The Three Sounds, Moods - best pressing

I like this album. I have a the Blue Note BLP 4044 (vinyl) from 1962 but it's completely thrashed and apart from the 'un-cleanable' surface noise, does not sound very good to my ears. Interested to find out if this album has any fans and if people have a favorite pressing (LP or CD). I am leaning towards getting a Japanese pressing.......thanks, Jw

 

I'd assume that a first or second US pressing would be best, obviously in near mint condition, also they are very cheap by vintage Blue Note standards, I have a Japanese copy, don't ask me which pressing and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it, it's just I prefer US copies, but if you aren't worried then a Japanese copy will be easier to find in NM condition and hopefully cheaper than a sixties US.

 

Thought I'd write a brief follow-up. I decided to go for a Japanese pressing and found what I thought was the best one on Discogs at that time, which was a King Records Blue Note pressing in their Jazz Piano Trio Masterpiece Collection, serial No. GXF-3153. Paid 45USD. Perfect NM condition (looked unplayed to me), quiet and flat. Soundwise I am very happy. Within the limitations of an RvG piano recording, there is sufficient sense of body and overtones to make it sound credible and enjoyable. The bass is very prominent, possibly a little too much but I actually like it.

I really like Gene Harris. He has a punchy style and plays half the amount of notes Oscar Peterson does . Don't get me wrong, I am also a huge OP fan, there is so much there to explore but just listen to one of his masterpieces called Nigerian Marketplace, from the same titled album. The bass playing is out of this world on this track as well, nobody other than NHØP). Anyway, back to Harris. That punchy and swinging style came out great on this fantastic renditions of 'Summertime' (which is not on 'Moods' btw). For those who have not yet heard Gene Harris play, it's a great intro to his style and this could only be Harris I think, so recognizable.

Very happy to have a playable and enjoyable 'Moods' now. At some point I'll probably pick up another US pressing to compare but I can certainly recommend this King Records version.