Electric Recording Company Releasing Prestige Jazz Titles!

The Electric Recording Company (ERC) just announced a Prestige monophonic jazz reissue series sourced from the original master tapes licensed from label owner Concord Music Group.

The four titles are (in order of release date):

Hank Mobley: Mobley's Message ERC023 (9/30/16)
Tommy Flanagan: Tommy Flanagan Overseas ERC 021 (10/31/16)
The Jackie McLean Quintet: Lights Out ERC 024 (11/30/16)
Elmo Hope: Informal Jazz ERC 022 (12/16/16)

Electric Recording Company has replicated the analogue production process of the1950s using restored equipment from the era - including a rebuilt and restored Lyrec lathe cutter and a Lyrec SV tape machine.

ERC’s painstaking approach, which has included trialling numerous pressing plants around Europe and the USA to achieve the right vinyl weight and quality, extends to the look and feel of the sleeves.

To ensure the cover artwork is as crisp and as fresh as the original LPs, packaging material and paper stocks have been meticulously researched.

ERC employ artisan printers Hand & Eye in London’s East End to not only entirely re-typeset the sleeve text, but also to create new plates for the artwork. The covers are printed using a Heidelberg letterpress printer and folded by hand. As a result each album can take up to two years to complete.

This is first time the Prestige masters have ever left the US, such is the confidence in ERC’s approach. Echoing what industry experts have been saying about the quality of ERC’s classical reissues, Concord Music Group’s Sig Sigworth said: “The concept, the care and the quality were the things that first made me interested in The Electric Recording Company. But once I met Pete and saw the beautifully restored equipment I was sold.”

COMMENTS
rshak47's picture

to see how the the ERC Prestige releases will stack up against the (most excellent) Acoustic Sounds releases.

audiof001's picture

... but way too rich for my blood.

AnalogJ's picture

I don't see a price for these reissues mentioned. Is it a price that must not be named?

audiof001's picture

300-5000 pounds each is just too much. The limit of 300 pressings per edition is just silly, given that they could easily get 1000 records out of one stamper without much deterioration, if memory serves.

Anton D's picture

Remember the term "peak oil? "

We are seeing "peak vinyl," right now.

Pre-fabricated rarity is the first sign of a down market.

Short the market.

I say that as a lifelong vinyl-phile.

Michael Fremer's picture
This is simply an attempt to produce the most faithful reproduction of an original rarity. It's not being done with an eye towards the overall vinyl marketplace. It's based upon dedication of the individuals involved.
Analog Scott's picture

Short the market? How would one do that?

Anton D's picture

I did not mean it literally.

I am a lifelong vinyl lover who still buys new releases on vinyl, but I have also seen too many fads rise and fall in the same manner we are seeing vinyl behave right now.

LP's are turning into Beanie Babies, Cabbage Patch Kids, Hummel figurines, or any number of 'collectible' fads that have risen and fallen in the past.

The most telling sign is an intentional drop in the number of an item that is produced in order to produce a false scarcity in order to prop up rising prices. Prices go higher and production goes down. Bad sign.

I am not saying the quality will not be good, and perhaps there are enough Patrick Batemans around to support this for a while, but it is the beginning of a down market.

Someone on this site already mentioned the ever more frequent sale promotions we see for LP's, and now we are even seeing things like "Five dollar blow outs!" on one sales site.

Nothing screams excess production and inventory more loudly (and in glorious analog) than "price blowouts!"

I see other producers reducing volume, as well.

I wish I could make a graph of the trend for 'limited edition' pressing releases and the number of pressings made of each. It now takes limiting a pressing to "only 300!" to move many LP's as opposed to more than double that figure as recently as 2015.

Again, don't get me wrong, I LOVE vinyl, but this is a marketplace 'worry,' not an attack on our LP's!

I may be wrong and LP's will prove to be a true Veblen good, but I would not buy stock in any high end pressing machines right now. Hell, I wouldn't buy stock in Pro-Ject or other turntable makers, either. I think the re-growth phase is winding down. (Again, no mean-ness intended toward anybody!)

Analog Scott's picture

1. what other "fads" have you seen rise in the same manner? Vinyl has been on a steady increase for the past 10 years. What "fad" has ever enjoyed that kind of consistant growth?
2. The "false scarcity" limited edition has been with us in the world of vinyl since the 70s if not earlier. But this is not the norm in vinyl it is the exception. the exception that has been around for at least the last 40 years. It is not some new trend in retail vinyl.
3. Price blowouts also are nothing new to vinyl or marketing in general.

