Rare Numbered Limited Edition Copies!
Out Of Print! Very Limited Stock! First Come, First Served!
"A Perfect 10" Highly Recommended Blue Note vinyl from Wayne Garcia of The Absolute Sound!
TAS Rated 4/5 Music, 4/5 Sonics in the February 2013 Issue of The Absolute Sound!
Audio Beat Rated 4.5/5 Music, 4/5 Sound!
Limited Edition!
Remastered by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman from the Original Rudy Van Gelder Blue Note Master Tapes!
The Definitive issue of this classic Blue Note title!
This item not eligible for any further discount offers!
THE SOUND:
Mono or Stereo? Rudy Van Gelder first began recording Blue Note sessions in stereo in March of 1957. From then until an October 30, 1958 Art Blakey session, Rudy simultaneously ran both mono and stereo session tapes. The stereo presentation revealed more air, more detail and more sheer life than the mono. The mono playback was a wonderful remembrance of the old LP we all knew and loved. The stereo playback from the original masters was eerie. It was like going back in time to that day in RudyÂ’s studio. Quite simply, the stereo masters revealed more of what it was like to be there that day.
Why 45rpm? Simply...Because it sounds better! 180 gram pressings versus 200 gram? Music Matters, Lt. uses 180 gram pressings for the simple reason that they believe 180 gram weight is more than sufficient to provide a near perfect pressing. When Music Matters asked their friends at Record Technology Inc. for their recommendation to achieve the highest possible quality pressings their answer was unequivocal... go with 180 gram!
Upgrading Connections at Acoustech! It goes without saying that there are many controversies and debates in the perfectionist audio/LP collector market. But one area of near universal agreement is the quality of mastering that emerges from Kevin GrayÂ’s custom-built AcousTech Mastering studio in Camarillo, CA. Kevin, along with Steve Hoffman, has provided many of the best sounding new and reissued albums on LP during the last 5 or 6 years working outs of AcousTech.
THE JACKETS:
Music Matters Exclusive! Music Matters strongly feels that these Blue Note recordings deserve nothing less than the finest graphic presentation. The Music Matters Definitive 45RPM Blue Note jackets are designed to last a lifetime, using ultra-durable extra thick cardboard stock and thick, luxurious lamination... quality youÂ’ll 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.
THE REVIEWS:
Hear what Michael Fremer, Wayne Garcia and others are saying about the Blue Note Definitive 45rpm Reissue Series from Music Matters, Ltd:
"TheyÂ’re BIG and open and definitely work in stereo because theyÂ’re not hard left/right stereo. The cymbals are so "chimey" and the skins so open! Even Rudy's typical boxy piano isn't too bad. These are going to be really good....!!!! (Real time reaction after hearing his first test pressing of Horace ParlanÂ’s SpeakinÂ’ My Piece LP.)" - Michael Fremer, Stereophile Magazine
"I’ve heard a lot of Blue Note originals and myriad reissues over the years, but based on the sample test pressings heard so far, none—and I mean none—convey the intensity of living, breathing music-making the way the Music Matter’s Blue Note series does. The sense of air, texture, and dynamic pop in these grooves is astonishing." - Wayne Garcia, The Absolute Sound
"Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers “The Big Beat” and Horace Parlan, “Speakin’ My Piece.” And if this is any indication of what’s to come, I advise you to get on the list now, before this collection is sold out." - Albert Porter, www.positive-feedback.com
"The Music Matters 45s have all immediacy and add a free-flowing naturalness that is surprising at first but very easy to get used to." - Marc Mickelson, www.soundstage.com
"Towering just as its title suggests, "Luminous Monolith," the album's centerpiece, has Rivers and Byard playing off each other as they teeter between melody and pensive solo runs. So often great jazz is about the musicians' journey -- the route they take to reach wherever they're going. Not Fuchsia Swing Song, which exists firmly in the moment, sounding as fresh today as it did in the mid-1960s...The Music Matters sound has come to define Blue Note recordings in the new millennium. It's more contemporary, more high-res, than that of original LPs and especially the RVG-series CDs. Dynamics are freewheeling, and the bottom end is extended and enhanced. The stereo soundstage unfolds with great lateral spread, and everything pops out of the noise floor due to the very quiet pressings. The gatefold sleeves continue to set the standard for heft and pizzazz... Joe Harley and Ron Rambach of Music Matters once again demonstrate impeccable taste and informed guidance regarding the titles they choose to reissue... The music is vital and the presentation definitive." - John Crossett, www.theaudiobeat.com
One of the unsung greats of the 1960s Sam Rivers has remained a vital force ever since. At the time that he recorded Fuchsia Swing Song, he was a master at playing both inside and outside at the same time, blurring the lines between hard bop and the avant-garde. Rivers, who early on played piano, violin and trombone before settling on the tenor, picked up experience playing with Herb Pomeroy's orchestra in the 1950s. In the early '60s he gradually became involved with the freer forms of jazz, performing with Archie Shepp, Bill Dixon, Paul Bley and Cecil Taylor. Rivers spent a month as a member of the Miles Davis Quintet in 1964 and later that year recorded Fuchsia Swing Song, a brilliant debut. With Jaki Byard, Ron Carter and Tony Williams, Rivers stretches hard bop and blues to the breaking point. He shows tenderness as he introduces his most famous original, "Beatrice," and tears into such numbers as "Downstairs Blues Upstairs" and "Ellipsis." Throughout this timeless album, Sam Rivers shows that he was a true giant, one who possessed a very individual style and the ability to create innovative music with every note.
