Out of the Blue and Landslide were replacements for records that I had let slip through my fingertips over the years. I had an original mint pressing of Out of the Blue that I bought for $5 maybe 40 years ago – and immediately traded for a record that was not equal in value. It has been a hole in my collection ever since. With Landslide, I had one of those Liberty pressings with the white cover, and I just never took to those pressings and wound up selling most of them when I pared down my collection a few years ago.

I figured I could replace those records and check out the Tone Poet Series and also share my observations here, killing a few birds with two purchases of about $39 for Landslide and $28 for Out of the Blue. The records arrived in the mail with promotional material on the outside promising wonderful things once opened: “Cut Directly from The Original Analog Tapes; Recorded by Rudy Van Gelder; Reissue Supervised by Joe Harley; Mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearant Audio; Manufactured at Record Technology Inc. (RTI) on 180 Gram Vinyl.”

I quite like the packaging on the Tone Poet Series. These two records have slick gatefold covers. On the inside are Francis Wolff photos from the original sessions. The covers are the “originals,” although there was no real original pressing of Landslide since it was not released at the time it was recorded. Both records have the original liner notes on the back, Landslide being from the 1980 issue. I’m not an audiophile by any notion, although I have a great system, and to my ears these pressings sound great. If I was starting out as a collector today and couldn’t afford original pressings of Blue Notes – who can? – I’d certainly be pleased with these pressings.

Same goes for the two records I bought that were part of the Classic Vinyl Series, Roll Call and Serenade to a Soul Sister. I never had an original pressing of Roll Call – although I think I’ve just fixed that with a new purchase (more to come later). I had a copy of Serenade to a Soul Sister, but it wasn’t in great shape and I sold it a few years back hoping to replace it. As with the Tone Poet Series, this reissue is a suitable replacement. It has the original packaging, cover, liner notes, and it sounds good to these ears. The promo on the cover speaks to it: “Audiophile Vinyl Reissues from the Finest in Jazz Since 1939. Mastered from The original Analog Tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearant Audio; 180 Gram Vinyl.”

Finally, the promo on the shrink wrap of the Horace Silver discovery tells a it all:

“Previously unissued fiery live sets with powerhouse Horace Silver Band in 1965. Deluxe 180-gram LP transferred from the original tapes and mastered by Matthew Luthans. Stunning broadcast quality recording captured 60 years ago! Liner notes by jazz scholar Bob Blumenthal, and statements by Roger Humphries, Randy Brecker, Alvin Queen and Sullivan Fortner.”

Fiery and powerhouse. Quite a combination. Quite a package as well. In addition to the record, there is a 16-page booklet with all of those liner notes described above. It is a great set and it is well recorded, so if you’re a Horace Silver fan, I would definitely recommend it. It’s the quintet that featured Silver on piano, Woody Shaw on trumpet, Joe Henderson on tenor, Teddy Smith on bass and Roger Humphries on drums.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who has dipped a few toes into these new waters, so if any of the regular readers and commenters are out there, I would definitely be interested in hearing your opinions.

The post Old and New Vinyl, Blue Note Style first appeared on jazzcollector.com.]]> https://jazzcollector.com/blue-note/old-and-new-vinyl-blue-note-style/feed/ 2 9945 https://jazzcollector.com/podcast/podcast-all-the-things-must-pass/ https://jazzcollector.com/podcast/podcast-all-the-things-must-pass/#respond Wed, 04 Mar 2026 15:25:34 +0000 https://jazzcollector.com/?p=9846 This week’s theme: All the Things You Are in multiple settings. Featured artists include Art Tatum, Ben Webster, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Bill [...]

This week’s theme: Kenny Drew as a sideman and a leader. Featured artists include Kenny Drew, Hank Mobley, Freddie Hubbard, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Lee Morgan, Art Blakey, Philly Joe Jones, Paul Chambers, Niels Henning Orsted Pederson, Dexter Gordon, Percy Heath, Tootie Heath, and more.

