Impulse (Acoustic Sounds series)

"...the pressing is solid — manufactured at Quality Record Pressings — with dark black 180-gram vinyl that is well centered. It sounds great and sounds like what I would expect a 1964 Impulse Records release to sound like — it does not feel like the recording has been overly EQ'd or modernized along the way. So kudos again to Ryan K. Smith who has handled all the mastering for the Acoustic Sounds releases at Sterling Sound — if you look closely at the run-out-groove (aka "dead wax") you'll see his initials and the "Sterling" stamp. The cover art is again, like most of the Acoustic Sounds and Tone Poet series reissues I've encountered, manufactured to a very high standard that is arguably better than the originals - super glossy laminated sleeves made of thick cardboard with superb quality reproduction of the original artwork, design and photography. ... If you are a vinyl and Coltrane fan, you'll probably want to pick up one of these fine reissues sooner than later as they tend to disappear from store shelves quickly." — Mark Smotroff, Audiophile Review, Sept. 14, 202. Read the entire review here. "Mastered by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound from the original analog tapes, the Acoustic Sounds vinyl edition of the stereo recording stands out for its transparency, pinpointing the individual contributions of each band member and also capturing the synergy of an ensemble that, since its first performance in 1960, continued to reach new musical heights. The deep, woody sound of Jimmy Garrison's bass solo on 'Lonnie's Lament' and the timbre of Elvin Jones' drum solo on "The Drum Thing" have a startling in-the-room presence." — Music = 5/5; Sound = 4.5/5 — Jeff Wilson, The Absolute Sound. "Recorded in December of 1964, A Love Supreme was Coltrane's biggest seller and the record most familiar to casual listeners. However, if called on to satisfy myself with a single Coltrane album for the rest of time, the title I would choose is Crescent. ... Rudy Van Gelder recorded the music on Crescent during two sessions. ... Crescent was recorded in stereo only and released in both mono fold-down and stereo versions. ... Remastered by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound, this reissue, which was pressed at Quality Record Pressings, blends the channels into a seamless soundstage, one that sounds more natural than that of my original mono pressing. ... In some subtle ways relating to air and delicacy, I'd have to give the slight edge to my original mono pressing, but this reissue's increase in dynamics and punch, coupled with the wonderful soundstage and impressive tonal quality, make it the one I'll reach for most often." — Music = 5/5; Sound = 4.5/5 — Dennis Davis, The Audio Beat. Read Davis's full review here. "Two new Coltrane reissues on vinyl, from the partnership of Universal Music and Acoustic Sounds typify the breadth of (Coltrane's) range and the depths of his explorations. ... The sound quality of both, engineered by Rudy Van Gelder and mastered by Ryan Smith, is very good, with caveats. ... On Crescent, Coltrane is vivid throughout, but on the tracks recorded in April, the piano and drums sound thin; on the tracks from June they sound fine. Luckily 'Wise One' and 'Lonnie's Lament' were laid down in June. These are classics." — Fred Kaplan, Stereophile, April 2022 "Ryan Smith has done a masterful job (no pun intended) with what again sounds like a master tape copy (unless the original tape has just lost some top end) at least based on a 'top end' comparison where on the original Coltrane's sax has greater 'presence' texture and air and Jones's drum kit more natural sizzle — as well as there being more 'room air' — but it's also easy to make a case for far better bass and piano presentation on the reissue. Rudy's original sounds as if he's rolled off the bottom and done a bit of compression. Overall if forced to choose one, I'm not sure I'd take the original over the new reissue, though I'm not selling the original (mine's a second label, red/black, but otherwise a first pressing). That's how good this is." — Music = 10/11; Sound = 10/11 — Michael Fremer, AnalogPlanet.com. To read Fremer's full review, click here. Released in 1964, Crescent is one of sax master John Coltrane's finest albums, featuring the talents of McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones. During 1964 John Coltrane spent the least amount of time in the recording studio of his entire solo career. It wasn't until April 27 that ‘Trane, along with Tyner, Garrison and Jones went to the familiar surroundings of Rudy Van Gelder's Englewood Cliff's studio to begin work on the album that came to be called, Crescent. They recorded all the tracks that appear on Crescent, along with "Songs Of Praise," but not the final versions of the album's five tracks. From that first day's recording the ones that make the final cut are, "Lonnie's Lament," "The Drum Thing" and "Wise One." The first two of these three tracks make up all of side two of the album and on "Lonnie's Lament" Coltrane does not solo at all, instead it features a long bass solo by Garrison. Garrison's widow recalled that this album along with A Love Supreme, which was released a year later in 1965, were the two that her husband listened to the most.

