think that this box wont appeal to those who value the music or at the price to casual trendy buyers. This could lead to this being a failed marketing attempt and the excuse from Blue Note that when they made a AAA pressing available it didn't sell and thus claim that there is no demand[/QUOTE]

You could say the same about any marketing effort, though. The fact that they're already shipping these out, though, indicates that people bought them, so my guess is they sold what they were expecting to sell.

 

There’s also the real estate issue. Box set after box set. It takes some space!

 

What on Earth is that in reference to???

 

Well sure...any newer photos of jazz musicians being epidemically discriminated against? I’m trying to imagine a “hip hop is not a crime” slipmat, which is probably more relevant currently, and it still seems like an odd place to make that statement (on a turntable). Like the people that play jazz records need to be reminded that jazz is not a crime?

 

Of course, that dumb phrase is silly.

 

Blue Note can release what they want to. I don't really care but that tag line is terrible IMO.