Analogue Productions Vinyl, CD & Tape 154 Items

Miles Davis — Birth of the Blue Smash follow-up to what many consider the greatest jazz record ever! Four more songs from the pioneering ensemble that produced Miles Davis' Kind of Blue! Modal jazz precursor laid groundwork for future jazz innovation! 180-gram vinyl Mastered by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab from a new 30 ips quarter-inch stereo master tape transferred from the original 3-track session tapes Plated and pressed at Quality Record Pressings for flawless production and superior fidelity! Stoughton Printing Old Style tip-on gatefold heavyweight jacket with scuff-resistant matte finish Miles Davis's Kind of Blue was the number-one jazz album in history. It totaled five songs. There are four more songs from that same historic group, recorded in the same time period and at the same studio. And here they are. These songs deserve to stand on their own with artwork to highlight the quality of the music and that matches the time period of the recording. This is a rare opportunity to have a smash follow-up to what many consider the greatest jazz record ever! Through the years, these four remarkable performances — all from a single recording session in 1958 and all exemplary of the sound of Miles Davis' legend-loaded sextet of that year — have not been served well. They have been largely treated as add-ons for other compilations. Now, for the first time, Analogue Productions, the audiophile in-house reissue label of Acoustic Sounds, Inc., together with Quality Record Prssings, has deservedly given these tracks a stellar stand-alone release for jazz fans to savor! The once-in-a-generation lineup that recorded these tunes is the very same that would be immortalized for the enduring classic they would record almost a year later, Kind of Blue. Davis played trumpet sublime with his ensemble sextet featuring pianist Bill Evans, drummer Jimmy Cobb, bassist Paul Chambers, and saxophonists John Coltrane and Julian "Cannonball" Adderley. Undervalued since their recording, the tunes on this album reflect historial and musical significance. They offer early glimpses into the modal jazz that Kind of Blue would bring to the forefront. Using modes common in modern classical music, rather than the chords of popular songs, Miles had begun to experiment with the new approach on the Milestones recording sessions previously. Analogue Productions is proud to present Birth of the Blue in an exclusive first-of-its-kind stand-alone release that reflects our reputation for meticulous production, capturing authentic sound with clarity, depth and fidelity that exceeds the audiophile standard. For this release, we started with the original 3-track recording session tapes that were mixed down to a brand-new 30 ips quarter-inch stereo master tape by senior mastering engineer Vic Anesini at Battery Studios. From that stereo master tape, Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab cut the lacquers at 33 1/3 RPM utilizing the legendary Doug Sax's custom all-tube system and cutting lathe. The lacquers were plated and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings. Lastly, the Stoughton Printing tip-on gatefold jacket with a deluxe scuff-resistant matte finish is the highest quality available. The artwork has an incredible spot-on look to a 1959 Columbia records release! Features: • Pioneering Ensemble: Captured the same rare and short-lived alignment of jazz legends including Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb, as heard on the historic Kind of Blue. • Innovative Sound: The session represented a crucial transition in jazz, blending elements of hard bop with early modal jazz influences, showcasing the ensemble's experimentation and forward-thinking approach. • Undervalued Legacy: Despite its historical and musical significance, the session's recordings have been historically overlooked, often relegated to being add-ons in compilations rather than recognized as standalone masterpieces. • Modal Jazz Precursor: Offered early glimpses into the modal jazz that would later be fully realized in Davis's groundbreaking album "Kind of Blue," laying the groundwork for future jazz innovation. • Impact on Artists: Served as a critical point of development and confidence for the musicians involved, particularly Bill Evans, who noted the significant impact of this experience on his own identity and style. • Historical Context: Occurred at a peak moment in Miles Davis's career, following his signing with Columbia Records and his critical and commercial successes with albums such as ‘Round About Midnight and Miles Ahead. • Revealed backstory: Extensive liner notes by the Grammy Award-winning author Ashley Kahn, who also penned the estential book, Kind Of Blue — The Making Of The Miles Davis Masterpiece