"A comparison between this reissue and an original Impulse produced a sonic draw with each having its own attractive qualities — warmer original versus more transparent reissue — but the reissue is pressed on far quieter vinyl and given a choice I'd take the reissue. Musical and sonic fireworks well worth getting." — Music = 10/11; Sound = 10/11 — Michael Fremer, AnalogPlanet.com. Read the whole review here. On January 20, 1963, bassist and composer Charles Mingus recorded in just one session — astonishingly — a very personal and socially conscious work he titled The Black Saint & The Sinner Lady. With liner notes written by Mingus's psychotherapist, the album uses ornate ensemble orchestration to produce a sound somewhere between jazz and folk. Released on Impulse! Records in 1963, the album consists of a single continuous composition — partially written as a ballet — divided into four tracks and six movements. Of his adventurous and hauntingly eloquent work, among his other creations, Mingus said: "My music is evidence of my soul's will to live."  The evidence of that life-force amounts to some of the most dramatic and powerful jazz composed in the 20th century. Mingus was born in Arizona on April 22, 1922 and raised in Los Angeles. He was taught double-bass by Red Callendar, and by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra's Herman Rheinshagen (classical music played as big a part in his compositional thinking as gospel songs and the blues). Mingus toured with New Orleans players Louis Armstrong and Kid Ory in the 40s, and later worked briefly with Lionel Hampton and Duke Ellington. If he had been an improvising instrumentalist alone, Mingus would have been a jazz legend simply for his bass playing. Yet bass-playing also gave Mingus an insight into the low sonorities and inner hamonies of jazz composition, and his melodic approach was profoundly influenced by the blues and gospel music of his childhood.

"Another superb release from the Acoustic Sounds Series of reissues for Verve/Universal Music Enterprises! Mastered by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound, supervised by Chad Kassem himself, and pressed at QRP, the results are simply breathtaking. ... Along with the Gil Evans Out of the Cool release, this is my favorite reissue so far. Bravo to Chad and his entire team. Originally released on the Impulse label in 1965, this is truly a jazz classic and without question this is Oliver Nelson's magnum opus." — Read Robert S. Youman's review for Positive Feedback online here. "The Blues and the Abstract Truth is one of my favorite jazz recordings. What a group of heavy-weight performers! Besides Oliver Nelson on tenor sax, you've got the incomparable Bill Evans on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Paul Chambers on bass, Roy Haynes on drums, and Eric Dolphy on flute and alto sax. This is the jazz equivalent of a super-group." — Jim Hannon, AVguide.com Here we go with another round from the Acoustic Sounds Series. Seeking to offer definitive audiophile grade versions of some of the most historic and best jazz records ever recorded, Verve Label Group and Universal Music Enterprises' audiophile Acoustic Sounds vinyl reissue series utilizes the skills of top mastering engineers and the unsurpassed production craft of Quality Record Pressings. All titles are mastered from the original analog tapes, pressed on 180-gram vinyl and packaged by Stoughton Printing Co. in high-quality gatefold sleeves with tip-on jackets. The releases are supervised by Chad Kassem, CEO of Acoustic Sounds, the world's largest source for audiophile recordings. As Oliver Nelson is known primarily as a big band leader and arranger, he is lesser known as a saxophonist and organizer of small ensembles. Blues