Kamasi Washington - The Epic - New West Coast Spiritual Jazz

Well, most of what I heard from Alchemy Mastering sounds very good. I hope this one sounds great, wonderful album... expected early in October 2015.

 

It looks as though they shuffled the tracklisting somewhat -- at least based on Amazon's listing for the vinyl (which admittedly might be incorrect)...

 

The artwork shows the same reordered tracklist

 

Ah okay -- I couldn't zoom in to see the tracklistings. Interesting that it was reshuffled -- it seems like a lot of time and thought has gone into this vinyl presentation of the album.

 

It was reshuffled to make it 58 minutes a disc and to make the sides more evenly split time wise. Still don't like Brainfeeder's response posted above. Not convincing in the least. Very strange decision to not use 4 discs. It would be a normal 45 minutes a side on 4 discs. This length on a disc seems unprecedented for a release claiming high fidelity half speed cutting. Anyone know of any examples?

 

I'm picturing zero run-out grooves

 

that's an outright lie to claim that dynamically-rich music can be cut at nearly 30 minutes per side with no sacrifice in audio quality. the response from Brainfeeder is a classic non-answer. expect audio compressed to crap.

 

not necessarily. most likely, however.

 

The Epic is such an awesome album. Each cd has its own flow. The whole thing comes together. The new arrangement of Cherokee on Discc 3 is totally groovy. This is my number 1 album for 2015..I don't see how anything else will be able to beat it, unless some rare soundboards of the Coltrane quartet + Eric Dolphy are found.

 

no, you can't cut 30-minute per side records with 9 instruments playing and expect it to sound good. I assume the decision to go with 3 records rather than 4 was a cost-cutting measure, but if you're going to promote the thing on the basis of quality, charge the premium and cut 4 records.

 

Get Happy doesn't sound all that terrible, but that's pop music.

 

by whom?

 

That's right! They even boasted of the good job they did in the sleeve notes, so it's possible to do this, cut long sides with good sound quality.

 

Can you give me an example? I'm not sure "not all that terrible" counts. I don't know though since I haven't heard that one.

 

This is Elvis Costello's Get Happy! Which is about 25 minutes per side and sounds pretty good on my ancient system...I am no audiophile, but it's a nice, clear and strong reproduction of a four piece band playing stax influenced pop, for the most part. I already have The Epic on CD, so I'm going to get the vinyl for its aesthetic value as much as anything else, but I don't fear the groove cramming....I'm hopeful!

 

Well, perhaps compact disk will be the preferred format for this title... that would truly SUCK imho! This album deserves killer vinyls.

Cancelled my pre-order, took the cash refund, until I better understand what is going down here.

 

I haven't gotten a chance to hear the album yet, I was hoping to get it on vinyl. My concern isn't that I don't think it can't be successfully cut on vinyl with 30 minute sides and sound good (or at least, satisfactory), my main concern is that it's going to be too quiet. Even the best pressing plants have at least a tiny tic here and there, and those tics don't get quieter just because it's a quieter cut. The box claims this one was pressed in the EU and I'm betting GZ Vinyl. I don't think you can fit three 180 gram LPs, three full colored jackets, a slipcase box, and a great pressing plant in a 40 dollar market price. I'd love to be proven wrong though.

 

I'm leaning towards the digital format at this point. He's coming to town in a month or two to a small club. I'm going to try and make that gig on Sept. 18th. Appears to be a "warm up" gig for San Francisco and the East Coast that follows.

 

Seeing him at Harlows in Sacramento in a couple of weeks. Can't wait!

 

East coast tour is happening right now. Going to see him in NYC tomorrow night.

 

there's a pretty massive difference sonically between cutting 24+ minutes per side and cutting 30 per side.

 

They should let someone independent with credibility review a test pressing. Otherwise, it'll be tough to believe this is going to be what it should be... the jazz vinyl album of the year.

 

i'm totally with you, but i'm telling you: i've got two def leppard LPs that have something to tell you.

 

Fair enough...but I also have The Best of Budgie, which is rock, but is about 30 minutes per side, pressed in 1975, and also sounds great. It can be done.

 

Last night's show at the Blue Note was amazing! If you have the opportunity to see these guys on tour, DO NOT pass it up. There was an unbelievable amount of talent crammed onto that tiny little stage.