Comments on: A Tale of Four Blue Notes

By: Aaron

Aaron — Fri, 04 Apr 2014 00:47:09 +0000

I just searched completed auctions on eBay & Popsike and found copies of 4147 & 4192 with the “Review Copy” stamp on the jacket plus a deep groove on side 1 (not side 2) leading me to believe that the theory posted above is incorrect.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 20:04:09 +0000

Of course there are pressings after with 4060 with a DG on one or both sides, the prevailing theory (not fact) is that the first run of Blue Notes from 4059/60 on were pressed with the new Plastylite pressing parts which lacked the DG. Subsequent runs were made using either the new or old parts resulting in a DG on one or both sides. I believe this theory came from test pressings/review copies which lacked a DG after 4059/4060. Anyone have a TP or RC with a deep groove after 4060?

By: Earl

Earl — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 13:37:19 +0000

I don’t understand Aaron’s (or Songer’s) assertion at all – according to Fred Cohen’s book, there are innumerable examples after 4060 with DG’s – both one-sided and both-sided- all the way to 4207 (both sides) and 4214 ( side 2 only)- and I have many of them in my collection. Are you saying that these are not original pressings, and if so, what is the evidence for that? My personal opinion, as expressed above, is that the DG’s and non-DG’s in these cases were pressed about the same time and there is no way to determine which is first.

By: Clifford

Clifford — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 16:37:45 +0000

I haven’t heard from Songer in years… always seemed like a cool guy.

By: Joe L

Joe L — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 14:39:42 +0000

Agree with all – my copies with first labels, RVG and ear are first pressings in my eyes (and to my ears).

By: Aaron

Aaron — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 06:43:26 +0000

Ng Chee Kia,
Blue Note collector Allan Songer has stated that no first pressings have the deep groove after 4060 and we know that the “Review Copy” for 4059 that Jazz Record Center sold a few years ago also had no deep grooves.

By: Clifford Allen

Clifford Allen — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 03:46:41 +0000

Mixing unmatched stampers would corroborate the theory that demand was high. I am not sure if people at pressing plants cared whether something had a DG or not…

By: Ng Chee Kia

Ng Chee Kia — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 03:01:27 +0000

IIRC, I have read somewhere that at BN 4095, plastylite had changed to new pressing machines and the originals-1st pressings of subsequent releases are non DG. Those with DG are actually later pressings, generated to cope with demand. Please correct me if I am wrong.

By: Earl

Earl — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 21:15:59 +0000

I believe the situation applies outside of the range you mention Michel(4050-70), For example, I have copies of 4110, 4131. 4149, 4181 & 4188 without any DG; the originals are all supposed to have one-sided DG’s; also 4185 & 4207 – originals should have DG, I have copies that do not. Finally, I have a copy of 4106 which has one side with the DG; supposed to have both. I have never seen any proof that the Fred Cohen originals pre-dated the others. I’m not denying that they are more desired, only that they were definitively pressed earlier.

By: Michel

Michel — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 18:29:47 +0000

Earl : once again, i agree with you. Especially between 4050 – 4070, there are many overlapping between DG and NY/47 W, and although all are well documented in many books, no one can be sure what is the very first and what is the second. I think 4059, for instance, was issued DG one side and no DG, in the same run. Just different (new /old) machines were used.