Analogue Productions’ New 45rpm LP Reissues
(Note: This is somewhat of a hybrid blog---part news story, part blog, and, hopefully, part forum. If you already have auditioned these reissues, please add your comments below. Thanks!)
The estimated five-fold increase in vinyl sales during the past year (a three-fold increase from just the majors) has been fueled by some incredible reissues. Look at the latest TAS Buyers' Guide, (Spring 2010, issue #197), compiled by Mark Lehman and the TAS staff, which contains a plethora of recommended audiophile recordings, the majority of which are reissues.
In many cases, the reissues are better than the originals for four reasons: 1) 45rpm reproduction instead of 33-1/3 2) higher-quality, thicker vinyl; 3) meticulous remastering, using the original source material; and 4) virgin vinyl with no wear. To be fair, there are also several cases where pristine originals are sonically better, if you can find them, but in these cases, their prices can be astronomical. In these tough economic times, one of the cheapest "upgrades" for your system is to invest in some great reissues. I'm amazed by how many audiophiles think nothing of laying down several "large" on system upgrades, but balk at paying $50 for a double-album of GREAT 45rpm source material.
I just found out that a new batch of my favorite recordings have just been reissued as 45rpm LPs by Analogue Productions and are already shipping! Many of the new reissues are also on SACD (or CD). Those of you who follow the reissue schedule closely may be well aware of these releases, but as a music lover who is always on the look-out for great recordings & performances, I can't wait to get my hands on them. I own many of the originals and they are outstanding but mine have a lot of wear, because the music is so good. Analogue Productions has a history of producing really fine reissues so I will be excited to hear these new ones and compare them with my well-worn originals.
Some of the TAS and Hi-Fi+ music reviewers undoubtedly already have many of these in their hands. Indeed, Dennis Davis, from our sister publication, has already raved about the first one I've listed in the latest issue of Hi-Fi+ (#68), and I take that as a very good sign that this batch is noteworthy.
Here are some of the new vinyl Analogue Productions 45rpm reissues that really caught my eye.
The Blues and the Abstract Truth is one of my favorite jazz recordings. What a group of heavy-weight performers! Besides Oliver Nelson on tenor sax, you've got the incomparable Bill Evans on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Paul Chambers on bass, Roy Haynes on drums, and Eric Dolphy on flute and alto sax. This is the jazz equivalent of a super-group. Kevin Gray did the remastering so I have really high hopes for this reissue.
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The original was one of the finest sounding recordings of Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances and Vocalise you're likely to find. Although the Dallas Symphony plays their collective strings off, some may prefer other performances. It will be interesting to compare this to the Athena reissue that is no longer available.
The original The Power of the Orchestra has been on many "best recording" lists, and the discontinued Chesky reissue, with Leibowitz and the Royal Phil, made in on HP's Super Disc list. Yeah, this is one of the best RCA Living Stereo DECCA recordings at Kingsway Hall by Kenneth Wilkinson and pristine original copies cost a mint. This is really accessible, power classical music.
I don't have the original of Julie London's signature album, Julie is Her Name, so I'm really happy that this has been reissued. This two-LP set has been mastered by Bernie Grundman on his all-tube disc cutting system and the LP is pressed by RTI. Female vocals and tubes seem to go together so I'm putting this one at the top of my list. Don't be thrown off that this is a mono recording. Many of them will blow you away.
Ben Webster: See You At The Fair: Ben Webster was at the height of his powers when his final American LP was recorded. What a gorgeous, "fat" tone he had on the tenor sax. I can't wait to settle into my listening chair and float away.
There are several more new Analogue Productions reissues to check out beyond these, like Humble Pie's Smokin. Humble Pie was one of the best rock groups in the late 60s, so this one could really be "Smokin". Also, Bill Evan's Moon Beams is available again. Don't miss out on it this time. Lots of SACDs, too.
If you already have 'em, let me know how these reissues compare.
Comments
Jim, have you actually played these in ur system or just looking forward to it? Can you recommend your all time favorite Top 5 LPs with with best music and recording quality according to you? Company name/reissue info/label info would be great.
Hi Sam,
As I mentioned in the blog, I am looking forward to hearing these, as I have many of the originals and my experience with other Analogue Productions reissues has been excellent. I'll need to think about my all-time favorite Top 5 LPs, but many of them are included in the TAS Buyers' Guide (Issue #197) starting on page 52. It's quite a good list. "Discovering" reissues is a great way to reinvigorate your system and enthusiasm for this hobby.
Happy Listening,
Jim
Thanks Jim, I will go over the buyers guide but over all it has 4 pages worth of recommended music, I can't possibly buy all of that. There is also a lot of stuff on there that I have never heard before. I think I'll choose some from there and give them a try at random and see how it turns out. Although the Santana on MoFi recommended so highly by R.H. was an easy one to order, so was the 50th edition of Miles Davis. Very happy with those two!
Jim,
I have several copies of Julie is her Name and re-issue is really good and can really be recomended.
Cheers
-Peder Beckman-
Electrocompaniet Inc.