Every year since the begining of the vinyl Renaissance 10 years ago vinyl is called out as a fad that will soon disappear and that the end is near. So far the these predictions are 0-10 on a yearly basis. ERC has upped tha ante in the high end audiophile vinyl market and done so by an order of magnitude. They are the equivelant in audiophilia to the Rockport/Goldmund turntable or the Koetsu whateverstone diamond cantaliver cartridge. It's a product that has no bearing on the general market and frankly very little bearing on the audiophile vinyl market. It's a niche product for the uber wealthy within a niche market within a niche market. It's no indicator of anything. Except how much a small group of well off audiophiles are willing to spend on records. but we already knew that based on the used collectable audiophile vinyl market.

Anton D's picture

I may be crazy.

I am not predicting gloom, just saying I think it has peaked.

I am also not interested in using the past decade to predict an ongoing vinyl Renaissance. Unless, of course, past performance is associated with certainty in predicting future performance.

This is an "only time will tell" kind of thing.

As I said before, I love vinyl. I am at 45+ years of buying it. The current fad is nice, but there are cycles to all fads. My "Dutch tulip" futures have been doing terribly, as well.

Analog Scott's picture

There is nothing to "predict," it *is* an on going Renaissance. It has not peaked. Production is not going down in 2016 it's going up. 2016 will be the 11th year in a row that vinyl has enjoyed consistant substantial growth. Of course it is difficult to predict how much longer it will grow, when it will level off and ultimately when it will fall again.That is hardly unique to vinyl though. But it certainly hasn't started any decline yet. And at this point it's pretty hard to call it a "fad."

Lazer's picture

Personally, I hope this vinyl Renaissance continues for a long time. Will it ? IDK. I think it will, I hope it will ...because vinyl sounds so damn much better. Not only does it sound better but it's just a lot more fun than digital music. I love spending a rainy weekend day cleaning records, it's fun seeing how shiny and clean they look, it's fun putting them on my turntable and listening to how quiet they are. I love the art work, feeling the jacket, running my hands over the jacket as I put it in a outer sleeve, knowing this record and artwork will last a long time because of the way I treat this record and this artwork.

Soo...would I ever bet against what I love...No. Would I ever bet against the Vikings?...,Noo. Personally, I hope as more people get BACK into vinyl, we find some new converts along the way. I preach the gospel of vinyl to young people all the time. Most of these young people I talk to just assume new technology is better and some even laugh when I tell them vinyl sounds better. At a recent get together I was talking about a certain LP, the grown son said, " why would you buy a record"? Said " because it sounds better". He literally laughed and said "no it doesn't Lanny, it's proven. It's science." This is the thinking of the young we are up against.
I think the vinyl Renaissance will continue for a long time. But we need more young people.

As for ERC and their business model....I find it fascinating. I've seen similar business models in the art world, where artist sell very limited, super high quality reproductions. Saw one guy sell 300; if you preordered, and got number 1, it was cheaper than buying number 300. Very interesting. I remember when Starbucks came out and sold $5.00 coffee. People said this is crazy...others said it's an inexpensive luxury. I think a lot of music lovers are going to say ERC pressings are an inexpensive luxury.

Anton D's picture

I don't find the term "fad" to be a bad thing.

400 dollar LPs = fad.

500 dollar gold leaf "craft" martinis = fad.

Who knows, maybe these ERC LPs are Pappy Van Winkel or Remy Martin and not Furby!

So, riddle me this: with "artisan" typesetters, froofy packaging, and fake scarcity, what are these releases all actually all about? (Hint: it ain't audio.)

F. A. D. Fad.

Lazer's picture

Your getting so much less logical. Sorry, but it's all about audio. Have you ever listened to a ERC record? I challenge you to buy one and talk about ""fake scarcity, and froofy packaging." Please, buy just one record from them and tell me it's all about "fake scarcity." you are pontificating from a position of ignorance and assumptions....you are someone who has NEVER listened to an ERC pressing....Why should anyone value your opinion?

Anton D's picture

I have heard two of their releases and they are nice.

The artisan packaging and specialized typesetting on special cardboard do what for the sound, you say?

I think the records sound nice, I have played them on my own system at a show! Lovely. So, why do I need to buy into fake scarcity and Hallmark embossing to please you?

My opinion is that these represent a point of production that becomes degenerate over time.

You seem personally pissed about, what, me not being the sycophant you are over these? That's another sure sign of a market that has peaked.

What is the fancy card printing going to do for your sound with these reissues?

Modern Matchbox cars are as nice as originals. The point of owning an original is that it can't be made again. These reissues are great, but spare me the "the embossing is jewelry quality" and the card stock is worthy of the best British binders as justification for a product that can only be judged by listening, not fondling. These are jot originals, the are a contrived simulacrum of originals.