180-gram 45 RPM 4LP set from Analogue Productions! Mastered by Bernie Grundman from the original analog master tape • Buena Vista Social Club's famed album captivates with Cuban music! • Plated and pressed at Quality Record Pressings • Includes 12-page booklet with lyrics and studio images • Tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jackets with film lamination by Stoughton Printing / Transport yourself to the vibrant streets of Havana with the Buena Vista Social Club's eponymous album, a captivating journey into the heart of Cuban music! Recorded in 1996 by acclaimed producer Ry Cooder, this timeless masterpiece celebrates the rich tapestry of Afro-Cuban rhythms and soulful melodies that have enchanted audiences for generations. Buena Vista Social Club is both the name given to this extraordinary group of musicians and the album, recorded in just seven days in 1996 in Havana's 1950s vintage Egrem studios. From the infectious energy of "Chan Chan" to the heartfelt nostalgia of "Dos Gardenias," each track immerses listeners in the intoxicating blend of son, bolero, and guajira styles. Led by legendary musicians such as Ibrahim Ferrer, Compay Segundo, and Omara Portuondo, the Buena Vista Social Club ensemble delivers performances that are as exuberant as they are intimate, capturing the essence of a bygone era while igniting a passion for Cuban music that knows no bounds. The acclaim of the original album has elevated the artists (including Ibrahim Ferrer, Rubén González and Omara Portuondo) to superstar status, inspired an award-winning film by Wim Wenders, and has contributed to popularizing Cuba's rich musical heritage. Produced by Ry Cooder for World Circuit, the timeless quality of the music and the sheer verve of the veteran performers have ensured that this will go down as one of the landmark recordings of the 20th century. This 45 RPM Analogue Productions reissue pressed by Quality Record Pressings on four dead-silent LPs makes every note a transcendent experience. Meticulously crafted using the finest materials and exacting standards, this reissue pays homage to the golden age of vinyl, capturing the warmth and depth of the original recording in stunning detail. The package includes a 12-page booklet with lyrics and stunning studio images, topped off by a tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jacket made by Stoughton Printing. Embark on a musical odyssey filled with warmth, joy, and the irresistible allure of Havana nights!

"Quiet Kenny" is yet another reminder of what a trumpet giant Kenny Dorham was. Whether limning ballads such as "My Ideal", "Alone Together", "I Had The Craziest Dream", and "Old Folks", or investigating the timelessness and intricacies of the blues (his originals in this set with "Blue" in their titles), the former Charlie Parker cohort and ex-Jazz Messenger exhibits his subtle swing, personal sound, and finely-honed harmonic sense. Along the way these reflections and connections with Bird, Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, Harry James, and Louis Armstrong make for a rich legacy. With Tommy Flanagan, Paul Chambers and Arthur Taylor.

John Coltrane Quartet — A Love Supreme Analogue Productions' Uhqr, the pinnacle of high-quality vinyl! 45 RPM Ultra High Quality Record release. Limited to 10,000 copies. Mastered from the original tape by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound Pressed at Quality Record Pressings using Clarity Vinyl® Includes a 12" x 12" 12-page booklet featuring liner notes by Ashley Kahn and images from the Coltrane home

Audiophile reviews rave about saxophone master John Coltrane's immortal Impulse! records, A Love Supreme (1964) and Ballads (1963). In fact, jazz critics have lauded A Love Supreme as Coltrane's most important recording. The rave reviews which appeared in the magazines Downbeat, Jazz Hot, Jazz Podium and Swing-journal reflected this: critics all over the world, in America, Europe and Japan recognized that Coltrane's deep religious belief had influenced both his approach to life and his music-making.

You're about to experience A Love Supreme at its peak of vinyl perfection — in Uhqr format on Clarity Vinyl, with the added bonus of a double 45 RPM cut by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound. Ryan's cut has his characteristic clarity and transparency all set against Quality Record Pressing's usual noiseless backgrounds on 200-gram flawless records. Each Uhqr will be packaged in a deluxe box and will include a booklet detailing the entire process of making a Uhqr along with a hand-signed certificate of inspection. This will be a truly deluxe, collectible product.

For this 45 RPM 2LP edition you'll also receive a 12" x 12" 12-page booklet featuring liner notes by Ashley Kahn and images from the Coltrane home.

The original master tape is available but it's not in the best shape. This LP was cut from a flat tape copy made by Rudy Van Gelder and used for cutting in the UK in April of 1965. Of course, the original recording was in December '64, so only a handful of months later. This tape was discovered at Abbey Road and had been untouched between 1965 and 2002. So while the original tape is available and while we would always opt for the original whenever we can, in this case this copy was the better choice as the tape has incurred less overall wear and sounds much better than the original.