And The Abstract Truth is his triumph as a musician for the aspects of not only defining the sound of an era with his all-time classic "Stolen Moments," but on this recording, assembling one of the most potent modern jazz sextets ever. Lead trumpeter Freddie Hubbard is at his peak of performance, while alto saxophonists Nelson and Eric Dolphy (Nelson doubling on tenor) team to for an unlikely union that was simmered to perfection. Bill Evans (piano), Paul Chambers (bass) and Roy Haynes (drums) can do no wrong as a rhythm section. Originally released in 1961. Musicians: Oliver Nelson, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone George Barrow, baritone saxophone Paul Chambers, bass Eric Dolphy, flute, alto saxophone Bill Evans, piano Roy Haynes, drums Freddie Hubbard, trumpet

"If anything, Sonny Rollins on Impulse! feels as if it were a recording Rollins had to get out of his system. But thank goodness for us because it's a winner through and through." — AllMusic Seeking to offer definitive audiophile grade versions of some of the most historic and best jazz records ever recorded, Verve Label Group and Universal Music Enterprises' new audiophile Acoustic Sounds vinyl reissue series utilizes the skills of top mastering engineers and the unsurpassed production craft of Quality Record Pressings. All titles are mastered from the original analog tapes, pressed on 180-gram vinyl and packaged by Stoughton Printing Co. in high-quality gatefold sleeves with tip-on jackets. The releases are supervised by Chad Kassem, CEO of Acoustic Sounds, the world's largest source for audiophile recordings. In 1965 and 1966, tenor giant Sonny Rollins issued three albums for the Impulse! label. They were his last until 1972 when he re-emerged from a self-imposed retirement. Here on this July 8, 1965 date, Rollins attacks five standards with a quartet that included pianist Ray Bryant, bassist Walter Booker and drummer Mickey Roker. Rollins digs deeply into pulse and rhythm, leaving melody to take care of itself. AllMusic says "This is not a 'new thing' date but instead focuses on playing according to the dictates of the rhythm section and on interchanging with Booker and Roker, leaving much of the melodic aspect of these tunes to Bryant. Rollins could never quite leave the melody out of anything he played because of his intense gift as a lyrical improviser; he nonetheless stripped his approach back and played tunes like 'On Green Dolphin Street' by improvising according to theme rather than strict melody, where his interplay with the rhythm section becomes based on the dynamic and shifting times played by Roker. While things are more intimate and straight on 'Everything Happens to Me,' he nonetheless plays the edges, filling the space like a drummer. Melody happens throughout, the tune is recognizable, but it is stretched in his solo to a theme set by the shimmering cymbals and brushed snare work of Roker. The oddest cuts in the set are the last two; spaced out readings of 'Blue Room,' and 'Three Little Words'; they sound as if he were preparing the listener for a true change in his approach. "Melody gets inverted, with spaces and syncopation taking the place of notes. The swing is inherent in everything here, but it's clear that the saxophonist was hearing something else in his head, the way he squeezes notes tightly into some phrases where they might be placed elsewhere, and substitutes small, lithe lines inside Bryant's solos which dictate the harmonic intervals more conventionally with his singing approach. And speaking of rhythm, the album's hinge piece is the burning calypso 'Hold "Em Joe.' Here again, as Bryant's changes play it straight, Rollins shoves his horn inside them and draws out the beat on his horn over and over again."

