TAS Super LP List! Special Merit: Informal
Out Of Print! Limited Quantities!
Michael Fremer Rated 11/10 Music, 11/10 Sound in his July 2014 reviews on www.analogplanet.com!
One of the Finest Blue Note Jazz Titles EVER!
Cut at 33 1/3rpm by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio from the Original Rudy Van Gelder Blue Note Master Tapes!
Pressed 180 gram Virgin Vinyl LPs by RTI! Top Quality Gatefold Packaging with Laminated Covers & High Quality Session Photos!
This item not eligible for any further discount offers!
Kenny Burrell has led over 100 albums in his long career and is the epitome of good taste and melodic swing, never playing a phrase that would be considered out-of-place or unworthy. He first recorded in 1951 with Dizzy Gillespie and was a major part of the Detroit jazz scene before emerging in New York in 1956. Burrell was one of the very first guitarists to be showcased in a pianoless trio, and when he was signed to Blue Note, he became one of the most influential guitarists in jazz. However to hear Burrell at his most soulful and bluesy, one has to find recordings where he is teamed with a particularly inspiring stylist. 1963s Midnight Blue is considered one of the most exciting recordings of Kenny Burrells long career. It was a magical occasion that teamed Burrell with the passionate tenor-saxophonist Stanley Turrentine in a pianoless quintet that also includes Ray Barretto on congas. With Turrentine (who is immediately recognizable within two sounds) infusing each note with an excess of soul and Barretto giving the blues-oriented music a Latin tinge, Burrell raises the heat and is heard at his most exhilarating and extroverted. His soulful playing on such songs as Chitlins Con Carne, Saturday Night Blues and Gee Baby Aint I Good To You is so greasy and emotional that it reminds one that both B.B. King and Duke Ellington often cited Kenny Burrell as their favorite guitarist. While Kenny Burrell has recorded scores of albums since this time, Midnight Blue cannot be topped and will always be one of the key recordings that he will be remembered for. This superbly recorded classic needs to be in every jazz collection.
All New Mastering:
While Music Matters wanted to use the original 33rpm format to honor the 75 years since Blue Note was founded in 1939, they did not want to sacrifice sonically, because only the very best sound can fully reveal the exquisite subtleties contained in this music. Consequently, over this past year they have worked tirelessly with Kevin Gray at Cohearant Audio Mastering to refine the mastering process. Nothing was spared to make these the definitive 33RPM Blue Note reissues. With an additional $75,000 worth of studio upgrades, featuring all WEL Signature AudioQuest cable and an all new Class A front end, the results will become apparent when you listen to these exceptional recordings. These studio upgrades have reached a point where Music Matters are confident that the 33 rpm format will not only honor the originals, but also fully and accurately present the sonic wonders contained on these master tapes. 2014 marks the 75th Anniversary Celebration of Blue Note records, here, handpicked are what Music Matters believe are 12 of the finest offerings on the label, all from the original master tapes! These recordings are offered at 33RPM just as they were originally manufactured by the label!
The Blue Note Jackets:
Music Matters strongly feels that these Blue Note recordings deserve nothing less than the finest graphic presentation. Accordingly, no expense has been spared. Designed from scratch, these jackets are modeled after the most successful work from the Blue Note and Impulse! labels of the 50s and 60s. The materials and craftsmanship of that era produced many jackets that still look new today. With that in mind, the Music Matters Blue Note jackets are designed to last a lifetime, using ultra-durable extra thick cardboard stock and thick, luxurious lamination. The Impulse! LP jackets from the 60s were especially renowned for their crisp, sharp spine hinges. Music Matters has retained one of the artisans who worked on the Impulse! jackets from that era to do the design work on these jackets. Its all about getting the right tone, texture and weight on the jacket quality youll be able to feel in your hand the moment you pick up one of these albums.
In addition, Music Matters has obtained exclusive access to a treasure trove of over 30,000 original Blue Note session photos from Mosaic Images for use in this series. The gatefold opens to display these session photos in stunning high resolution - four times sharper than original Blue Note jacket photos. Many of these photos have never been seen by the public before, adding additional value to the package. Wherever possible, they are actually rebuilding the original cover art using the original cover photo negative. At least four 4 by 4 photos and a full size 12 by 12 will adorn the inside of each gatefold, all printed on the highest quality, acid free photo paper.
The Music Matters gatefold jackets set a new high water mark for presentation, styling and content archival quality releases that will soon become collectors items.
"...most significant of all are the sonics. ...We compared the double 45rpm edition of Kenny Burrell's "Midnight Blue" issued by Analogue Productions a few years ago cut by Kevin Gray at Acous-Tech, his old mastering facility, with this new Music Matters version cut at 33 1/3 by Kevin Gray at Cohearent, his new mastering facility and the sonic differences were startling and that's not hyperbole."