A Love Supreme was Coltrane's pinnacle studio outing that at once compiled all of his innovations from his past, spoke of his current deep spirituality, and also gave a glimpse into the next two and a half years (sadly, those would be his last). Recorded at the end of 1964, Trane's classic quartet of Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner, and Jimmy Garrison stepped in and created one of the most thought-provoking albums of their relationship.

The album not only enabled Coltrane to express himself with great intensity but also lent him the necessary inner peace to conceive a work of almost 40 minutes in length and to lead his quartet along the same path as himself.

Pressed on 2x 200g

Miles Davis Kind of Blue meets Analogue Productions' UHQR, the pinnacle of high-quality vinyl!
Definitive limited run reissue Ultra High Quality Record!
45 RPM double LP release limited to 25,000 copies
Best-selling album in jazz history; mastered by Bernie Grundman from the original 3-track master tapes
Pressed at Quality Record Pressings using Clarity Vinyl®
Purest possible pressing and most visually stunning presentation and packaging!
Dream team of Davis, Adderley, Coltrane, Evans, Kelly, Chambers, Cobb make history

Legends have a way of sticking around. If there was ever an album awaiting a high-fidelity, custom-pressed vinyl treatment of the level you now hold in your hands, it is Miles Davis' Kind of Blue. The top-selling jazz album of all time, it has been lauded, entered into "Best Of" lists and Halls of Fame, and universally acknowledged as a landmark recording — a five-track masterpiece of melancholy mood and melody.

It continues to be one of the most listened-to and studied recordings of all time, a required primer for many young musicians, and one of the most transcendent pieces of music ever recorded. Davis played trumpet sublime with his ensemble sextet featuring pianist Bill Evans, drummer Jimmy Cobb, bassist Paul Chambers, and saxophonists John Coltrane and Julian "Cannonball" Adderley with Wyton Kelly playing piano on "Freddy the Freeloader."

Now Analogue Productions, the audiophile in-house reissue label of Acoustic Sounds, Inc., together with Quality Record Pressings, is putting Kind of Blue where it belongs: the Ultra High Quality Record (UHQR) pressed on Clarity Vinyl with attention paid to every single detail of every single record.

The 200-gram records will feature the same flat profile that helped to make the original UHQR so desirable. From the lead-in groove to the run-out groove, there is no pitch to the profile, allowing the customer's stylus to play truly perpendicular to the grooves from edge to centre. Clarity Vinyl allows for the purest possible pressing and the most visually stunning presentation. Every UHQR will be hand inspected upon pressing completion, and only the truly flawless will be allowed to go to market. Each UHQR will be packaged in a deluxe box and will include a booklet detailing the entire process of making a UHQR along with a hand-signed certificate of inspection. This will be a truly deluxe, collectible product.

For this 45 RPM 2LP edition we've set the bar for excellence higher. Lifelike distinct detail that was palpable enough in 33 1/3 RPM is holographic at 45. Four glorious sides of 200-gram vinyl from QRP, the best presser in the business, reduces distortion and high frequency loss as the wider-spaced grooves let your stereo cartridge track more accurately.

Kind of Blue is more than Miles Davis's most enduring recording, it's a testament to Miles' experimental approach, drastically simplifying modern jazz by returning to melody unlike the chord complexity more often heard at the time. "The music has gotten thick," Davis complained in a 1958 interview for The Jazz Review. "... There will be fewer chords but infinite possibilities as to what to do with them." Kind of Blue is, in a sense, all melody — and atmosphere.

None of the musicians had played any of the tunes before heading into the first of two recording sessions in early spring of 1959. In fact Miles had written out the settings for most of them only a few hours before the session. Miles also stuck to his old recording procedure of having virtually no rehearsal and only one take for each tune.

Miles remained proud of the album, performing at least two of its tracks — "So What" and "All Blues" — for years after, until his musical path took him in a different direction.