This week’s theme: Exploring recent vinyl reissues from Blue Note, Prestige, and Riverside. Featured artists include Dexter Gordon, Kenny Drew, Paul Chambers, Philly Joe Jones, Dave Burns, Ron Carter, Hank Mobley, Freddie Hubbard, Wynton Kelly, Art Blakey, Donald Byrd, Frank Foster, Lew Tabackin, Julian Priester, Joe Chambers, Jimmy Ponder, Horace Silver, Stanley Turrentine, Bob Cranshaw, Mickey Roker, Miles Davis, Oscar Pettiford, Sonny Red, Sam Jones, Roy Brooks.

Starting back in July, I saved the article Celebrating Hank Mobley, from the Substack column Jazz and Coffee written by Syd Schwartz. I know there are a lot of Mobley fans out there in the Jazz Collector world, so I think you will enjoy it.

From the same author, I saved the following article Explorations With the Bill Evans Trio.  The author had written the liner notes for an audiophile reissue of Explorations, which he revisits in this post. The liner notes, IMHO, are well written and informative.

The new set, called Haunted Heart: The Legendary Riverside Studio Recordings on the Craft label is just out now, with 17 alternative takes and outtakes that have never been issued. I applied for a review copy and never got a reply, so I guess it’s time to just order it – on vinyl, of course – which I will do just as soon as I finish typing this post.

Also in July, I received a note from a reader as follows:

Subject: Blue Train BLP1577 mono on side 1, stereo on side 2

“Hi, I have a copy of Blue Train, BLP1577, Liberty version, purchased in UK in 1967 that is stamped RVG, BN-LP-1577-A, with 9M on side 1, and RVG Stereo, BN-ST-1577-B on side 2. I have never seen any mention of this combination of mono on side 1, stereo on side 2 before. Have you ever heard of this?”

I replied as follows: “It sounds to me like they used whatever labels they had on hand, rather than the record being stereo on one side and mono on the other. Blue Note was prone to do that, especially during the transition to Liberty. Also, to my knowledge Blue Train was recorded in mono, so if it is stereo, it would be reprocessed stereo. If you want I could put something on my site to see what other collectors think? — al”

His reply: “It’s not the labels that are mixed mono and stereo (they are both BLP1577 – i.e. mono), but the markings on the vinyl record itself. And sure, please share on your site to see if others have come across this. Thanks.”

It’s taken a few months, but here it is if anyone has any thoughts.

Here’s one from August with a happy ending, or so it seems:

Subject: Tina Brooks

“Hi. I have a copy of Tina Brooks true blue first edition is in vgplus condition. On my turntable, one track, true blue, has a series of about eight mild pops. I’m interested in selling it but when I brought it to Fred at the Jazz Record Center he said it has it has a locked groove at that point. Is this something you would be interested in looking at or do you have any advice for me? I know of all the tricks with a toothpick, etc. but it’s such a valuable record. I really don’t wanna fool around with it. Thanks.”

My reply: “I don’t know what a locked groove is, but I’m sure I’ve encountered it.
I used to use a nickel or a quarter, but I would never try something like that on a record like True Blue. I you would like, I can put a note on my site and see if anyone has any ideas and/or if they would be interested. Not sure of an ultrasonic cleaner would help, but a collector I know swears by it. I don’t have one myself.”

His reply: “Thanks for getting back to me. I didn’t know what a locked groove is either, but it’s basically when something keeps the stylus from moving forward and keeps repeating. Well a funny thing happened when I went to pick up the record at JRC… I brought a toothpick with me figuring I would see if I could find something in the groove and get it out, so I asked Fred if he would play the record and we could find the exact spot. Well, it played just like it did on my turntable this time a bunch of pops, but no ‘locked groove’! He tried it on a second turntable and same result. So he’s putting it up for sale now with an appropriate description. Anyway, I just wanted to get back to you and I really appreciate you taking the time to ride with me.”

Here’s one I’ve been saving since September:

Subject: albums test pressing

“ I have a bunch of album test pressings that have not been played.  Gene Ammons July 17, 1996; count basie big band 1994; Johnny Adams June 29, 1995; Johnny d. Lane march 20, 1997; chico freeman spirit sensitive dec 14 1994;  duke ellington mar 31 1994; art pepper plus eleven  may 24, 1994; and some regular albums; these are all in white sleeves with numbers on them.”

