Sorry if this has already been posted, but it’s released on 3rd December by the New Land label: This session recorded at New York!s Nola Penthouse Studios in 1963 is a little-known masterwork from the incredible Gerry Mulligan catalogue. Licensed officially from Phillips/ Universal and mastered by Kevin Gray (recent credits include the Blue Note Tone Poet series) using transfers from the original tapes, this is the best the record has ever sounded. Baritone Saxophonist Gerry Mulligan was a true icon of jazz, being one of the prominent figures in the West Coast scene through the "50s all the way until his death in 1996. Voted number one musician in his instrument by Downbeat Magazine for 42 years in a row, Mulligan was one of the key players of his time and a figurehead who help shape the sound of jazz to come. From periods in the Birth Of The Cool era Miles Davis line up as well as forming a piano-less quartet with Chet Baker, Gerry was always on the frontline of what was hip and happening in America!s one true art form. With its striking Oliver Hardimon designed cover, Night Lights! is the very definition of refined cool jazz. Shimmering with a late-night beauty that perfectly evokes a sophisticated New York City in the early 1960s, Gerry and his Sextet fuse slow burning jazz noir alongside emerging, contemporary Brazilian rhythms with the interplay between Mulligan and guitarist Jim Hall a particular standout throughout. Title track Night Lights is a wonderfully smooth, low light tune, while the Latin tinged Morning Of The Carnival really finds the band in their finest and most swinging form. A cover of jazz standard In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning followed by Chopin!s Prelude In E Minor continues the delightful groove before we finish out with Mulligan originals Festival Minor and Tell Me When. For this version of the release, we have included the 1965 version of Night Lights, which gives an interesting comparison, performed by his later day Quintet featuring the Wrecking Crew!s legendary Hal Blaine on drums amongst others. Remastered using transfers from the original tapes lifted from the Phillips vault by mastering legend Kevin Gray Pressed at Pallas on 180g heavyweight vinyl and housed in a thick reverse-board sleeve with additional insert featuring photographs, essays and words by bassist on the session Bill Crow.
Awesome, been waiting for this. Too bad it doesnt seem AAA but Kevin Gray makes it worth a buy regardless.
I'd hardly describe this album as "little known" its a stone cold classic, and it was in Universal Japan's "100 masterpiece" series back in 2007: Gerry Mulligan – Night Lights (2007, 200g, Vinyl) I am guessing this title also eventually shows up in the US in the Verve Acoustic Sounds series too, it's one Universal has reissued before in these kinds of label anthology series. It's weird the New Land version is licensed from Universal, but has no label logos on any of the art. The centre labels are blank, the jacket artwork carries no Phillips or any Universal label logos.
actually says "remastered from original tapeh" on their landing page. lol https://newlandrecords.co.uk/
"Mastered from the original analog tape transfers" is what it says on the website. I take it that transfers mean digital in any case.
Or it means "mastered from the original analog tapes, Transfers by Kevin Gray" which would more likely make them AAA. I get your skepticism, but in this case believe it's unwarranted. It makes far more sense that a UK label hired Kevin because he'd have access to the Universal tape vault, and be able to cut from the tape. Otherwise, why not remaster and plate in the UK if they are just using digital files? Why would the label be promoting "from the original master tapes" on their landing page? It's not 2013 any more.
I'm convinced this is AAA, but I'm not 100% sure about the master tape being used... but with Kevin Gray being involved I'm very confident this will be the best sounding reissue ever made
Happy to hear this album is getting some love around here. It is a truly great record that I do not think all that many people know about. My wife likes it too. I have a still sealed 1960’s Wing reissue and a Japanese 1983 reissue. The Japanese pressing is amazing. I bought these for less than $20 each maybe 8 or 9 years ago. The 1983 Japanese version has become outrageously expensive since but I do not know why. If the KG version becomes available in the US, I’d grab one. It would be the copy I would play when I want to hear that album.
Id love for you to be right. Currently Im 70% sure its AAA, mostly the bonus track and "Transfer" that has me wondering. Can we also talk about the sleeve though. What is a reverse-board jacket? From the pictures Im not sure what to think. It looks wide, but its not a gatefold. Almost like one of those AP45 Verve titles with 2 records in 1 sleeve except those were on really thin paper. One of few times I disliked the AP packaging.
I have this on a Japanese CD. This is a perfect going to bed record. I love it. Can someone give similar style recommendations? The only thing I have that's like it is my CD of 'Chet'
My copy came in today and I just finished listening to it. Gerry's Baritone Saxophone stands out on the solos; as does the other instruments Jim Hall's guitar, the trombone, Trumpet, Flugelhorn which are all nicely separated. This is a very nice album. I only have the Japanese Philips – EXPR-1037 to compare it to, and this New Land pressing mastered by Kevin Grey has a better sound stage with great sound. The highlight of the album though is the inclusion of the the 1965 version of ‘Night Lights’ as the last track on side B. This track is absolutely phenomenal. I suggest you give the album a good cleaning, (I clean all my new albums) listen to the tracks in order and get ready for the grand finale of that 1965 version of Night Lights. It just makes a classic album a little more....perfect.
