Music Matters Definitive Blue Note 45 RPM and 33 & 1/3 RPM vinyl series (pt7)

Or maybe yes...

 

They don't have to reuse the stampers, nor do they have to cut new lacquers. All the Music Matters releases use the 3-step process (father, mother, stamper), so I guess they just made a new pair of stampers from the existing mothers for this SRX repress.

 

That stands to reason, and matches my thoughts about it as well.

 

Very useful info. Thanks bro alex. ☺️

 

Well, my copy of Andrew Hill's "Departure" came in today. It's the 33rpm, per another member's recommendation. Man, this album really is incredible. It's like a journey from hard bop into avant garde. Really cool to hear the free moments move in and out of the context of hard bop. Sounds TOP notch, too and the colors on the sleeve are beautiful... I have a lot more coming in soon.

 

For those of us who like things a bit outside the mainstream, this is one of the difficult-to-dispute great jazz masterpieces of the 60s. That it has Eric Dolphy is a bonus.

 

This is without any question one of my very favorite Blue Note albums (and jazz albums more generally). It perfectly balances memorable melodies, instrumental fireworks, and more expansive, exploratory sections--and is brilliantly sequenced to produce an almost cinematic listening experience . My version is the MM 45, and it sounds amazing as well.

 

Yeah, and the title "Point Of Departure" really captures what this album is. Definitely a masterpiece.

 

Great post! And I forgot Eric Dolphy was on this (thanks to Josquin des Prez for calling that out)...Another must have and for only $49.95, very nice! And speaking of the avant garde, I just played the Coltrane/Cherry - Avant Garde yesterday and will be keeping it in my rotation for a bit. I just love Jazz that is out of the norm so to speak, and that is just a killer album! Thanks "mike." glad you posted this.

Also want to correct myself here, was looking at some old receipts of vinyl sets I got and noticed I paid $100 for the Coltrane Mono box, not $65 as I stated earlier. Bought it after it had been out a bit. It was my Otis Redding Mono box I paid $60 for when it was released, my bad. Like many of us, I buy at such a fast clip sometimes I forget what I paid for what at times...my humble apology...

 

PSA: Waterloo Records in Austin has several SRX titles in stock. Price is a little high at $71.99 ea. But for locals who might pay shipping on 1-4 titles, it could be a wash and faster access.

I passed but bought both Tone Poet titles today for $29.99 ea. There are a couple Chick Corea and Wayne Shorter Tone Poet LP’s left as of 5p Sunday.

 

I am not able to get over there as much as I once could, however i can imagine the hipsters flipping out about the price. Sorta like Redditt. Someone bought all the SRX and posted a pic last week and multiple posters were whining that was their entire vinyl budget for a year.

I have spoken a bit with the Waterloo jazz buyer/area manager and he is on top of the game. Nice guy.

 

The SRX set should be more than satisfying for a year's worth of listening, so sounds worth it to me.

 

There are sealed copies of the Classic Records Horace-scope floating around on eBay. I jagged one last year for about $32. AAA - Bernie Grundman mastering - sounds great!

 

Hayes. Nice guy and he will go out of his way to restock or special order anything you want. We're lucky Waterloo may be the only retailer left to whom MM will ship new product. BTW, I already have the MM45 of the SRX titles that otherwise would have interested me. I'm not sold on whether the SRX would be an improvement. Having heard the MF supervinyl, same vinyl formulation as SRX... I'm sorta feel like 'meh.' It's really hard to improve upon perfection (i.e. MM45's)

 

I wanted to come back and give MM some nice feedback regarding to the handling of returns...A couple of weeks or so a go I mentioned I had an issue with the 33 version of "Soul Station" in regards to the run in grooves being bad and causing the first few seconds of each first song to have problems. Well I got my replacement and it was dish warped on the second side with the run in groove on side one with the same issues as the original.

So I sent both back with a nice cover letter detailing the issues. Carol has responded and said that Ron and her both agreed one of the copies was indeed warped, but said the one that was flat played just fine. I had also played that copy on a friend's TT and it had the same problem. She had also forwarded me an email that explained how some turn tables can react differently when playing high grade audiophile vinyl like this. Still very strange on my end because I have never encountered vinyl with an issue like I described.

I wanted to be as understanding as I could and had also written in the letter I sent, asking either for a replacement of the 45 version of "Soul Station" since it was the same cost ($74.95), or if she needed to charge me additional shipping, then the SRX of "Blowing Session" which I thought would be their choice. I just did not want to chance the 33 version again...

Well much to my delight, she told me that Ron was sending the 45 of "Soul Station" (no additional cost) a long with my copy of the SRX of "Blue Train" and they are already on the way. She also told me they have been beyond busy, which is great to hear!

In my experience (especially coming from that side of the business) this just demonstrates awesome customer service and how to make some one pleased as can be! Just wanted to give Ron, and especially Carol a Big Time High Five for what they do!!!

 

Couldn't agree more. Carol, Lori, and Ron have always adopted a very customer-centric approach with me and have handled all of my, albeit infrequent, problems with alacrity and charm.

 

Is Lori still there, or did Carol replace her?

 

Current shipping email has Carol at the front.

 

Right, I have only had communication from Carol in the last half year or so.

 

I’m guessing that she’s still there. I’ll get fulfillment email from her email address on rare occasions, but that may be when Carol is out on holiday. Of course, I’m speculating.

 

thanks for this! it really helps instill confidence.

 

My Blue Train SRX is scheduled for Wednesday delivery (trying to patiently wait), anybody scheduled today or tomorrow that can give a quick review?

 

This is great to read. In the past, as we know, there have been examples of less than good customer service, for whatever reason. Thus far, I haven't had any problems with either of the two orders I have made (7 records), but great customer service is what happens after the sale. Really nice to see good feedback here.

And it's nice to hear that both Blue Note and Universal Music Group have been totally surprised at the initial success of the Tone Poet series. They were each very skeptical that a $35 single LP would sell. But, in fact, the numbers have greatly surpassed expectations.

 

Considering the “normal” MM33 of blue train is absolutely fantastic, I have very little doubt the SRX version is at minimum equal fantastic.

 

Should be receiving some great packages tomorrow. My MM order with Blue Train x2 and Blues Walk should arrive tomorrow as well as an order from a retailer with Juju, Happenings, and Page One (plus extras of the first two for resale/trade).

Very excited although it is quite feasible I will not be able to clean/listen until Wednesday evening.

Scheduled to work from home Friday, if my Wednesday schedule wasn’t so busy I would do it then instead just for the listening. I really need to find or create a work from home gig.