My Reply:

“Thanks for reaching out. This is not an area where I have any expertise. My site focuses on albums primarily from the 1950s and early 1960s. In my experience, collectors don’t have a great interest in test pressings, particularly reissues. I don’t think there would be much value in what you have. Having said that, I could mention the items in a post and see if anyone replies. Otherwise, you might be fine taking them to a local record store, depending upon where you are located. If you are in the New York area, the Jazz Record Center would be the place to go.”

Reply: “If you could mention it they are mainly first test press predating other presses. I am actually in rural Idaho.”

The post Catching Up: Bill Evans, Tina Brooks, Hank Mobley, Et Al first appeared on jazzcollector.com.]]> https://jazzcollector.com/uncategorized/catching-up-bill-evans-tina-brooks-hank-mobley-et-al/feed/ 0 9764 https://jazzcollector.com/podcast/podcast-hal-perlman-centennial-part-two/ https://jazzcollector.com/podcast/podcast-hal-perlman-centennial-part-two/#respond Tue, 28 Oct 2025 22:17:31 +0000 https://jazzcollector.com/?p=9740 This week’s theme: Part two of a two-part celebration of my father’s 100th birthday. Featured artists include Horace Silver, Joe Henderson, Carmel Jones, Ella Fitzgerald, [...]

By Stuart Levine

I recently attended a big jazz vinyl record sale held by “Jazz Tokyo,” the flagship store of Japan’s Disk Union retail chain. They do this twice a year during Golden Week, a holiday in Japan, and again at the end of the year. The store had accumulated hundreds of used Blue Notes, putting many on the wall but most in the racks. Gems were at hand and serious crate digging commenced upon the store opening at 11:00 am. My friend, Charles Pearlman, who is the eBay seller known as “Strictly Headies,” flew out from Portland, Oregon. Together, we dug and came away with some impressive titles, two of which were Mobley 1568 and 1550. As for the condition, I’d say 1568 VG+/VG+ and 1550 NM-/NM-

I do believe luck played a part in our successful day there at Jazz Tokyo. You see, I had carried with me a paper fortune earlier acquired from a visit to a Shinto shrine in the neighborhood where I live in Japan. As Charlie and I waited among many others outside the store for it to open, we received random numbers, giving us our positions in line. I got #8 and he #15. Well, since he had traveled such a long distance, I just had to give him my lower number, right? Suffice to say, his favorable position and digging prowess got him the two Mobleys.

But I would be remiss not to mention a box of records Charlie bought on another day from a private collector. There was a pristine stereo Waltz for Debby, Saxophone Colossus with a turquoise-tinted cover (first?) and Jackie McLean’s the New Tradition on Ad Lib. You know the one – with that gorgeous cover.  And clean! Charlie says, “It plays quiet as a mouse pissin’ on cotton.” Damn if they don’t have the records in Japan.

This week’s theme: Another show wherein I play a jazz vocal from the Great American Songbook, followed by a jazz instrumental of the same song. Featured artists include Rosemary Clooney, Stan Getz, Eddie Jefferson, Nat King Cole, Harry Sweets Edison, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Kenny Clarke, Anita O’Day, Hank Mobley, Sonny Clark, Marshall Royal, Chet Baker, Sonny Rollins, LaVern Baker, Sonny Stitt, Scott Hamilton, Warren Vache, Paul Chambers, Arthur Taylor, Bill Hartman, Curtis Porter,and many more.

This week’s theme: A collection of jazz waltzes. Featured artists include Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Paul Desmond, Hank Mobley, Jim Hall, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb, Scott LaFaro, Paul Motion, Gary Peacock, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Kenny Dorham, George Morrow, Harold Land, Wes Montgomery, Dave Brubeck, Eugene Wright, Joe Morello, and more.

This week’s theme: Horace Silver, Part Two, the quintets. Featured artists include Art Farmer, Donald Byrd, Hank Mobley, Doug Watkins, Art Blakey, Louis Hayes, Joe Henderson, Carmel Jones, Roy Brooks, Junior Cook, Blue Mitchell.