Harley and Ron Rambach of Music Matters once again demonstrate impeccable taste and informed guidance regarding the titles they choose to reissue. The Blue Note catalog has a number of musical experiments that don't completely pan out, but these two albums [BNLP4184-45 Sam Rivers Fuchsia Swing Song & BNLP4165-45 Jackie McLean Destination... Out!] are not among them. The music is vital and the presentation definitive.” – Marc Mickelson, www.theaudiobeat.com, 4.5/5 Music, 4/5 Sound!
Click Here to read the entire review!
"I urge any jazz lover to consider Music Matters' superb reissue of Rivers' 1965 Blue Note debut, Fuchsia Swing Song. With Jaki Byard (piano), Ron Carter (bass), and Tony Williams on drums, Rivers' tenor sax speaks freely and eloquently, yet with great focus. His tone richly textured and throaty, his style smart yet earthy. His six tunes for this album range from the energetic bop of the title track, to more laidback blues-based numbers in which his band mates prove muy simpatico... The recording is among the best from Van Gelder's solid-state years: immediate and dynamic, with an organic balance, tonal naturalness, and vivid sense of four guys making music in the same space together." - Music 4/5, Sonics 4/5 - Wayne Garcia, The Absolute Sound, February 2013, p. 142
"The recording is among the best from Van Gelder's solid-state years: immediate and dynamically expressive, with an organic feeling of balance, tonal naturalness, and the solid expression of real musicians in a real place." - Wayne Garcia. The Absolute Sound, Issue 257
Features:
• Numbered, Limited Edition
• Remastered from the Original Rudy Van Gelder Blue Note Master Tapes!
• Remastered by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman at Acoustech
• Cut at 45rpm for Better Sound!
• Pressed on two 180 gram Virgin Vinyl LPs by RTI
• Ultra-Durable, Extra Thick Album Jackets
• Gatefold Album with Session Photos in stunning High Resolution
Musicians:
Sam Rivers, tenor saxophone
Jaki Byard, piano
Ron Carter, bass
Tony Williams, drums
Selections:
1. Fuchsia Swing Song
2. Downstairs Blues Upstairs
3. Cyclic Episode
4. Luminous Monolith
5. Beatrice
6. Ellipsis
"The albums are being cut at 45 RPM for maximum quality by Kevin Gray and me using our full ANALOG disk cutting system; most studios cannot even cut vinyl in 100% true analog anymore (they convert to digital first) but we can. The original Rudy Van Gelder engineered stereophonic session tapes are used when we master these gems. The sound quality is amazing on our test cuts. Like from heaven. First totally uncompressed versions of these jazz classics that IÂ’ve ever heard and trust me, you will be impressed; they sound like no other releases of this music."
"The sound is lifelike, the horns are in the room with you. Our non-invasive mastering insures the true breath of life on these original Van Gelder session tapes is transferred to the virgin vinyl with absolute authenticity. It is like hearing these BLUE NOTE masterpieces for the first time and that is NO exaggeration. When we heard the first lacquer acetate playback from our first mastering session I thought Joe Harley was going to pee in his pants he was so excited. Actually we all were; after 50 years of many lackluster and some downright bad sounding versions of these albums, hearing the real deal is a humbling experience, even for us hardened music veterans. You will be able to listen to the music exactly like we did..." - Steve Hoffman
Out Of Print! Very Limited Stock! First Come, First Served!
