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

My real point is that I can accept some sub-premium features when the vinyl is 200%. When I'm not playing the records, they are shelved so the packaging matters, but not nearly as much as playback quality. The MM releases are excellent, but so are the QRP-pressed APs.

 

As a jazz fan, I can definitely say that I am thankful that there are folks like Ron, Steve, Chad, etc. who give this great music the treatment it deserves and I have often thought that such efforts might be essential to ensuring that future generations will have it to love as we do.

 

And so it begins...

 

Just placed an order for Inventions & Dimensions and Una Mas. Looking forward to these... never heard either album before.

 

Considering the polarizing success of Out to Lunch, which both sold well and garnered the most subscriber complaints, I wonder how successful a MM subscription that explored some of the more adventurous titles could be. There are clearly people who want to see the likes of Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman, Don Cherry, etc., receive the deluxe MM treatment. And while not all current subscribers are turned off by the more avant-garde titles that arrive at their door, I am curious, would a parallel, "freer" series be possible and/or successful?

As it stands, I pick and choose titles because subscriptions are pricey and so many albums are (excuse the blanket generalization) "straight-forward" jazz, which is less interesting to me. An adventurous subscription, however, I would be very willing to pay for. Obviously, time and resources are variables I'm neglecting here. But sheerly from a market-demand viewpoint, it seems like there's another camp who is more than happy to fork it over.

Thanks, Jim. Speak No Evil is a fantastic title, of course, and the Music Matters version is equally great. Though I must admit, the SQ is underwhelming compared to other MM records in my collection.

Don't be fooled, it began awhile ago. Actually, it typically "begins" each month after I pay my credit card.

 

Inventions and Dimensions is an amazing album. The MM pressing sounds exceptional.

 

Ah, I see. I guess I was thinking of my own experience -- several years ago, I started by cherry-picking a few titles, and after a couple of years I owned them all and am now a subscriber.

 

Great albums, I especially love Inventions and Dimensions. That album is so different from the rest of Herbie's Blue Note catalog.

 

Yeah...but I really wish MM would do this one...heh...

 

I'm thinking of ordering another one... can't decide between these... someone tell me what to do.

Andrew Hill - Judgment
Wayne Shorter - Night Dreamer
Kenny Burrell - Freedom

 

Night Dreamer

 

And... it's ordered. That was easy, thanks!

 

You're not making a mistake with Night Dreamer, but Judgement! really needs to be your priority to find now. The whole thing is a thrill ride, but the track "Siete Ocho" takes off like a rocket upon dropping the needle into the groove. There's so much to discover on this album and the usual MM mastering job brings out all these micro-details that give the album even more replay value.
The more I listen, the more I'm realizing that Mr. Hill was unfairly tagged. His compositions and playing are extremely quirky and individual, but at the same time, very approachable for a listener.

 

Thanks... I was thinking the same thing. I've heard the remastered CD, but I'm sure there is a ton of detail that I'm missing out on. I'll be picking this one up at some point as well, for sure.

 

Yeah, Judgment is among the top MM reissues sonically, which is really saying something.

 

Does anyone know, if Hancock Takin off by MM has the same or a different mastering than KG's Cisco reissue?

 

Also one of the greatest BN albums musically in my opinion.

 

Yesterday I emailed Lori for something and I asked btw if Musicmatters would end in 2014.
The answer was ;
We do have something in the works for 2014 but we're awaiting approval prior to release of information.
Great news, isn't it ? 2014 after all is the 75th anniversary year of Blue Note !

 

I do hope they keep it going.

 

As long as the titles are selling well, I can't vsee MM closing their doors anytime soon. Obviously I'm not familiar With their finances and haven't developed my mind reading skills well enough to know anything concrete but I'd be surprised that a business that is doing well would close up. I haven't seen a lot of titles going OOP recently but that doesn't mean they aren't doing well. I'd hate to see the gravy train stop though. Even though I'm not a subscriber I still look forward to every announcement and plan my purchases accordingly.

 

I just recognized (I remember this was discussed somewhere here), there's no KG/SH anymore in deadwax of the newer MM Blue Notes, but just KG with something I can't read.
Is it commonly known since when this changed to just KG mastering and on which Jazz Vinyl reissue series SH is working currently? I lost overview a bit due to short in time...

 

Yes!

 

I'm listening to Night Dreamer for the first time... really nice. I love Shorter's style on this one. Very simple and expressive. A nice mix with Lee Morgan, and Tyner is simply perfect. One minor negative for me however is that the soundstage is very heavy to the left and right. Tyner is nice in the middle but is set a little far back, or maybe just a bit too quiet. Really, really minor complaint, I just love his playing and wouldn't mind it a bit more prominant.

I'm guessing this has been mentioned, but it's funny to see the liner notes mention Herbie Hancock on the first track. I don't think he played on this album at all.

Thanks for the recommendation... this is awesome and sounds so good cranked up!

 

To document the answer my own question for others: in the meantime I bought the MM Version and compared.

They Sound very similar, should be the same mastering, althought the MM issue seems to be better by more than the typical 45RPM Advantages, as it's also smoother, bigger, more real sounding, which I didn't recognize by comparing 33RPM and 45 RPM issues with exactly the same mastering so far. I clearly like the MM version better.

 

In the meantime I read about www.cohearent.com and that KG took over the mastering of MM. I can't hear a general difference in Sound Quality after the SH/KG era, I guess both worked so closely together and follow the same strategy, that we can hear no difference. Probably the same Equipment of KG was used before cohearent took over and KG and SH work quite the same way while mastering. At the beginning I thougt they separated in mastering and cutting, but then also KG was doing both...I don't know who did what at which time with what Equipment etc. and it seems I won't get to know, but it would be interesting. Probably this knowledge is burried and spread in a variety of threads here.