News

Blue Note Announces Next Round of “Classic Vinyl” 180g AAA Reissues

Michael Fremer  |  Mar 24, 2022

Blue Note today announced the next series of affordable Classic Vinyl 180g, all-analog reissues mastered by Kevin Gray using the original master tapes plated and pressed at Optimal in Germany. The records come in standard packaging to keep the costs down. Blue Note president Don Was and Cem Kurosman curate.

The series kicks off May 20th with two often-sampled 1970s classics, both available for pre-order on the Blue Note store:

Ronnie Foster: Two Headed Freap (1972)
Brother Jack McDuff: Moon Rappin’(1969)

June 17, 2022—Hard Bop

Lou Donaldson—Blues Walk (1958)
Sonny Clark—Dial ‘S’ For Sonny (1957)

July 15, 2022—Hidden Gems

Don Wilkerson—Preach Brother (1962)
George Braith—Extension (1964)

August 19, 2022—Post-Bop

Larry Young—Unity (1965)
Wayne Shorter—Adam’s Apple (1966)

September 16, 2022—Rebirth

Charlie Hunter—Bing Bing Bing! (1965)
Joe Lovano—I’m All For You (2003)

October 18, 2022—Soul Jazz

Big John Patton—Oh Baby! (1965)
Stanley Turrentine—Common Touch (1968)

November 18, 2022—The Avant-Garde

Andrew Hill—Point of Departure (1964)
Grachan Moncur III—Evolution (1963)

December 16, 2022—Bebop

Thelonious Monk—Genius of Modern Music Vol. 1—BLP 1510 (1947-48)
J.J. Johnson—The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, Vol. 1—BLP 1505 (1953-54)

COMMENTS
arcman67's picture
Submitted by arcman67 on Thu, 2022-03-24 04:23

I'm guessing Blue Train will get a deluxe box treatment at some point.

rodercot's picture
Submitted by rodercot on Mon, 2022-04-11 04:28

I watched the 45rpm channels youtube interview with Tone Poet Joe. He eluded to a Special Edition Tone Poet for BT 50th. He would not elaborate, just, that we will understand what is special when we see it.

jazz's picture
Submitted by jazz on Thu, 2022-03-24 05:53

except of the few big titles which probably several of us already have in 1-3 previous high quality incarnations, I don’t go crazy about those titles this time. Could be better selected or more courageous in my opinion.

Spindle Spinner's picture
Submitted by Spindle Spinner on Thu, 2022-03-24 07:00

I was hoping for it in the Tone Poet, this will do just as well. Original is impossible to find, and even 1990s repress is in the €100 region. Nice.

Isolationdrill's picture
Submitted by Isolationdrill on Thu, 2022-03-24 07:03

Me thinks you were an autocorrect victim

Michael Fremer's picture
Submitted by Michael Fremer on Thu, 2022-03-24 08:25
will ficks
swimming1's picture
Submitted by swimming1 on Thu, 2022-03-24 07:39

Mikey,I noticed that the previous group of "classics" sound better when played in mono. The hard left/right of the stereo mix is pretty annoying. The mono presentation is front/center orchestra seating! Cheers,Chet

Michael Fremer's picture
Submitted by Michael Fremer on Thu, 2022-03-24 08:28
Pretty much what RVG did to produce most of the "legendary mono mixes"! RVG recorded simultaneously mono and stereo for a very short time after which it was "stereo" with mono fold downs.
rich d's picture
Submitted by rich d on Thu, 2022-03-24 09:13

Blue Note seems to be moving forward into the 'soul jazz' era and I couldn't be happier. You can't have too much Lou Donaldson. Adam's Apple' has a great version of Footprints which compares favorably to the one on 'Miles Smiles'. I may just buy 'em all and eat ramen for a few weeks. It'll be like college all over again....

Incidentally, I was surprised to learn that the Charlie Hunter record came out in 1965. I thought it was about 30 years newer than that. You never stop learning I guess.

timware's picture
Submitted by timware on Thu, 2022-03-24 15:49

came out in 1995, NOT 1965. He's a jazz guitarist in his early 50s or thereabouts.

MalachiLui's picture
Submitted by MalachiLui on Thu, 2022-03-24 12:32

curious to see if the BN classics 'blues walk' will be mono or stereo. i have the MMJ SRX mono and couldn't be happier (also have MMJ 'point of departure') but interested to know what version this new one will use.

rich d's picture
Submitted by rich d on Thu, 2022-03-24 22:11

I know when the Charlie Hunter album came out. I was trying to point out that the article has the wrong date listed. I tried much the same thing when I noticed an error in the piece about the Candid reissues. I'll be more direct in future so as to avoid confusion.

charliepress's picture
Submitted by charliepress on Fri, 2022-03-25 09:56

Finally! So excited to see this get reissued. I have an original stereo pressing of Evolution, but in nearly all cases, these Classic Vinyl issues sound as good, if not better than the originals.

westerwick's picture
Submitted by westerwick on Fri, 2022-03-25 17:04

Great news for those amongst us who are just getting in to Jazz, such a wealth of re-releases over the past few years. Still hoping for Donald Byrd "Electric Byrd" sometime....

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