"A Perfect 10" Highly Recommended Blue Note vinyl from Wayne Garcia of The Absolute Sound!
TAS Rated 4/5 Music, 4/5 Sonics in the February 2013 Issue of The Absolute Sound!
Audio Beat Rated 4.5/5 Music, 4/5 Sound!
Limited Edition!
Remastered by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman from the Original Rudy Van Gelder Blue Note Master Tapes!
The Definitive issue of this classic Blue Note title!
This item not eligible for any further discount offers!
THE SOUND:
Mono or Stereo? Rudy Van Gelder first began recording Blue Note sessions in stereo in March of 1957. From then until an October 30, 1958 Art Blakey session, Rudy simultaneously ran both mono and stereo session tapes. The stereo presentation revealed more air, more detail and more sheer life than the mono. The mono playback was a wonderful remembrance of the old LP we all knew and loved. The stereo playback from the original masters was eerie. It was like going back in time to that day in RudyÂ’s studio. Quite simply, the stereo masters revealed more of what it was like to be there that day.
Why 45rpm? Simply...Because it sounds better! 180 gram pressings versus 200 gram? Music Matters, Lt. uses 180 gram pressings for the simple reason that they believe 180 gram weight is more than sufficient to provide a near perfect pressing. When Music Matters asked their friends at Record Technology Inc. for their recommendation to achieve the highest possible quality pressings their answer was unequivocal... go with 180 gram!
Upgrading Connections at Acoustech! It goes without saying that there are many controversies and debates in the perfectionist audio/LP collector market. But one area of near universal agreement is the quality of mastering that emerges from Kevin GrayÂ’s custom-built AcousTech Mastering studio in Camarillo, CA. Kevin, along with Steve Hoffman, has provided many of the best sounding new and reissued albums on LP during the last 5 or 6 years working outs of AcousTech.
THE JACKETS:
Music Matters Exclusive! Music Matters strongly feels that these Blue Note recordings deserve nothing less than the finest graphic presentation. The Music Matters Definitive 45RPM Blue Note jackets are designed to last a lifetime, using ultra-durable extra thick cardboard stock and thick, luxurious lamination... quality youÂ’ll 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.
THE REVIEWS:
Hear what Michael Fremer, Wayne Garcia and others are saying about the Blue Note Definitive 45rpm Reissue Series from Music Matters, Ltd:
"TheyÂ’re BIG and open and definitely work in stereo because theyÂ’re not hard left/right stereo. The cymbals are so "chimey" and the skins so open! Even Rudy's typical boxy piano isn't too bad. These are going to be really good....!!!! (Real time reaction after hearing his first test pressing of Horace ParlanÂ’s SpeakinÂ’ My Piece LP.)" - Michael Fremer, Stereophile Magazine
"I’ve heard a lot of Blue Note originals and myriad reissues over the years, but based on the sample test pressings heard so far, none—and I mean none—convey the intensity of living, breathing music-making the way the Music Matter’s Blue Note series does. The sense of air, texture, and dynamic pop in these grooves is astonishing." - Wayne Garcia, The Absolute Sound
"Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers “The Big Beat” and Horace Parlan, “Speakin’ My Piece.” And if this is any indication of what’s to come, I advise you to get on the list now, before this collection is sold out." - Albert Porter, www.positive-feedback.com
"The Music Matters 45s have all immediacy and add a free-flowing naturalness that is surprising at first but very easy to get used to." - Marc Mickelson, www.soundstage.com
"Towering just as its title suggests, "Luminous Monolith," the album's centerpiece, has Rivers and Byard playing off each other as they teeter between melody and pensive solo runs. So often great jazz is about the musicians' journey -- the route they take to reach wherever they're going. Not Fuchsia Swing Song, which exists firmly in the moment, sounding as fresh today as it did in the mid-1960s...The Music Matters sound has come to define Blue Note recordings in the new millennium. It's more contemporary, more high-res, than that of original LPs and especially the RVG-series CDs. Dynamics are freewheeling, and the bottom end is extended and enhanced. The stereo soundstage unfolds with great lateral spread, and everything pops out of the noise floor due to the very quiet pressings. The gatefold sleeves continue to set the standard for heft and pizzazz... Joe Harley and Ron Rambach of Music Matters once again demonstrate impeccable taste and informed guidance regarding the titles they choose to reissue... The music is vital and the presentation definitive." - John Crossett, www.theaudiobeat.com
One of the unsung greats of the 1960s Sam Rivers has remained a vital force ever since. At the time that he recorded Fuchsia Swing Song, he was a master at playing both inside and outside at the same time, blurring the lines between hard bop and the avant-garde. Rivers, who early on played piano, violin and trombone before settling on the tenor, picked up experience playing with Herb Pomeroy's orchestra in the 1950s. In the early '60s he gradually became involved with the freer forms of jazz, performing with Archie Shepp, Bill Dixon, Paul Bley and Cecil Taylor. Rivers spent a month as a member of the Miles Davis Quintet in 1964 and later that year recorded Fuchsia Swing Song, a brilliant debut. With Jaki Byard, Ron Carter and Tony Williams, Rivers stretches hard bop and blues to the breaking point. He shows tenderness as he introduces his most famous original, "Beatrice," and tears into such numbers as "Downstairs Blues Upstairs" and "Ellipsis." Throughout this timeless album, Sam Rivers shows that he was a true giant, one who possessed a very individual style and the ability to create innovative music with every note.