"One of the great Ellington albums, one of the great Hawkins albums and one of the great albums of the 1960s." — The New York Times Even though Duke Ellington and Coleman Hawkins had both been well-known jazzmen since the early 1920s and continued to be successful until their deaths, their only recorded encounter was the LP Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins (Impulse AS-26), taped in 1962 and presented here in its entirety. Hawkins had been an admirer of Duke Ellington's music for at least 35 years at this point and Ellington had suggested they record together at least 20 years prior to their actual meeting in 1962. Although it would have been preferable to hear the tenor sax great performing with the full orchestra, his meeting with Ellington and an all-star group taken out of the big band does feature such greats as Ray Nance on cornet and violin, trombonist Lawrence Brown, altoist Johnny Hodges, and baritonist Harry Carney. High points include an exuberant "The Jeep Is Jumpin'," an interesting remake of "Mood Indigo," and a few new Ellington pieces. This delightful music is recommended in one form or another. Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, on August 18, 1962 and released in February 1963 by Impulse! Records. Musicians: Coleman Hawkins, tenor sax Duke Ellington, piano Ray Nance, cornet and violin Johnny Hodges, alto sax Harry Carney, baritone sax and bass clarinet Aaron Bell, bass Sam Woodyard, drums

The classic 1962 album Duke Ellington & John Coltrane introduces the rising jazz saxophone innovator performing with the long-established piano institution Duke Ellington. "Perhaps looking to renew his inspiration or maybe simply wanting to broaden his horizons, Duke Ellington began a string of collaborations in the second half of his career — whereas before that, his own band was stimulus enough. Whatever the reason, almost all of his collaborations succeeded at high levels, although none of his shared sessions are more intriguing on the surface than this 1962 date with the preeminent sax star of the day. "In reality, the record amounts to 'Coltrane Plays Ellington' (plus one Coltrane original) because the tenor man is the whole show — and what a show it is. Only Coltrane could be as 'fiercely tender,' and there's no better forum for his sensitive side than the music of Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, who contributes the album's true vertex, 'My Little Brown Book.' The rhythm section alternates between Duke's and Trane's, each adding a different texture to the proceedings. Ellington is wise enough to appreciate the nature of the session, and he is quite content to feed chords in service of the young master--proving the old master's open mind and good taste. Hearing Coltrane seize 'In a Sentimental Mood' is thanks enough." — Marc Greilsamer At a gathering of Ellington band alumni organized by Jazz at Lincoln Center, bassist John Lamb recalled the sessions for Duke Ellington & John Coltrane: "There was no music on that whole date. Nobody had a chart. We came in and we were standing there, waiting to see what would happen. 'Trane would go and sit on the piano bench with Duke. They didn't talk, but Duke would be singing ... and 'Trane would go ... Then, after they did that for a few minutes, they got up. 'Trane would go to his microphone, Duke would start playing, and the rhythm section, we had to do for ourselves, you know. That's it. He didn't even tell you the key. He could communicate without words, and 'Trane could hear it." On "Take the Coltrane," the two play in a quartet of Coltrane's bandmates of the day, bassist Jimmy Garrison and drummer Elvin Jones (Ellington men Lamb and drummer Sam Woodyard also played on the album). — JazzIz Magazine Recorded on September 26, 1962 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

"I listened to both sides of the Coltane VV LP. The s/n ratio on these superb pressings makes the music come alive like never before. I've listened to this album in so many forms: original vinyl, the first MCA reissues, also the MCA vinyl with the awful green labels. The way this album was mastered, the state-of-the-art pressings makes you realize that RVG actually did a superb job in capturing the on-stage magic of these live sessions. I never really thought that before! Congrats to Chad Kassem and all the team" — Tom Schnabel, Emeritus Producer, KCRW's Rhythm Planet "Two new Coltrane reissues on vinyl, from the partnership of Universal Music and Acoustic Sounds typify the breadth of (Coltrane's) range and the depths of his explorations. ... The sound quality of both, engineered by Rudy Van Gelder and mastered by