SH Spotlight "Explorations" The Bill Evans Trio, best version by far, the XRCD mastered by Alan Yoshida...

Ok... thanks!

 

Which version is the one to get on vinyl?

 

Most anything mastered by Yoshida is excellent. I've got the XRCDs of Explorations (my very favorite BE album), Moonbeams, and Portrait in Jazz, and they sound terrific to me.

 

on the XRCD the bass is kind of too hot / distorting (clipping?) at 2:52 of the first track? anyone has the same "issue"? same on Track 4 at 1:51

 

Completely share your affinity for "Explorations" -- my personal favorite of Evans many stellar albums, due in significant part to the sonic clarity and spaciousness of the recording. A beautiful, immersive experience.

Interestingly (for those of us who have to settle for streaming Apple Lossless during our workdays), Apple Music has two ostensible OJC versions of the LP -- one copyrighted 1987 (with the suboptimal, centered soundstage), and one copyrighted 2011 (with the lovely, spacious full separation). The latter seems less loud initially, but will pull you in far more effectively, if you give it time.

 

I'd like to get a copy of Bill Evans' Moon Beams XRCD and could trade or swap CD's. It's literally impossible to find except for the three copies on Discogs. I'd even purchase a copy if reasonable. Even the "torrents" are empty. Thanks, Hal

 

I may be in Texas, but I hear the sirens already, Steve.


I hope you have a bug-out bag and a up-to-date passport.......

 

I think that's the one I have Steve...it's a really beautiful set that I got from Analogue Productions many years ago...all of Bill's Riverside titles at 45 RPM...here is a shot of our host in the included booklet:

 

It’s from the vinyl box set, really great, easily one of my favorites. Here it is: Bill Evans - Riverside Recordings

 

This is the version I now have. I love this album. This album was one of the first two or three Jazz LPs I bought back in the early 70's..

 

Got 3 Bill Evans XRCDs in the mailbox today. Listened to How My Heart Sings first and now on Village Vanguard. These discs sound staggeringly incredible, just phenomenal in every way!! I'm going to try and listen to Shelly's Manne Hole tonight as well. So happy to have these gems in my collection!!

 

I just ordered this disc from a Japanese seller on Discogs around two weeks ago. Don't have it in my possession yet but they are available out there. Certainly wasn't cheap, I recall around $75 or so.

 

Also absolutely love this album and interestingly I think I owned the 2011 first which I always thought was really fantastic. I've since picked up the original OJC and VDJ and waiting on the XRCD.

 

Are the Japan reissues of the XRCD CDs from 2003 the exact same mastering as the original ones from the late 1990’s?

 

Pretty sure I read on here that they are not the same mastering and inferior.

 

Thanks for the reply, Steve
I'll see how to go about doing that on the forum. Thanks for contributing the DCC Gold series to the world of jazz. Best, from Seattle

 

After listening to Waltz For Debby again recently to me it reminds me of Kind Of Blue.


Bill Evans the notes he plays are just in the right time and space.

I can play this over and over without getting tired of listening to it.

 

The thing to look for is mastering by Alan Yoshida. If so, you are good.

 

I appreciate that. However, some of the listings , for example "Dophin Street" 2003 Japan version of the XRCD and "Explorations" 2003 Japan XRCD version fail to list any mastering credits - so if anyone has those, can they confirm if the mastering is the same as the earlier versions from the late '90's?

 

I own only late 90's Bill Evans XRCDs and all those list Alan Yoshida as the mastering engineer. Some of the late 90's are JVC XRCDs with catalog #'s JVCXR-xxxxx, while some are Riverside issues with catalog #'s like VICJ-xxxx, but again, all that I have of both varieties list Yoshida. The Riverside ones have a fabric-like binding and are a bit smaller in form factor, while the JVC ones have a faux darker binding, which is just the same paper used elsewhere on the cover. They're a bit bigger and use an internal paper envelope to hold the CD vs the plastic tray within the Riverside ones.

The 2003 XRCDs on Discogs unfortunately don't list mastering credits because there just aren't sufficient photos, except one! The Vanguard has an additional photo that does seem to list Yoshida under mastering:



The 2003's also look visually, based on Discogs pics, like the late 90's Riverside issues (smaller form factor).

If there's not a big price difference, probably best to stick with the late 90's issues. But based the above data point, the 2003 masterings may be the same as the earlier ones, but granted it's only one data point and it's a lot of $ to take a chance if you don't have to.