Harley and Ron Rambach of Music Matters once again demonstrate impeccable taste and informed guidance regarding the titles they choose to reissue. The Blue Note catalog has a number of musical experiments that don't completely pan out, but these two albums [BNLP4184-45 Sam Rivers Fuchsia Swing Song & BNLP4165-45 Jackie McLean Destination... Out!] are not among them. The music is vital and the presentation definitive.” – Marc Mickelson, www.theaudiobeat.com, 4.5/5 Music, 4/5 Sound!
Click Here to read the entire review!
"I urge any jazz lover to consider Music Matters' superb reissue of Rivers' 1965 Blue Note debut, Fuchsia Swing Song. With Jaki Byard (piano), Ron Carter (bass), and Tony Williams on drums, Rivers' tenor sax speaks freely and eloquently, yet with great focus. His tone richly textured and throaty, his style smart yet earthy. His six tunes for this album range from the energetic bop of the title track, to more laidback blues-based numbers in which his band mates prove muy simpatico... The recording is among the best from Van Gelder's solid-state years: immediate and dynamic, with an organic balance, tonal naturalness, and vivid sense of four guys making music in the same space together." - Music 4/5, Sonics 4/5 - Wayne Garcia, The Absolute Sound, February 2013, p. 142
"The recording is among the best from Van Gelder's solid-state years: immediate and dynamically expressive, with an organic feeling of balance, tonal naturalness, and the solid expression of real musicians in a real place." - Wayne Garcia. The Absolute Sound, Issue 257
Features:
• Numbered, Limited Edition
• Remastered from the Original Rudy Van Gelder Blue Note Master Tapes!
• Remastered by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman at Acoustech
• Cut at 45rpm for Better Sound!
• Pressed on two 180 gram Virgin Vinyl LPs by RTI
• Ultra-Durable, Extra Thick Album Jackets
• Gatefold Album with Session Photos in stunning High Resolution
Musicians:
Sam Rivers, tenor saxophone
Jaki Byard, piano
Ron Carter, bass
Tony Williams, drums
Selections:
1. Fuchsia Swing Song
2. Downstairs Blues Upstairs
3. Cyclic Episode
4. Luminous Monolith
5. Beatrice
6. Ellipsis
"The albums are being cut at 45 RPM for maximum quality by Kevin Gray and me using our full ANALOG disk cutting system; most studios cannot even cut vinyl in 100% true analog anymore (they convert to digital first) but we can. The original Rudy Van Gelder engineered stereophonic session tapes are used when we master these gems. The sound quality is amazing on our test cuts. Like from heaven. First totally uncompressed versions of these jazz classics that IÂ’ve ever heard and trust me, you will be impressed; they sound like no other releases of this music."
"The sound is lifelike, the horns are in the room with you. Our non-invasive mastering insures the true breath of life on these original Van Gelder session tapes is transferred to the virgin vinyl with absolute authenticity. It is like hearing these BLUE NOTE masterpieces for the first time and that is NO exaggeration. When we heard the first lacquer acetate playback from our first mastering session I thought Joe Harley was going to pee in his pants he was so excited. Actually we all were; after 50 years of many lackluster and some downright bad sounding versions of these albums, hearing the real deal is a humbling experience, even for us hardened music veterans. You will be able to listen to the music exactly like we did..." - Steve Hoffman
