Comments on: Guest Column: Collecting Blue Note CDs

By: Ruslan

Ruslan — Fri, 01 May 2020 08:35:52 +0000

Hi everyone, does anybody know where can I find catalog of images or texts Blue Note and Verve published on the back of LPs/CDs? Thanks very much

By: Chuck

Chuck — Tue, 15 Jul 2014 01:19:42 +0000

Hey Mattyman are you still buying Cds its been awhile this is my first time on this site would love to hear from you I have about 350 jazz Cds that I would like to sell there’re old school jazz some never played. labels like Blue Note,Savoy,Decca,Polygram,Atlantic and more. So if your’re still around Please get in touch waiting to hear from you. Thanks Chuck……….

By: Mattyman

Mattyman — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 11:55:15 +0000

I hear what you’re saying, Pierluigi. I do have a lot of the Ron McMaster pressings from the late 80s and early nineties, so I understand your comment. I like both pressings and in some cases I prefer the Ron McMaster edition over the RVG version. Blowin’ In From Chicago is one of those titles that in my opinion sounds crisper on the Connoisseur edition done my Ron McMaster 😉

By: Pierluigi

Pierluigi — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:47:12 +0000

Hello, i have also a lot of BN title in many formats (vinyl-cd Usa-RVg and some jap), but about the sound quality i would you explain to use Adobe Audition software.

Your mind will be open abot the clarity of RVG remasterd. They sound too loud because the evident compression and EQ. Best are the mr Ron McMaster of late 80’s….I can confirm the writing of Mike about XRCD…but you don’t know the King quality pressing.

Ciao

By: Mattyman

Mattyman — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 18:01:39 +0000

Well, Fastskillfulinjured, thanks for your great comment. It’s always great to share stories. Great to flip through your RateYourMusic links as well, although I always consider Japanese pressings a ‘last resort’ when a certain title is really, really hard to find as a domestic US or EU pressing. It’s because the Japanese never add the bonus cuts to their CD reissues. And I’m not talking about outtakes or false starts, no: full tracks that due to time limitations never made it to the original vinyl. Some of those bonus cuts are simply outstanding and I wouldn’t have missed those for the world. And although I agree with your statement that it’s first and foremost always about the quality of the music, I honestly have to say once again that some Japanese pressings really sound horrible. Thin, tinny and muffled to say the least. But then again, that doesn’t take away the fun of collecting those lovely silver discs 😉
Mattyman

By: fastskillfulinjured

fastskillfulinjured — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 13:01:35 +0000

Thanks a lot for letting us into your Blue Note CD collecting world. I too have a large Blue Note CD collection , I purchased my first copies back in 1988 when I lived in England; Herbie’s ‘Maiden Voyage’ and Wayne Shorter’s ‘Speak No Evil. I slowly amassed a number of titles as I embarked on my voyage of discovery through the jazz canon. Things started to get really serious for me though when I moved to Tokyo 12 years ago and was blown away by the variety of material and the ready availability of issues. I discovered the Disk Union record chain very early on and took advantage of the fact that lots of collectors dumped their CD collection for MP3 copies (probably for reasons of space).The wonderful thing about buying used CD’s over here is the excellent care people take of their possessions. Over 90 percent of my 650+ Blue Note CD’s I purchased were used copies. Hardly any have visible scratches and not a single one skips in my CD player.
I don’t want to add anything to the sound quality debate suffice to say that I’ve never really considered there to be a ‘Blue Note’ sound. Contemporary Records in L.A. and the Candid stuff recorded at Nola Studios in New York sound easily as good and often better than the product coming out of Englewood Cliffs or Hackensack. I’m in it purely for music quality not sound quality.

I’ve made a start at cataloging my collection over at RYM. Links below:

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/fastskillfulinjured/blue_spirits__blue_note_on_compact_disc

and

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/fastskillfulinjured/24bit_by_rvg__japanese_blue_note_mini_lps

By: lpinion

lpinion — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 23:07:30 +0000

okay – feel the same way about $$$ -it all adds up in the end. Thanks.

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 22:45:12 +0000

Yea, you can get the regular cds for about 1/3 the price of the audiophile releases.

By: Mattyman

Mattyman — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 22:04:36 +0000

Ceedee: I have seen several performances of Peter Beets on TV, so I’m familiar with the name! And about those speakers from Marten in Sweden: even here in the Netherlands we have a lot (and I do mean a lot) small family owned businesses that build super high end stereo equipment and loudspeakers. So that’ll save me a trip to Sweden, which by the way is only about 2hrs by plane.
And to Ipinion and Mike: I know about all the ‘audiophile’ releases on the market, but to make sure I don’t spend a ton on all those releases as well, I stick to the regular releases. 😉
Mattyman

By: ceedee

ceedee — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 19:33:23 +0000

Oops! Looks like Marten is based in Sweden,not exactly a “stones throw”! Here’s a better link,with some cool photos…
http://www.6moons.com/industryfeatures/roadtourmarten/marten.html