The Blue Note Thread

[Ghost]

Quick question:

Are Blue Notes with the solid blue label with a white B generally well regarded? My local just got a big haul of Blue Notes but most of the titles I want have that label and I’m just not sure what I’m walking in to. The store is pricing just about all of em around $30

 

[stpaulbrowns]

Quick question:

Are Blue Notes with the solid blue label with a white B generally well regarded? My local just got a big haul of Blue Notes but most of the titles I want have that label and I’m just not sure what I’m walking in to. The store is pricing just about all of em around $30

This guide should help: Blue Note Records: complete guide to the Blue Note labels

Generally speaking, those pressings are decent - somewhere in the middle quality-wise.

 

[Speedracer]

Quick question:

Are Blue Notes with the solid blue label with a white B generally well regarded? My local just got a big haul of Blue Notes but most of the titles I want have that label and I’m just not sure what I’m walking in to. The store is pricing just about all of em around $30

Check if they have Van Gelder or RVG in the deadwax. If so, they should be pretty good. Otherwise I would be cautious. Also, I feel like $30 is pretty steep for those pressings, especially those without the van Gelder stamp.

 

[Selaws]

Quick question:

Are Blue Notes with the solid blue label with a white B generally well regarded? My local just got a big haul of Blue Notes but most of the titles I want have that label and I’m just not sure what I’m walking in to. The store is pricing just about all of em around $30

Check if they have Van Gelder or RVG in the deadwax. If so, they should be pretty good. Otherwise I would be cautious. Also, I feel like $30 is pretty steep for those pressings, especially those without the van Gelder stamp.

I agree with @Speedracer on this one, whilst they can be quite good, $30 seems to be on the steep side of things. There are a handful of first-time releases that fell into the 1970's blue/white B era which are very good and likely worth that price, but on average I would say they can/should be found for a lot less. Even here in the UK (where Blue Note's seem to be on the high price side by default) those ones are typically cheaper.

 

[marshall]

Check if they have Van Gelder or RVG in the deadwax. If so, they should be pretty good. Otherwise I would be cautious. Also, I feel like $30 is pretty steep for those pressings, especially those without the van Gelder stamp.

With RVG stamp good, without... find a RVG Liberty for the same price or cheaper. You can do better than $30 either way.

 

[Ghost]

With RVG stamp good, without... find a RVG Liberty for the same price or cheaper. You can do better than $30 either way.

Check if they have Van Gelder or RVG in the deadwax. If so, they should be pretty good. Otherwise I would be cautious. Also, I feel like $30 is pretty steep for those pressings, especially those without the van Gelder stamp.

I agree with @Speedracer on this one, whilst they can be quite good, $30 seems to be on the steep side of things. There are a handful of first-time releases that fell into the 1970's blue/white B era which are very good and likely worth that price, but on average I would say they can/should be found for a lot less. Even here in the UK (where Blue Note's seem to be on the high price side by default) those ones are typically cheaper.

Phew. Spent $29 on this at a local and to my ears it sounds pretty good, but I’m on an LP60 so who knows. Just checked though, VAN GELDER is stamped in deadwax. In other exciting news, this store at random offers a 50% off any record discount after you complete a purchase so I’m headed back today for my first Tone Poet. Looks like it’s between Wayne Shorters Et Cetera and Sam Rivers Contours.

 

[Dtknuckles]

Phew. Spent $29 on this at a local and to my ears it sounds pretty good, but I’m on an LP60 so who knows. Just checked though, VAN GELDER is stamped in deadwax. In other exciting news, this store at random offers a 50% off any record discount after you complete a purchase so I’m headed back today for my first Tone Poet. Looks like it’s between Wayne Shorters Et Cetera and Sam Rivers Contours. View attachment 21553

Don't mean to blow up your spot but...which store?

 

[Ghost]

Don't mean to blow up your spot but...which store?

The Record Parlour in Hollywood. Usually I avoid it because they overprice their stuff and don’t even bother cleaning the records so it’s hard to tell what you’re going home with but I can’t resist, they recently acquired a 1500+ record plus jazz collection with a lot of Blue Notes

 

[bother]

Phew. Spent $29 on this at a local and to my ears it sounds pretty good, but I’m on an LP60 so who knows. Just checked though, VAN GELDER is stamped in deadwax. In other exciting news, this store at random offers a 50% off any record discount after you complete a purchase so I’m headed back today for my first Tone Poet. Looks like it’s between Wayne Shorters Et Cetera and Sam Rivers Contours. View attachment 21553

This is a good buy... a very good buy. That's a relatively rare record in general. I usually avoid white-Bs but if it has the vangelder stamp, it's probably pretty decent.

 

[Ghost]

This is a good buy... a very good buy. That's a relatively rare record in general. I usually avoid white-Bs but if it has the vangelder stamp, it's probably pretty decent.

