For jazz lovers Pure Pleasure Records reprint the Strata East catalog:the quality of the reiusses is highest,and the music is phenomenal. Freedom of Speech by Billy Parker,Glass Bead Games by Clifford Jordan,All Stars and Music inc.by Charles Tolliver,Don't look back by Harold Vick, First Impression by Shamek Farrah,Step by Step by John Gordon,Capra Black by Billy Harper are all jazz great albums :listen to believe
This is an amazing reissue series, lots of samples on Youtube. Mutima by Cecil McBee is available now! Off to place my order...
I'd like to revive this thread. I was going to start one, but found this in a search. Pure Pleasure does great work on their jazz/blues reissues. I have 30+ titles and love them. I have started collecting the Strata-East albums, but am unfamiliar with many. Here 's what I have: Rhythm X: Charles Brackeen Capra Black: Billy Harper Glass Bead Games: Clifford Brown Quartet Zodiac: Cecil Payne Music, Inc: Charlees Tolliver, et al Allstars: Charles Tolliver Live at the Loosdrect Jazz Festival, Music Inc: Charles Tolliver, et al Impact, Music Inc and Orchestra: Charles Tolliver, et al. So, I'd like to get more of these, but not all of them. I'm looking for suggestions. Glass Bead Games is my favorite, and I like the Charles Tolliver/Music Inc titles. I enjoy jazz that is outside mainstream, avant-garde, etc. but less so crossover stuff (i.e. to funk, soul, pop, etc). I will probably get anything with Stanley Cowell. I always like his playing and compositions. His Illusion Suite on ECM is one of my favorite albums (and it has great Stanley Clarke playing, before he went all electric/pop/fusion on us) .
I have all of yours escluded Tolliver Impact. I can suggest you : Don' look back :Harold Vick First impressions :Shamek Farrah and Freedom of Speech :Billy Parker (this title is particular ,but I like it )
Thanks for the suggestions. I will see if I can stream some samples of them. It seems none of this stuff is on Qobuz.
I'm listening to First Impressions on Youtube. This album is great! I'm going to order that and the Harold Vick album. I'm not so sure Freedom of Speech is my thing and will get much play. I need to listen to more of it, but don't care too much for the spiritual aspect of it.
I just got a few new titles. Don't Look Back - Harold Vick First Impressions - Shamek Farrah Izipho Zam (My Gifts) - Pharoah Sanders Chet Baker & Crew (Pure Pleasure, but not Strata-East) is on order. First Impressions is clearly a gem of the Strata-East catalog. I love this album. It's excellent.
Just dipped into this series and spun Glass Bead Games, Rhythm X, and Musa. I'm very satisfied with these reissues, but I don't really have anything to compare them too. I'd love to hear what pristine OG copies of these sessions sound like, or what the overlapping Mosaic reissues sound like. Pressings are quiet and defect-free. Jackets are not Stoughton but still good. Rhythm X has a somewhat lo-fi vibe (particularly the drums -- presume they just weren't mic'd very adeptly), but I still find it to be a more-than-charming listen. The music is sublime -- I mean, it's Haden + Blackwell + Cherry jamming out in 1968. Brackeen rides the waves nicely and has a folk-inflected compositional style that plays perfectly to Haden's strengths. The album is an interesting counterpart to Ornette's 1968 Blue Note sessions with Coltrane's rhythm section. Ornette + non-Ornette guys; Ornette guys + non-Ornette...
I have just 2 Strata East originals of which I dont have any reissues, besides that these were recorded in different studios so unfortunately I cant really judge on the sound of Pure Pleasure reissues in comparison to their original pressings. But: I have a very good system and a lot of records that are known for their sonic qualities - including a lot of original pressings of classical and jazz recordings. And I noticed that the sound of "Glass Bead Games" on the Pure Pleasure release is outstanding - especially when it comes to reissues. Havent really done a comparison with my other Strata East/Pure Pleasure but though they all sound very good I think "Glass BEad Games" is the best sounding. Im not sure why. Maybe its because its one of the rather few albums that were recorded at Minot Sound Studio.
Unfortunately to me "Glass Bead Games" sounds like its a needledrop, there are some really odd vinyl playback-like distortions on there that cant be on the tape. This is the only pressing of this album I have. I also have "Shamek Farrah" and that album has insane dynamics (bass is crazy), have played it only once, but I would definitely recommend that one.
No distortions on my pressing. Cant imagine its a needledrop and doesnt sound like one. Shamek Farrah is the name of the artis, the album is called "first impressions". I have that one as well and to me "Glass Bead Games" sounds way superior Edit: Just listening to "first impressions" and it might be exaggerated to say that Glass Bead Games is "way" superior.. Both sound fantastic
My PP copy of Glass Bead Games sounds fantastic. I don't hear anything that leads me to believe it's a needledrop, and I have a very revealing system.
I have every PP Strata East reissue but no originals with which to compare. Too many records here and don’t have time to compare anyways. I buy stuff, have some fun listens, and move on. I would say most sound very good but there definitely is a variation in sound quality across the lps. The Tolliver lps sound really great. Incidentally, also have most Real Gone Black Jazz and would say these are a step down from the PP but still completely worthwhile in my case. A few of these lean into funk or soul territory and may not be enjoyed by some. I think overall the music on Strata East is at higher level. Also, really like the PP Theresa reissues. Every one of these is fantastic both music and sonics, imo. Also enjoying the PP Nimbus West reissues…Nate Morgan, Horace Tapscott issues are great. Off topic…There are other great labels where really fantastic sounding originals can be had for not much money and moving from the 1970s into the 1980s…Muse (mostly 1970s), Soul Note, Black Saint for example. There are some real gems on these labels by some artists no mentioned often here. Soul Note/Black Saint seem to be in the more free sub genre of jazz. The Spiritual jazz thread here is a great one. Some really fantastic albums highlighted there.
Was going to start a thread on this like @Josquin des Prez said, glad I did a search first. I love just about any Strata East, especially all the Charles Tolliver/Music Inc ones, here is my collection of Pure Pleasure reissues: 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. 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.
Now as far as what is left - the 2 Strata East reissues I have been waiting for are: 1. Sonny Fortune - Long Before our Mothers Cried. Mentioned above would love a clean and shiny version. The music is incredible (can listen to it on Apple Music and I assume other streamers) 2. Clifford Jordan - In The World. I have a P-Vine Japan CD of this and the first track Vienna is one of my top 10 jazz songs. Not Pure Pleasure but P-Vine has had a 2 LP reissue scheduled for a long time, and delayed.
The Rouse has no piano - guitar, bass, drums and other percussion, and sax for the most part. First song is Bitchin’ which sums up the album
My Zodiac copy is perfect,as all the other 14 Strata East Pure Pleasure that I have. Great music,well done.