"The new 33 1/3 sounds more vibrant, more "live", faster, more dynamic, more three-dimensional and just plain more of everything you'd want... So what accounts for the enormous sonic improvement? Gray is using a new tape playback deck and console, new analog electronics, and new Audioquest Wild Blue interconnects throughout the lacquer chain. The sound and packaging of the two reissues I heard was stunning... if they all sound as spectacular as the Burrell and Coltrane reissues, get these while you can, would be my advice." - Michael Fremer, www.analogplanet.com
"My first reaction to this new series was - why would I need ANOTHER copy of Blue Train in my collection? Or another Cool Struttin? ...But then I slipped on the new Music Matters John Coltrane - Blue Train, a record I have known now for over 30 years. Jeez, was I ever wrong. This new mastering is simply MONSTROUS - it was a shock, a revelation, completely out of the blue."
"Philly Joe Jones has never sounded so real. The cymbal word has a detail and realism that is unbelievable. Coltrane's tone is just incredibly real - massive, the metallic warmth of the Otto Link mouthpiece with it's rich harmonic overtones vividly presented. Lee Morgan thunders in, and you can hear his every movement and he dances around the microphone, swooping in, dipping down, leaning back. The pure physicality of this mastering is astonishing... It has a harmonic organicness that is one where you can just close your eyes and see every player right out in front of you - the medium disappears, you are transported back to a room in 1957 where 6 young cats were spreading their wings, swinging like crazy, opening up a whole new harmonic world. Sheer magic. I thought I didn't need another Blue Train. I was wrong, and this is worth every penny. If you thought Music Matters couldn't get any better - think again. If you thought Music Matters is making a mistake to go from 45 to 33 - prepare yourself for a shocker that will make you re-evaluate any cherished pre-conceptions." - Robert Hutton, www.robertmusic.blogspot.ca
"My first reaction on listening to Midnight Blue with Kenny Burrell was "whoa!" The sound of the congas played by Ray Barretto was superb, exceeding, and not by a small margin, the 45rpm version issued by Analogue Productions, which I own. They exploded into the room with a pop and rush of air. I have been consistently impressed by the sound of the test pressings. When contrasted with the original LP, for example, I found Rambach's reissue of Lee Morgan's The Sidewinder to sound smoother and more relaxed with less grain in the treble. The engineering jiggerypook, the TLC lavished on these recordings really is quite extraordinary. Music Matters, you could say, knows that music matters more than almost anything else."
"So here's the skinny: if, like me, you love jazz, don't relish the thought of hopping up every few minutes to turn over a 45rpm record, and cherish superior sound, then these exquisite reissues look to be a no-brainer." - Jacob Heilbrunn, The Absolute Sound, theabsolutesound.com January 7, 2014 Blog
"Ray Barretto's palms on the congas sound like hands on leather; Stanley Turrentine, always dripping in blues, sounds like he's in the room; and Burrell's guitar tone has twangy detail that would be lost on a lessor pressing."
"Harley once stated that his favorite title was the one he just listened to. That continues to be one of the most amazing things about the Music Matters reissues: just when you think the last one was the best you'd ever heard, the next one comes out and challenges that conclusion. The 45rpm series was spectacular, receiving plenty of press as some of the best sounding Blue Note records ever pressed. The new series continues that sonic excellence in a more convenient format with the same outstanding packaging for less money. That sounds like a winner by any measure." - Greg Simmons, www.allaboutjazz.com
"100% absolutely and highly recommended. Music Matters charges $34.95 for these and when you get your hands on the exquisitely produced jacket and then hear this RTI pressed LP you will know it was money well spent. It's a record you'll return to repeatedly, I'm sure. Reissue producers Ron Rambach and Joe Harley have taken the art of Blue Note Record reissues to new heights of visual and sonic brilliance." -Michael Fremer, analogplanet.com, Music 11/10, Sound 11/10
Features:
Limited Edition of Only 3500 Copies!
Remastered from the Original Rudy Van Gelder Blue Note Master Tapes!
Remastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio
Pressed 180 gram Virgin Vinyl LPs by RTI
Ultra-Durable, Extra Thick Album Jackets
Gatefold Album with Session Photos in stunning High Resolution
Stereo
Musicians:
Stanley Turrentine, tenor sax
Kenny Burrell, guitar
Major Holley, Jr., bass
Bill English, drums
Ray Barretto, conga
Selections:
1. Chittlins Con Carne
2. Mule
3. Soul Lament
4. Midnight Blue
5. Wavy Gravy
6. Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You
7. Saturday Night Blues
Out Of Print! Limited Quantities!