Well that’s literally music to my ears then! Thanks for weighing in! Just got back from the same store 10 mins ago and came home with these two. Got the sealed TP for $17!

 

[Dtknuckles]

The Record Parlour in Hollywood. Usually I avoid it because they overprice their stuff and don’t even bother cleaning the records so it’s hard to tell what you’re going home with but I can’t resist, they recently acquired a 1500+ record plus jazz collection with a lot of Blue Notes

I always see FB adverts for that store, never been though. It's pretty big isn't it?

 

[stpaulbrowns]

Well that’s literally music to my ears then! Thanks for weighing in! Just got back from the same store 10 mins ago and came home with these two. Got the sealed TP for $17!View attachment 21556

Damn, I LOVE that Shorter. Still my fav Tone Poet. (But there are a lot of close 2nds!)

 

[Ghost]

I always see FB adverts for that store, never been though. It's pretty big isn't it?

Yeah it’s a pretty good size. Each section has its own healthy section to shine, even spoken word and what not. My go to in LA is Going Underground, that’s the shop where every time I go they always have that one album I’ve been looking for in perfect condition for super cheap and I walk out a happy camper but I go to The Record Parlour every once in a while! Just riskier buys in my opinion.

Damn, I LOVE that Shorter. Still my fav Tone Poet. (But there are a lot of close 2nds!)

What’re your top 5 Tone Poets (if you can list it)? This is my first TP and my second Wayne Shorter record! Actually just got Schizophrenia VMP edition from the PIF thread last week, so I’m just starting to explore Shorter!

 

[Selaws]

What’re your top 5 Tone Poets (if you can list it)? This is my first TP and my second Wayne Shorter record! Actually just got Schizophrenia VMP edition from the PIF thread last week, so I’m just starting to explore Shorter!

I will throw my hat in the ring here if thats ok? So far for me its been:

1. Donald Byrd - Chant
2. Lee Morgan - Cornbread
3. Wayne Shorter - Etcetera
4. Chick Corea - Now He Sings, Now He Sobs
5. Andrew Hill - Black Fire

At least thats how I feel at the moment but it seems to change with each listen

 

[Selaws]

I shared this over on the Fresh Grabs thread but I got a Blue Note biggie today:

Lee Morgan ‎– Leeway (Blue Note, 1961 first mono pressing, 47 WEST 63rd - NYC, RVG & Ear stamps, deep groove)

Im on my second listen of the day and its just crazy good. Nothing beats a top condition mono IMO, and this is a decent example of one for sure. The album itself has such a good track listing, and Morgan seems to play really well with this group, each musician has a really strong playing style but it mixes really well together. There's also a track on this called 'The Lion And The Wolff', dedicated to Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff, which I think goes to show how much respect the musicians had for the founders of the label!

 

[bother]

Hey guys, I hate to bring this up again but I was wondering if anyone wouldn't mind confirming something for me. On Etcetera, the second track Penelope, there's a moment in the very beginning where you hear something... slow down. It happens in the first 10ish seconds, so you'll hear it right away. It sounds like a tape speed issue. I'm only mentioning it now because I happened to catch it while listening a bit ago and I had to go back a couple times to make sure I wasn't hearing things. I even have the Japanese version of Etcetera, called The Collector, and listened to that same track--but no tape speed issues. It actually sounds much better overall, but anyway. Anyone else hear it?

That sort of begs the question: how much does it matter? It's such a minor thing... barely noticeable and it's only for maybe a couple seconds or so.

My top 5 TPs are:

1. Corea, Now He Sings Now He Sobs
2. Shorter, Etcetera
3. Morgan, Cornbread
4. Brooks, Minor Move
5. Introducing Kenny Burrel

 

[stpaulbrowns]

What’re your top 5 Tone Poets (if you can list it)? This is my first TP and my second Wayne Shorter record! Actually just got Schizophrenia VMP edition from the PIF thread last week, so I’m just starting to explore Shorter!

Shorter - Etc
Green - Born to Be Blue
Gordon - Clubhouse
Morgan - Cornbread
Burrell - Introducing Kenny Burrel

 

[Dtknuckles]

Damn, I LOVE that Shorter. Still my fav Tone Poet. (But there are a lot of close 2nds!)

It's my favorite Shorter. I'll take it any day over Speak No Evil.

 

[jamieanderson1968]

For me its (in no particular order)

• Tina Brooks - Minor Move
• Dexter Gordon - Clubhouse
• Lee Morgan - Cornbread
• Chick Corea - Now He Sings
• Stanley Turrentine - Hustlin'

But I have been very happy with all that I have bought. Still looking to pick up Contours and Etc

 

[dhodo]

You guys are sleeping on Contours.