Going all fan boy over these is unbecoming and makes you more like a vinyl Renfield than a vinyl Dracula. These are wanna be products. Which is fine, but as indicative of an oversold market as a new Lucy plate from the Franklin Mint!

Analog Scott's picture

What makes you think the scarcity is fake? You do understand that these are one step pressings don't you?

Analog Scott's picture

whether or not one takes "fad" as a good, bad or indifferent term doesn't really matter. It is a word that has meaning. And by it's meaning "an intense and widely shared enthusiasm for something, especially one that is short-lived and without basis in the object's
qualities; a craze." It does not seem to apply to vinyl. 11 years is hardly "short lived" and there is a basis in the the object's qualities for it's sales. so good, bad or indifferent, it simply does not fit the meaning of the word fad.

PeterPani's picture

I will not be able to resist. No way. Don't tell my wife. I will lie to her, saying that one record cost only $50... Put the blame on ERC's price policy, not on me.

conjotter's picture

Thanks for the heads-up Michael.

It would be great if you could follow-up with a review of these

records to let us know how they sound and how well they are

pressed. Vinyl is getting pretty damned expensive these days.

elliotdrum's picture

$50 is as far as I would go-
If they did Sgt.Pepper -Love Supreme-Miles Ahead........
Maybe if the sound was unfu**ing believable maybe, maybe,
maybe,maybe??

gbougard's picture

https://electricrecordingco.com/releases/violin-concerto-2

Brahms violin concerto = 300 copies sold at GBP 450 = GBP 135,000 in revenues
The printing alone must be horribly expensive, but what beauty, what class!!!
Same with those vintage mastering machines and lathes!
Beautiful

gbougard's picture

I dont know how to edit a comment, so I'll reply to myself...

The P&L for these super limited editions would be interesting to look into. Based on revenues of 135K pounds, pressing and printing costs can't be more than 60, leaving some serious margins. How quickly do these costs get absorbed by revenues is the real question. If the record label has some capital, it is possible to wait out but if they are like most labels, ie perpetually broke, it must be hard.

Very interesting how the classical and jazz genres benefit from having wealthier than average end customers. In my genre, Reggae, I would never be able to sell records at 3-400 pounds... I did sell some lathe cut records at 100-150 Euros but it was hard to shift significant quantities.

I would LOVE to release a Reggae classic with such deluxe materials, papers, vinyl.

By the way, who is pressing the records for this label???

fbpearce's picture

These look very interesting as do The Rolling Stones and Beatles mono. In hopes of enjoyong these with my existing stereo setup (without a separate tone arm, mono cartridge, preamp/phono with mono button) I found this-anyone have any experience with it?
https://www.kabusa.com/msx1.htm

michaelj's picture

I have the mono white album. Not that great sounding. Don't waste your money. It's all hype.

buhaina_delight's picture

It's great what ERC does, it would have been nice if they could get access to other sessions. I'm sure it will be amazing. Though the Acoustic Sounds/Analogue productions mono and stereo issues have done me well and well served the jazz aficionados out there. I would vote for Tadd Dameron w/ or w/o coltrane release or Mal Waldron Mal-1, Teddy charles, Sonny Stitt or lee konitz or even Curtis Fuller's New Trombone. Though I am not sure the condition or even if the original tapes exist. For me we have a treasure of tapes from the classic era that haven't heard the light of day as they should. I'd rather see 2 or 3 reissues ala acoustic sounds or intervention or ORG than 1 from ERC

Analog-ist-King's picture

Better than Kevin Gray´s APO ?
Can´t imagine.

rshak47's picture

and agree that they sound superb. Overall they may, in fact, be the finest sounding of the APO reissues (and I have all the Impulses, Blue Notes, RCA's and quite a few of the Verves). They really did a spectacular job on the Prestige titles.

Grant M's picture

These are way too rich for my budget, but it's interesting none-the-less that this kind of thing exists. I guess if you have the cash, it's better than spending it on hookers and blow. (debatable?)

I have no idea if we're at "Peak Vinyl" or if people will still be wearing their hair in those funny "top knot" configurations with beards in a few years, but i do know the record labels will run out of titles to reissue that haven't already been reissued.

The thing about western consumers is they tend to buy a lot when they're new releases. I read that 80% of dvd sales for a title happen within the first two weeks. Is this true with vinyl too? All i know is that the major selling artists seem to have their box sets lined up, and if these bands are selling good numbers, it's going to get harder to sustain that kind of momentum when the pool of new reissues dries up.

gbougard's picture

Where does ERC get its records pressed?
We've seen this fascinating documentary on the sleeves, but, unless I'm mistaken, nothing on the pressing plant.

