The pictures didn’t do justice to how rough it looked in real life. It was an atrocious pressing. I appreciate the theory about what happened, as that sounds right. For the record (pun!) the replacement was amazing.
I would have asked for a replacement. I had one with the same problem on a different label, also a Pallas job, that looked way worse FWIW. Thankfully I got a replacement for that one. I think Pallas has really dropped off a cliff in the last couple of years...
I got this Pure Pleasure Pallas pressed gem back in summer 2021. I also got some strat represses around that time and all were noisy. Pallas has become a bottom tier plant for me the past 2 years.
Yeah that is nasty. I've started to avoid Pallas stuff now if I can't do a no questions asked return.
Severe!! I think all pressing plants have gone downhill recently. Though I actually believe GZ have somewhat improved. I attribute this due to them being under too much pressure and having too many orders to fulfil. What with the vinyl revival, QC has dropped. I actually think Record Industry is the best pressing plant at the moment. Not many use them though other than Music On Vinyl, perhaps this is the reason they maintain a high standard.
Record Industry is fantastic, id put it at number 2, right behind Gotta Groove. Ive never had an issue from either. the only issue i ever have from GZ is warped records, i never get anything with nonfill or any other sound quality issues. Majority of records i buy are from GZ because i buy so much metal, and never problems except for some warps that DNAP.
Record Industry had that same edge trim problem on some records a few years ago. I don't buy enough stuff from them to comment on how they are generally in the last year or so. Biggest issue I have had with RI records is off-center pressings, but that seems to be the norm almost everywhere right now. I've had all kinds of issues with GZ and generally avoid them. Biggest issue with GZ are uninspired sounding in-house cuts IME.
Bought Glass Bead Games. Is out of print on Pure Pleasure's website but a seller on Discogs was selling it new and for cheaper so thought I'd better grab that.
Posted this on another thread, just an update to my collection of Pure Pleasure reissues, that are specific to Strata East. Have had no issues with any of them. I have all 3 of the Kleinschustter Wallen Bink albums mentioned above and ironically for all their praise the Clifford Jordan/Tolliver one has a mark on side 1 song 1 that skips. Charles Tolliver - Music Inc, Live at Slugs 1 and 2, Live in Tokyo, Impact (not to be confused with an Enya album with the same name), Compassion (aka New Tolliver), and All Stars Charles Rouse - Two is One, don’t see this one mentioned much but it is outstanding Clifford Jordan - Glass Bead Games Cecil Payne - The Music of Cecil Payne Billy Harper - Capra Black John Gordon - Step by Step Cecil McBee - Mutima Cecil Payne - Zodiac Shamak Farrah - First Impressions Harold Vick - Don’t Look Back Less essential imo (i.e. not as much to my listening tastes like the above): Charles Brackeen - Rhythm X Pharaoh Sanders - Izipho Zam Stanley Cowell - Regeneration I do have one OG Strata East to compare: Sonny Fortune - Long Before Our Mothers Cried Good luck finding original SE vinyl - rare, expensive and condition fair to good at best. Although my Sonny Fortune LP is VG, the jacket is peeling and stained - cost $50. Regardless of source material I am more than glad to spend around $30 for the Pure Pleasure reissues. They have all been flat and minty for me.
I'm looking to expand my Strata East collection. I only have Glass Bead Games. Which I'm a huge fan of. I consider it up there with the very best jazz albums. And Music Inc. Which I consider the best big band jazz album I've heard hitherto. I prefer it to the Tone Poet of Gerald Wilson - Moment Of Truth. I was thinking of getting Shamak Farrah - First Impression. I reckon that may be the next logical Strata East release to put in my collection. It was either that or Pharoah Sanders - Izipho Zam. I heard that was one of his strongest albums. I am a fan of Pharoah Sanders, and especially like his Karma record. Though I can understand how his music isn't to every jazz fan's taste.
My top list in my last post is somewhat in order of preference except Cecil Payne snuck above Billy Harper when I typed it out. From what you said you like I would highly recommend the Billy Harper Capra Black as well as the rest of the Tollivers. Yes the Live at Slugs and Live in Tokyo are just quartets but Tolliver always makes it seem like a bigger group. If you prefer the ensemble then the All Stars and Strata East Impact is the way to go. This one:
And nothing against First Impressions, its just a different type of music. Title track is one of funkiest bass lines ever. I would group that album and the Rouse Two is One together- very funky
I’ve got the full run of Pure Pleasure Strata East titles, including the most recent one (Piano Choir 2). I decided I wanted to be a completist. Also a few other vinyl reissues, like the (great!) Heavenly Sweetness John Betsch Society - Earth Blossom. Quite a few CDs also, of which I prefer the 90s Bellaphon (Germany) editions and the Japanese mini LPs. Two OGs up until now, the same Sonny Fortune title as you posted (but in a much better condition, sorry) and Tolliver’s / Music Inc. - Impact. Might post a big group shot one day. But I guess you can say that I love Strata East as much as CTI!
Have given up on PP - too many recent purchases have been trash pressings. Similar with Speakers Corner. Which is a shame as they can both sound terrific. They both continually press titles over time and I have to wonder whether their metal parts are now degraded. Bought multiple copies of some titles from both labels and they all have identical problems in the pressings.
Thanks Wilfred! But seriously we seem to be simpatico on jazz tastes. Please never change your Sunflower avatar
RE: Sonny Fortune. He did albums for majors right after that Strata stuff that are excellent and very underrated still. Check out Awakening, Waves of Dreams, and Serengeti Minstrel. I haven't checked current pricing on those but I got all of them quite cheap a few years back. If they were on a trendy label they would be more expensive IMHO.
It's likely just the pressing plant. The pressing plant's job is to make new stampers from existing mother/father plates. If the plant's quality went downhill severely (which HAS happened with Pallas IMHO/IME) they could screw things up at any step. They could do a crap plating job, make crappy stampers, then press crappy records. I'd imagine the mother/father plates are fine. BTW both PP and SC use Pallas. Sam Recs used to use Pallas but had too many issues and moved to Optimal. Unfortunately that plant has their own documented issues as well...
I won’t, that’s a promise! And indeed, we seem to share a similar taste in great (!) music. Was pleasantly surprised to find you here posting about Strata East. We’ll definitely meet again…
The Strata East reissue I've been waiting/hoping for forever is Mtume Umoja Ensemble - Alkebu-Lan: Land of the Blacks. Unbelievable recording. Yes, I've heard it, thanks to the internet, but would love to own a copy. Call me crazy, but I just can't stomach paying $300-400 for an original, as much as I love it.
Has anyone heard the new Japanese pressing of Glass Bead Games? Clifford Jordan Quartet - Glass Bead Games
I have not. I did order the ‘In the World’ issue of the same series. It suppose to be released this coming Friday after a half year delay… I’d be happy to report how that one sounds. Got the PP issue of this one and it’s one of my best sounding records
