A Great if flawed Reissue

[S Clark]

A friend gave me an LP to take home and get my thought on it.
Vinyl Lovers 6785409 Chet Baker and Bill Evans Complete Recordings.  It's actually a re master of most of the contents of two albums, "Chet" and  "Chet Baker Lerner and Lowe".  Just so happens I have both, the first on Original Jazz Classics, and the other the original pressing in stereo. 
Why am I bothering with this review? Because the sound on this new version is some of the best trumpet and sax (Pepper Adams baritone, Zoot Sims alto/tenor) tonality I've ever heard on vinyl.  Let me repeat that, some of the best I've ever heard.   Evans is mostly in the background, so understand that this is a mellow horn album.
Compared to the early pressings ( which are good ones), it just jumps off the vinyl.   These guys really are in the room. 
Baker, Evan, Herbie Mann, Pepper, Zoot, Paul Chambers, Philly Jo, and a kid named Clifford Jarvis. 
Even though I have all the music already, I've bought a NM copy (I hope).  Beware of new, there are some shady look a likes out there.   
Now there are flaws.  It isn't the quietest pressing, with a few tics.  Paul Chambers bass isn't quite as clear as on the earlier analogue pressings.  But holy cow, those horns are to die for. 

[Nick B]

I did a search on Roon and it didn’t come up in Tidal or Qobuz. I sure wanted to hear it. Then found Chet Baker Plays The Best Of Lerner And Lowe, but Roon garbled the playback even though it’s perfect on Qobuz. Tough to figure out these glitches sometimes. Thanks for posting.

[S Clark]

My Chet Baker plays Lerner and Lowe is the 1960 stereo pressing.  It's a NM- copy and plays pretty clean, but it's just another good record of a jazz icon.    This new repressing is special.  The sound guys caught lightning in a bottle. 

[S Clark]

To follow up... I've done a bit of research on Vinyl Lovers Records.  Seems they are owned by a company (Lilith) that is owned by a group out of Moscow.  Almost certainly their sources are sketchy... probably taken from cd's.  It's a DMM pressing (supposedly) which might mean pressed by Teldec in Germany. 

So, be aware it might be illegally sourced.  Still stand by the sound.  Even if they're crooks, they made a fine record. 

Caveat Emptor rules again. 

[S Clark]

I did a search on Roon and it didn’t come up in Tidal or Qobuz.

I'd bet it's because of it's sketchy origins.  Most certainly grey market. 

[Nick B]

I did a search on Roon and it didn’t come up in Tidal or Qobuz.

I'd bet it's because of it's sketchy origins.  Most certainly grey market.

Can you come up with a couple of other albums that are fine SQ? I’ll see if that corresponds to good sound on the CD via streamer.

[S Clark]

Sure.  Since I was talking about the brass section, look for the soundtrack to the 1967 "Casino Royale"...  and idiotic movie with a great soundtrack.  The brass cuts are by Herb Alpert, and he's never sounded better.  Also on it is Dusty Springfield's "The Look of Love"... which is good buy not great. 
It's been on Audiophile lists for decades, but is just now seeing prices going stratospheric. 

[Nick B]

Sure.  Since I was talking about the brass section, look for the soundtrack to the 1967 "Casino Royale"...  and idiotic movie with a great soundtrack.  The brass cuts are by Herb Alpert, and he's never sounded better.  Also on it is Dusty Springfield's "The Look of Love"... which is good buy not great. 
It's been on Audiophile lists for decades, but is just now seeing prices going stratospheric. 

Thanks, Scott. I have a number of choices on Tidal and Qobuz

[tmazz]

Nick, here is a pair that have great music as well as great sound:

Ben Webster: Gentle Ben



and......

Gene Ammons: Boss Tenor



Both are available on Tidal and Qobuz

[tmazz]

Sure.  Since I was talking about the brass section, look for the soundtrack to the 1967 "Casino Royale"...  and idiotic movie with a great soundtrack.  The brass cuts are by Herb Alpert, and he's never sounded better.  Also on it is Dusty Springfield's "The Look of Love"... which is good buy not great. 
It's been on Audiophile lists for decades, but is just now seeing prices going stratospheric. 

I have several versions on LP all of which are very nice, but from what I can remember, the US CD release on Varèse Sarabande was not good sounding at all. The horns tended to get rather hard and shrill. I have to admit the CD got almost no play time since the sound was IMHO , sub par and I had some good sounding vinyl pressings to fall back on. But that was back in the early 90s, so maybe my gear at the time was partly to blame. I still have the CD, but it is too late to listen too it at  a proper volume. If I get some time tomorrow I will give it a spin and report back.

[tmazz]

And if you want to get away from jazz I would suggest checking out the two Wilson Audiophile recordings of Lowell Graham and the National Symphonic Winds




Two of the best brass recordings I have ever heard and both can be found on Qobuz.

[Nick B]

Casino Royale - The Best Of James Bond by The Big Screen Orchestra streamed via Roon

I finally found the soundtrack and the recording is good…not great. A bit disappointing, but I sure enjoyed the music. It’s been years since I’ve listened to it.



16/44

[Nick B]

And if you want to get away from jazz I would suggest checking out the two Wilson Audiophile recordings of Lowell Graham and the National Symphonic Winds




Two of the best brass recordings I have ever heard and both can be found on Qobuz.

Winds of War and Peace is excellent 👍 On to the other album.

[Nick B]

The All-Star Percussion Ensemble: Bizet: Carmen Fantasy / Beethoven: Scherzo from the Ninth Symphony / Pachelbel: Canon / Berlioz: March to the Scaffold from Symphonie Fantastique - arranged and conducted by Harold Farberman streamed via Roon

I stumbled onto this via Roon. Excellent, dynamic. Highly recommended.



16/44  Qobuz

[Nick B]

And if you want to get away from jazz I would suggest checking out the two Wilson Audiophile recordings of Lowell Graham and the National Symphonic Winds




Two of the best brass recordings I have ever heard and both can be found on Qobuz.

Winds of War and Peace is excellent 👍 On to the other album.
Center Stage is excellent as well. Very enjoyable 🎶🎶  Thanks, Tom