I have just listened to the Julie London and the Ben Webster releases and can confirm they are outstanding. One odd thing, and one i wish someone could explain, is why the groove spacing is so cramped on the Julie London. There are INCHES of free space on every dies and i wonder how much better it might have sounded if the grooves were spaced a little farther apart. This close spacing is unique among my 45-RPM collection so far, and seems very strange.
I don't like 'em, actually. Yes, they sound a little better, but I'm generally a bit worried about this trend away from single 33 1/3 LPs for $30 and toward 45rpm double LPs for $50. I don't want to have to spend that much for one record, and I don't want to have to change sides every one, two, or three cuts. I don't mind the 45rpms being available, but in the rush to put out new ones, the reissue companies seem to be neglecting plain old 33 1/3 reissues. I hope that isn't a harbinger of the future.
Besides, having four sides just doubles the chances that a brand new record is going to be ruined by pops and ticks. It's hard enough to get clean copies when there's just one disc.
MJ37,
You're right about the convenience and cost factors. I must admit that for casual listening, I'll oftentimes put on my 33-1/3 copy rather than the 45rpm. However, for critical listening, I'll go to the 45rpm.
I collect "vintage" vinyl from local well stocked thrift stores. I have managed to find records pressed from 1954 to the middle 1980's. My collection consists of classical music especially from the era of romantic and modern composers: symphonies, ballets, concerti, opera, choral works, along with solo piano and organ music. The four major factors that I consider when looking for a vintage record to add to my LP collection are these: Composer, Conductor, Orchestra, and Label. I even collect Monophonic LPs due to the artists involved. The price
I pay for these classic records runs between $1.00 to not more than $4.00 90% of the records I purchase are in excellent play back condition as is their record jacket: no sractches, no groove
noise, no pops or nicks. Purchasing newly remasted LPs for $50.00 is a waste of money! In my opinion, it is not the new vinyl or re mastering I am looking for, but the artists performance! Listening to A. Toscanni and the NBC Symphony Orchestra play any of Beethoven's symhonies is just out of this world. And that goes for Jazz artists too. And that is the honest truth. cheers,
I have a few versions of the Blues and the Abstract Truth, including this last one. The sound is absolutely gorgeous, and I do not regret buying for one second. actually, I am thinking to buy a second copy, just in case.
I also have the Power of the Orchestra in this 45rpm guise, and it does sound fantastic too. Not having heard the original, I can't comment on how they compare.
Yes, 45rpm are a bit of a pain, as one has to get up and flip over every 7-10 minutes generally. If you have access to a source of originals at a cheap price, then good for you. However, these sound fabulous, and when I can't be bothered getting up, I stick the CD on (that's what they're for, no ? :)).
My only beef with some of the 45rpm reissues is that the material chosen is often non-essential, standard blowing session, in the 4-star rather than 5-star category. The recent Impulse set, of which includes the Oliver Nelson and Ben Webster titles, contains many absolute must-have classics, and I went for the whole box.
I subscribed to the AP Blue Note series, just completed and the AP Impulse series getting underway. I was a little disappointed with a few of the Blue Notes, mainly due to the original recording style. One that was really exceptional in my opinion was "Soul Samba" by Ike Quebec. Talk about a warm, breathy, soulful tenor sax with lots of presence. It seems as if the Blue Note catalog has been reissued so many times that the "original master tapes" may have some wear on them. Another standout in the series was "Something Else" by Cannonball Adderley. I haven't had a chance to listen to all the Impulse reissues I've received so far. The Mingus, Mingus, Mingus was quite impressive. Nice because I didn't have this title in another format. The John Coltrane Quartet release sounded a little far off, not as dynamic compared to a reissue copy of Love Supreme on 33 1/3rpm. I think a second or third generation master tape may have been used. I would also like to say to the other commenter who gets his vinyl from thrift shops, "Right ON", me too! Find lots of interesting jazz, pop, classic music. One of my most prized albums for sound is an original pressing of "Wishing You Were Here" By Pink Floyd. Some of the best sounding acoustic guitar recording I've heard, 99 cents! Also check out "Modern Times" by Al Stewart. This came out just before "Year of the Cat", produced by Alan Parsons, recorded at Abbey Road. 2$ at Amoeba for a clean copy!! But I still like the AP 45's even for $50 each, they do have more presence than the 33 1/3 . Thanks!
The Coltrane Quartet album is not cut from a later generation tape. It just was not as well recorded as a lot of LPs on Impulse. Chad worried about releasing it because of the lower quality sound but (I think) made the right choice in releasing a great record despite less than stellar sound. As to the price, there is no question these are expensive and if you can't afford them more power to finding bargains in the used bins. My favorite records stores are dying off fast and Amoeba is not what it used to be. In my opinion the Impulse catalog is a treasure trove of the best jazz has to offer and each of the new issues sounds better than the original, so if you can afford these admittedly pricey new releases on wonderful Pallas vinyl, a treat is in store.
Dennis Davis
Hi-Fi+
Dennis Davis Hi-Fi+
Hi I just got the Ben Webster, Julie London, and the Oliver Nelson. Both Impluse titles are nicely recorded. I didn't have the ben webster, but did have a speakers corner version of the Oliver Nelson. This 45 is better, lil more resolution, more relaxed sounding.
I heard the Julie London at a friends house...it maybe a top recording/reissue
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