Ryan Smith, is very good, with caveats. Vanguard is from a second LP master; the original tapes vanished long ago. ... This reissue lacks the full warmth and air of the original pressing, but good luck finding one. This is much better than any other reissue." — Fred Kaplan, Stereophile, April 2022 "If you get a chance to compare an original A-10 with this reissue you'll appreciate how fine this reissue sounds but you'll also hear greater texture to Coltrane's horn(s), far more 'room sound,' and especially cymbal 'ring'. The original is 'you are there' great, in part thanks to RVG's dozen microphone mixing, but you know what? If you never get to hear the original this reissue is 'you are there' great too." — Music = 11/11; Sound = 9/11 — Michael Fremer, AnalogPlanet.com. To read Fremer's full review, click here. Sax virtuoso John Coltrane "Live" at the Village Vanguard (Impulse! AS-10), was Trane's first official "live" album. Coltrane is joined here on two tunes by the wonderful Eric Dolphy on bass clarinet, plus veteran sidemen McCoy Tyner on piano, Elvin Jones on drums, and Jimmy Garrison & Reggie Workman alternating on bass. Right after the Village dates, Trane and Dolphy would embark on a successful European tour. Recorded live at the Village Vanguard, New York, November 2 & 3, 1961 Musicians: John Coltrane, tenor and soprano sax Eric Dolphy, bass clarinet on 1 & 5 only McCoy Tyner, piano Reggie Workman, bass on 1, 2, 5 & 6 Jimmy Garrison, bass on 3-5 Elvin Jones, drums

"Out Of The Cool is nearly as striking an album now as it must have been when it hit the bins in 1961. Not only is it Gil Evans' masterpiece and his best album that didn't front Miles Davis as a soloist; it's a peculiar masterpiece, stretching modal jazz to minimalist extremes yet soaking with swing. ... This Acoustic Sounds QRP pressing comes very close to the sound of the Impulse! original. Piano, percussion, guitar, bass, and horns all waft through what seems to be a vast space (perhaps the result of subtly mixed echo) with tonal colors, crisp transients, and bloom intact. Trombones lack some of the oomph heard on the original pressing, and in a few spots where horns play loud in unison, there's some distortion — a problem with the original as well. Otherwise, no complaints at all." — Performance = 5/5; Sonics = 4.5/5 - Fred Kaplan, Stereophile, August 2021. Read the entire review here. "The album is worth getting for the 15 minutes of 'La Nevada' alone but the rest is equally great including the cinematic side closer 'Where Flamingoes Fly.' ... The sonics here with a cut from the master tape by Ryan K. Smith (yes, the master tape- I have a current photo that for some reason I can't share with you) are incredibly transparent, spacious and flat-out thrilling ... and somewhat brighter and less mid-band rich than the long out of print Alto-Analogue edition Bernie Grundman cut in 1997. Both are worth having for different sonic reasons and if you have a clean original Rudy Van Gelder cut (A-4) you may think you are set, but that cut is less spacious, somewhat dynamically compressed, has the RVG lower bass roll-off and is definitely less transparent — not that it's bad and some people do like the more 'in your face' excitement. This one's here now though! Do not miss it!" — Music = 10/11; Sound = 10/11 - Michael Fremer, AnalogPlanet.com. To read Fremer's full review, click here. "And in keeping with past releases from these folks — and the Blue Note Tone Poet releases for that matter — the results are exemplary. The pressing quality is excellent, delivering pretty much everything you could want and expect from a reissue like this: 180-gram, dark black, dead quiet and perfectly centered vinyl. Kudos again to Quality Record Pressing (QRP) for that attention to important details." — Mark Smotroff, Audiophile Review, May 18, 2021. Read the entire review here. A groundbreaking jazz recording by the longtime Miles Davis collaborator Gil Evans highlights the latter's supreme and influential skills as a jazz orchestrator. This album is a brilliant example of Evans' ability to make a large orchestra sound like a smaller jazz combo using orchestrations that infuse the larger unit with the immediacy and spontaneity of the smaller. Out Of The Cool features some of Evan's finest compositions, including the famous "La Nevada" as well as a magnificent performance of George Russell's "Sratosphunk." Soloists include Budd Johnson (tenor), Johnny Coles (trumpet), Ray Crawford (guitar), Elvin Jones (drums), Ron Carter (bass) and Jimmy Knepper (trombone). The ensemble is superbly recorded by the legendary Rudy Van Gelder. A must-have for all lovers of jazz.