Michael Fremer Rated 11/10 Music, 11/10 Sound in his July 2014 reviews on www.analogplanet.com!
One of the Finest Blue Note Jazz Titles EVER!
Cut at 33 1/3rpm by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio from the Original Rudy Van Gelder Blue Note Master Tapes!
Pressed 180 gram Virgin Vinyl LPs by RTI! Top Quality Gatefold Packaging with Laminated Covers & High Quality Session Photos!
This item not eligible for any further discount offers!
Kenny Burrell has led over 100 albums in his long career and is the epitome of good taste and melodic swing, never playing a phrase that would be considered out-of-place or unworthy. He first recorded in 1951 with Dizzy Gillespie and was a major part of the Detroit jazz scene before emerging in New York in 1956. Burrell was one of the very first guitarists to be showcased in a pianoless trio, and when he was signed to Blue Note, he became one of the most influential guitarists in jazz. However to hear Burrell at his most soulful and bluesy, one has to find recordings where he is teamed with a particularly inspiring stylist. 1963s Midnight Blue is considered one of the most exciting recordings of Kenny Burrells long career. It was a magical occasion that teamed Burrell with the passionate tenor-saxophonist Stanley Turrentine in a pianoless quintet that also includes Ray Barretto on congas. With Turrentine (who is immediately recognizable within two sounds) infusing each note with an excess of soul and Barretto giving the blues-oriented music a Latin tinge, Burrell raises the heat and is heard at his most exhilarating and extroverted. His soulful playing on such songs as Chitlins Con Carne, Saturday Night Blues and Gee Baby Aint I Good To You is so greasy and emotional that it reminds one that both B.B. King and Duke Ellington often cited Kenny Burrell as their favorite guitarist. While Kenny Burrell has recorded scores of albums since this time, Midnight Blue cannot be topped and will always be one of the key recordings that he will be remembered for. This superbly recorded classic needs to be in every jazz collection.
All New Mastering:
While Music Matters wanted to use the original 33rpm format to honor the 75 years since Blue Note was founded in 1939, they did not want to sacrifice sonically, because only the very best sound can fully reveal the exquisite subtleties contained in this music. Consequently, over this past year they have worked tirelessly with Kevin Gray at Cohearant Audio Mastering to refine the mastering process. Nothing was spared to make these the definitive 33RPM Blue Note reissues. With an additional $75,000 worth of studio upgrades, featuring all WEL Signature AudioQuest cable and an all new Class A front end, the results will become apparent when you listen to these exceptional recordings. These studio upgrades have reached a point where Music Matters are confident that the 33 rpm format will not only honor the originals, but also fully and accurately present the sonic wonders contained on these master tapes. 2014 marks the 75th Anniversary Celebration of Blue Note records, here, handpicked are what Music Matters believe are 12 of the finest offerings on the label, all from the original master tapes! These recordings are offered at 33RPM just as they were originally manufactured by the label!
The Blue Note Jackets:
Music Matters strongly feels that these Blue Note recordings deserve nothing less than the finest graphic presentation. Accordingly, no expense has been spared. Designed from scratch, these jackets are modeled after the most successful work from the Blue Note and Impulse! labels of the 50s and 60s. The materials and craftsmanship of that era produced many jackets that still look new today. With that in mind, the Music Matters Blue Note jackets are designed to last a lifetime, using ultra-durable extra thick cardboard stock and thick, luxurious lamination. The Impulse! LP jackets from the 60s were especially renowned for their crisp, sharp spine hinges. Music Matters has retained one of the artisans who worked on the Impulse! jackets from that era to do the design work on these jackets. Its all about getting the right tone, texture and weight on the jacket quality youll be able to feel in your hand the moment you pick up one of these albums.
In addition, Music Matters has obtained exclusive access to a treasure trove of over 30,000 original Blue Note session photos from Mosaic Images for use in this series. The gatefold opens to display these session photos in stunning high resolution - four times sharper than original Blue Note jacket photos. Many of these photos have never been seen by the public before, adding additional value to the package. Wherever possible, they are actually rebuilding the original cover art using the original cover photo negative. At least four 4 by 4 photos and a full size 12 by 12 will adorn the inside of each gatefold, all printed on the highest quality, acid free photo paper.
The Music Matters gatefold jackets set a new high water mark for presentation, styling and content archival quality releases that will soon become collectors items.
"...most significant of all are the sonics. ...We compared the double 45rpm edition of Kenny Burrell's "Midnight Blue" issued by Analogue Productions a few years ago cut by Kevin Gray at Acous-Tech, his old mastering facility, with this new Music Matters version cut at 33 1/3 by Kevin Gray at Cohearent, his new mastering facility and the sonic differences were startling and that's not hyperbole."
