Blue Note Subscription Series

No, it was framed. Bruce Springsteen did the deed.

 

I'm still trying to justify the $200 price tag to myself I love the idea that its focused in the drums because they are magical on these Bkue Note recordings, but man that's a hefty price tag for two "modern" records and two classics.

 

You get the trading cards though!

 

Fremer - Analog Planet:

Blue Note Records Announces "Spirit & Time" Blue Note Review Volume Two

 

So, where is this (it's almost the end of the year)?

 

Got a shipment notice for Blue Note Review, Vol. 2 today.

 

As a Jazz and Blue Note fanatic and a drummer who listens from the “bottom up” and reveres the likes of Tony and Art (and Hutch!) and follows the “New Breed” of drummers featured on the included 2xLP comp I’m having a difficult time resisting this Volume 2. And yet, resist I much. It’s still $200, albeit a far more justified $200 as compared to Volume 1, aside from the content that’s tempting me so heavily.

So what have we here? I’m going to make some assumptions and, based on the team involved in Gray and Harley, call the two reissues Music Matters/Analogue Productions equivalents. Don’t know the quality of the outer sleeves but assuming they are up to at least AP standards these would run about $35 each for a total of $70. These reissues are a bit complicated by the fact that they were first released as LT series LP’s and can be somewhat easily found in the $20-30 range used. I’ve got both. Note that the cover art for both are based on the CD graphics for the first CD releases in the 90’s as part of the Connoisseur series and not the (IMO far inferior) original artwork.

Then we have the 2xLP comp, which looks tasty, and is a digital cut. Assuming it’s well done this would street for about $30. Include the duplicate CD (why not do the same with the reissues? An odd inclusion, or exclusion.) at $15 and we have roughly $115 worth of music included here. Being generous again, subtract the CD and you’re at half the box cost for those who do not care about the CD.

Then we have what’s likely an Audioquest record brush. While I dig Blue Note swag I’ve got the same brush (among others) but hey, it’s better than that idiotic “JINAC” record mat so let’s look at the bright side and call that $20. At least it’s tastefully done and useful. So now we’re up to $135.

The remainder of the ephemera is especially interesting to me this time around due to the focus on drummers but I’m completely unsure as to what the quality of each item is like. I’d love to be able to frame the Art and Elvin lithos, there is no description as to the content of the so-called “zine” and while the “book” holds serious interest for me due to it’s focus it hardly looks like a “book” based on the images in the video. The images on the BNR website make it look hardly more than a few pages, something you’d find in a record sleeve. Oh, and the Trading Cards. Sorta cool idea but I fear I’d have no one to trade with and they would quickly take up residence unseen in the box. (Can we come up with some sort og game we can play on the forum?) So is there an additional $65 worth of swag here? I could make that argument I suppose, far less of a stretch than the first volume and again, it’s great to see them giving the drummers some!

So considering the assumptions made above about the quality of the mastering and pressings (and remember, these are available as LT Series LP’s, somewhat under recognized albums both) the questions that remain for me, and likely some others are:

What is the outer sleeve quality? At least up to AP standards and NOT BN 75th (lack of) quality?

Are these reissues a vast improvement over the existing LT’s?

What is the quality of the remainder of the included ephemera and does it’s value stand the test of time as a package? ($200 can buy several MM or AP titles that one can fill holes with, depending on the title.)

Any input, thoughts or reviews most appreciated. I’d love to pick this one up.

(Edit: It’s been in the 20’s here at night, sure could use a scarf!)

 

Excellent post. I’m really curious to know how this set stacks up against the MM series. Really hard to justify the price tag, but if there is a flurry of posts opining about how revelatory the sound of these is, then I’ll be $200 poorer. Anyone get this set yet???

 

I received it last week, but I'm not planning to open it until after Christmas. Anyone unbox theirs yet?

 

Pardon my ignorance, but what does LT stand for and what is the LT series?

Thanks.

 

Could someone report about the quality of the entire set? I would like to know if the covers of "Africaine" and "Patterns" were done at Stoughton Printing (to Analogue Productions/Music Matters quality, with laminated front).

 

No laminated front, same covers like the Blue Mitchell in Vol. 1.

 

That's quite disappointing considering the $200 price tag.

 

Perhaps the producers felt the glossy laminated front did not match with the rest of the box. If they thought so, I think there were right. These records look more 'authentic' of 'vintage' than the laminated Classic Records or Music Matters reissues. But most important: they sound great!

 

Hey Bryce, sorry for the delayed response. 'Tis the season.

The LT series was a series of releases in the late 70's early 80's of sessions that were mainly recorded in the mid to late 60's but sat on the shelves at the time. The LT covers (their 'original' covers actually) can be identified by a consistent, for most, graphic design that I find extremely un-Blue Note and very much non-representative of the music found within. For instance, the Hutch date that's in this box was originally issued with this cover in 1980:



It was not until some of the CD reissue campaigns of the 90's that we saw new cover designs that IMO far better respresented the classic covers of the BN catalog of their time. Which is what was used for the Hutch in this set:



The nice thing about the original LT's is that they can often be found for very reasonable prices, likely passed over by "collectors" due to the graphics being uncharacteristic. They're decent but of-their-time pressings so I'd love to have the two in this set given the Gray/Harley/RTI/Stoughton treatment.

 

Thanx man. I agree, still trying to justify it for some reason. I put it in my cart yesterday and tried to buy it as a "Gift" but when it came time to check out they still wanted me to become a member. Which I'm not crazy about doing.

This could however be an insight into the new "Tone Poet" series, albeit an expensive one.

And now there's SRX to think about.

 

Any further thoughts on the quality of these, both in sonics and pressing? Any comparisons to their LT issues if you've got themm? Thanx.

 

So these are not heavy tip-on style? Please say they're not like the BN 75th sleeves. I did not buy the Blue Mitchell set.

 

I don't like the idea of having to become a member in order to buy a particular set, which in the future if you don;t want the next volume (as was the case for me with Volume 1) you need to cancel your membership, hopefully in time to not automatically receive and get billed for that volume. Want the next one? Gotta sign up again. A real hassle IMO.

 

Thanks

They could have skimped on the bric-a-brac, like the baseball cards. Useless

 

They're tip-on style but not laminated. The Blue Mitchell also had a non-laminated tip-on jacket. But it didn't exactly get rave reviews for the sound. I just don't know, man. "Patterns" is a great record and the only alternative, the Connoisseur LP from the 90's, is $50+ second hand.

 

The Japanese King is another alternative. It sounds pretty good to my ears.

 

Yeah, I'm sure it does. But it isn't cheap and the cover art is boring.

 

Lol, I agree re the cover. Such a shame.

 

Sorry I ended up posting my initial thoughts on the Music Matters thread. I have only listened to Africaine so far, but I found it an extraordinary pressing. Absolutely MM quality. I also mentioned that I hope it is ultimately released as part of the Tone Poet series. If it is reflective of the quality we can expect from that series, then it will be a phenomenal 2019 for Blue Note lovers.

The jackets are tip on — much higher quality than the 75th anniversary pressings — but they are not glossy. I actually like the matte finish myself. The box overall is stunning in its quality.

Not really interested in further debate over the swag, etc. Again, I hope Africaine and Patterns are made available to everyone a la carte as part of Tone Poet or another series. The label and the music is what matters.