JR465's picture

Rock perhaps???

elliotdrum's picture

Prestige was established in 1949 by Bob Weinstock and the majority
of the recordings in the early years were mostly blowing sessions.
These were organized with written arrangements and solid direction.
These were not jam sessions and the musicians were the top young new lions of jazz. But these titles when I owned a record store and I was the buyer would mostly not move from the bins even though
these are very good music. If ERC were able to obtain Miles Davis's
Workin-Steamin-Relaxin-Cookin or some of the John Coltrane with Red
Garland's trio recordings or Eric Dolphy-Oliver Nelson-MJQ-etc
It would seem that getting certain titles and shipping original
tapes is not as easy to negotiate. I'm just saying even if the price of these re-issues is really high I would think certain titles could possibly fly off the shelf.

readargos's picture

I don't object to the high prices, per se, but it is hard to escape the feeling of manufactured scarcity. Mobile Fidelity just introduced its UltraDisc One-Step, featuring better packaging. They aren't mastering on restored vintage equipment, but the Gain 2 console isn't off-the-shelf, either. These are limited to 2500 copies and sell for about $100. The goal is different, as the MoFi isn't a meticulous reproduction of the original, but my point is the process is equally fanatical in its own way, involved several years of testing, and they are putting out about 8 times the volume of ERC at 20% the cost.

Although I do get tired of all these 45s - twice the cleaning for the same amount of music. ;-)

myheroiscoltrane's picture

Did anyone just see that Music Matters is releasing their last series, then closing up shop? Breaks the heart.....

Ryskie's picture

Really? That is a huge bummer...

myheroiscoltrane's picture
TommyTunes's picture

How you can write about this obviously bespoken project and as of now there has been zero coverage about Rhino's John Coltrane's Mono Collection. Perhaps one of the best box sets released in recent years. A beautifully produced set with tip-on covers that accurately mimic the originals, superbly pressed and cut from original masters. Comprised of six lp's and a 45 it can be purchased for $130.
Most of the ERC titles were already done by other companies equally well.

cjp123's picture

So I've never heard an ERC pressing and will never buy one given my budget, but let's be clear about one thing. A reissue can only be as good as the original source. Unlike the classical stuff that ERC has focused on, these Prestige records were not exactly recorded with the best fidelity even available at the time. Prestige was essentially a budget label--and the sound of the records shows compares to lps recorded by Columbia at the time in their studios. Rudy Van Gelder records on Prestige from the 1950's make the best of what the budget would allow, but having heard pristine originals of Mobley's message (and to me, the Analogue Production sounds better--because of the better vinyl quality), I don't think ERC can really do so much better given the source material to work with. Granted, I have not heard the master tape myself--but I'm well aware of how these were recorded and the equipment used, and I can't imagine ERC can do anything more to these records that Analogue Production did.

elliotdrum's picture

I started buying jazz recordings in 1959 and I don't remember
Prestige being a budget label. They cost the same as Blue Note,
Columbia,Riverside,Decca,Bethlehem,Argo,Verve,Roulette etc.
Records were $3.98 mono-$4.98 stereo. Then at some point some labels charged $4.98 for either mono or stereo and some charged $5.98 for stereo.
I do not remember mid-line budget levels in those days -
Prestige did have several sub-labels such as Bluesville-Moodsvile-
New Jazz labels at regular prices.
Even though RVG recorded for both Prestige and Blue Note the quality of the vinyl for Blue Note was superior to Prestige.

Eskisi's picture

An article like this, leading to angry comments, with audiophiles insulting each other and getting personal reminded me of a recent passage in the NYT:

"...he was hired anyway by The Daily Telegraph and sent to Brussels in 1989 to cover the European Union.

It was a boring assignment, but Mr. Johnson found a way of livening it: His great talent was to take tiny grains of information in reports and proposals, repackage them as official European policy and present them as part of a broad narrative about Brussels’s risibility. His stories were full of wrong-sized condoms, fishermen forced to wear hairnets and international disputes over cheese policy.

“I was just chucking these rocks over the garden wall and listening to this amazing crash from the greenhouse next door over in England,” he told an interviewer."

bent river music's picture

There are repros of Rembrandts using the original plates that go for serious money and were pressed several hundred years ago, but not by Rembrandt himself (same for Picasso reissues). These are traded by people that have serious money and ERC recordings will be bought by people with serious money and may well continue to appreciate, so some fads are preposterous and others are worthy - I suggest these are worthy and worth investing in (if you are young!).

Ryskie's picture

I've never understood people bashing stuff like this. If you don't like it, don't buy it. If you feel like ERC charges too much, don't buy it. Why the need to criticize those who value it?

Personally, if what ERC is doing results in these priceless titles sounding better than they ever have, it's worth it.

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