"The new 33 1/3 sounds more vibrant, more "live", faster, more dynamic, more three-dimensional and just plain more of everything you'd want... So what accounts for the enormous sonic improvement? Gray is using a new tape playback deck and console, new analog electronics, and new Audioquest Wild Blue interconnects throughout the lacquer chain. The sound and packaging of the two reissues I heard was stunning... if they all sound as spectacular as the Burrell and Coltrane reissues, get these while you can, would be my advice." - Michael Fremer, www.analogplanet.com
"My first reaction to this new series was - why would I need ANOTHER copy of Blue Train in my collection? Or another Cool Struttin? ...But then I slipped on the new Music Matters John Coltrane - Blue Train, a record I have known now for over 30 years. Jeez, was I ever wrong. This new mastering is simply MONSTROUS - it was a shock, a revelation, completely out of the blue."
"Philly Joe Jones has never sounded so real. The cymbal word has a detail and realism that is unbelievable. Coltrane's tone is just incredibly real - massive, the metallic warmth of the Otto Link mouthpiece with it's rich harmonic overtones vividly presented. Lee Morgan thunders in, and you can hear his every movement and he dances around the microphone, swooping in, dipping down, leaning back. The pure physicality of this mastering is astonishing... It has a harmonic organicness that is one where you can just close your eyes and see every player right out in front of you - the medium disappears, you are transported back to a room in 1957 where 6 young cats were spreading their wings, swinging like crazy, opening up a whole new harmonic world. Sheer magic. I thought I didn't need another Blue Train. I was wrong, and this is worth every penny. If you thought Music Matters couldn't get any better - think again. If you thought Music Matters is making a mistake to go from 45 to 33 - prepare yourself for a shocker that will make you re-evaluate any cherished pre-conceptions." - Robert Hutton, www.robertmusic.blogspot.ca
"My first reaction on listening to Midnight Blue with Kenny Burrell was "whoa!" The sound of the congas played by Ray Barretto was superb, exceeding, and not by a small margin, the 45rpm version issued by Analogue Productions, which I own. They exploded into the room with a pop and rush of air. I have been consistently impressed by the sound of the test pressings. When contrasted with the original LP, for example, I found Rambach's reissue of Lee Morgan's The Sidewinder to sound smoother and more relaxed with less grain in the treble. The engineering jiggerypook, the TLC lavished on these recordings really is quite extraordinary. Music Matters, you could say, knows that music matters more than almost anything else."
"So here's the skinny: if, like me, you love jazz, don't relish the thought of hopping up every few minutes to turn over a 45rpm record, and cherish superior sound, then these exquisite reissues look to be a no-brainer." - Jacob Heilbrunn, The Absolute Sound, theabsolutesound.com January 7, 2014 Blog
"Ray Barretto's palms on the congas sound like hands on leather; Stanley Turrentine, always dripping in blues, sounds like he's in the room; and Burrell's guitar tone has twangy detail that would be lost on a lessor pressing."
"Harley once stated that his favorite title was the one he just listened to. That continues to be one of the most amazing things about the Music Matters reissues: just when you think the last one was the best you'd ever heard, the next one comes out and challenges that conclusion. The 45rpm series was spectacular, receiving plenty of press as some of the best sounding Blue Note records ever pressed. The new series continues that sonic excellence in a more convenient format with the same outstanding packaging for less money. That sounds like a winner by any measure." - Greg Simmons, www.allaboutjazz.com
"100% absolutely and highly recommended. Music Matters charges $34.95 for these and when you get your hands on the exquisitely produced jacket and then hear this RTI pressed LP you will know it was money well spent. It's a record you'll return to repeatedly, I'm sure. Reissue producers Ron Rambach and Joe Harley have taken the art of Blue Note Record reissues to new heights of visual and sonic brilliance." -Michael Fremer, analogplanet.com, Music 11/10, Sound 11/10
Features:
Limited Edition of Only 3500 Copies!
Remastered from the Original Rudy Van Gelder Blue Note Master Tapes!
Remastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio
Pressed 180 gram Virgin Vinyl LPs by RTI
Ultra-Durable, Extra Thick Album Jackets
Gatefold Album with Session Photos in stunning High Resolution
Stereo
Musicians:
Stanley Turrentine, tenor sax
Kenny Burrell, guitar
Major Holley, Jr., bass
Bill English, drums
Ray Barretto, conga
Selections:
1. Chittlins Con Carne
2. Mule
3. Soul Lament
4. Midnight Blue
5. Wavy Gravy
6. Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You
7. Saturday Night Blues