History was on the side of Kind of Blue; it was born in 1959, at the peak of the golden age of high-fidelity, featuring innovations in studio equipment (magnetic tape, high-quality condenser microphones), matched by advancements in home audio reproduction (long-player records — LPs; high-end turntables, and other stereo components). Kind of Blue also benefited from Miles' being signed to the leading major record company of the day — Columbia Records, a part of the CBS media conglomerate. Columbia had the means and wisdom to invest in cutting edge recording technology, and their own professional recording studio.

A minor audio complication with Kind of Blue has been addressed with this UHQR edition. The motor on the studio's 3-track master recorder was running slowly the day of the album's first session. This speed issue affected the album's first three tracks, "So What," "Freddie Freeloader" and "Blue in Green," making them a barely perceptible quarter-tone sharp. Before now, it was only addressed in 1995 for the Classic Records edition and by Columbia Records — or their latter-day parent, Sony Music — on a CD reissue in the late '90s.

Sixty years have passed; this LP bridges that time span in the best way possible, struck from the master reel of Kind of Blue, free of speed issues and replete with all the instrumental detail, sonic environment and minimal noise. As we set out to make our UHQR series the world's best-sounding vinyl records, we have also used Clarity Vinyl, which is free of any carbon black pigment which might introduce surface noise. All-in-all this edition of Kind of Blue meets the highest audiophile standards and offers the truest sound for the most enjoyment.

This is one of the best-selling jazz records ever. But among audiophiles, it may not be as well known as some of the other genre classics.
Jazz pianist, composer, bandleader, Grammy-nominee, and Kennedy Center legend Ahmad Jamal has for five decades been one of the most successful small-group leaders in jazz and one of the genre's all-time great pianists. His artisty, talent and creative abilities have thrilled audiences and been broadly proclaimed by musician and music lover alike. "At The Pershing: But Not For Me" is Jamal's dazzling fountain of creative splendor in full flow.
In 1956 Jamal's new trio (with Israel Crosby on bass and Vernell Fournier on drums) began a residency at Chicago's Pershing Hotel, and two years later the group recorded "At The Pershing: But Not For Me", which spent 108 weeks among the Top Ten best selling albums. Recorded on Jan. 16, 1958 at the Pershing Lounge in the hotel, each set played that night was recorded for a total of 43 tracks, eight of which were selected by Jamal for the album.
AllMusic rates the album 4 stars, calling it a turning point in Jamal's career. The album became one of the best-selling records in the history of the Chess Records label. But it's often forgotten that a jazz pianist called Ahmad Jamal played a major role in filling up the label's coffers and widening its audience.
Jamal, from Pittsburgh, was a child prodigy who started playing piano at age 3 and, as a teen, caught the ear of jazz great Art Tatum. Then, after moving to Chicago, in 1948, he was eventually discovered by visionary record producer John Hammond. Hammond gave Jamal his first shot at recording in 1951, but it was seven years later, when the pianist was signed to Chess Records, that his career truly skyrocketed.
"At The Pershing: But Not For Me" topped America's jazz charts for months and established a 107-week residence in Billboard's album charts.
»That album sold over one million copies and is still selling«, Jamal says. He attributes its success to the power of music. »It's contagious. Music belongs to the world. So something that is of value, whether it's Ravel's Boléro or, specifically, "At The Pershing", the world listens. And if it's good, you're going to get one or two listeners... and I got a few more than two!«
The Analogue Productions reissue LP you hold has matchless listenability, employing steps calculated to extract the highest-quality transfer and playback from the original master tape. Mastering took place at Sterling Sound, while plating and 200-gram pressing is by our own Quality Record Pressings, where the best-sounding LPs with dead-quiet surfaces are produced. A Stoughton Printing old-style tip-on jacket completes the package.

180g

You may or may not know of Tony Joe White, but we all know his two most famous songs — "Polk Salad Annie" and "Rainy Night In Georgia". This record is up to the standards of those great numbers. So soulful, humid, rich and textured. Or as Tony Joe would say, »It's swampy«.
And because it's such a classic, such a southern musical touchstone, we've gone and upped the ante — making this standout a 45rpm double LP release. Veteran audiophiles know and hear the difference. With more LP real estate, inner groove distortion is reduced and tracking by your stereo cartridge is improved. That's a major sonic advantage! Mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio from the original analog tape, this LP sounds phenomenal from the first note to the last fade out.
The last four songs on side two of this album are going to positively floor you. They are so sparse and bluesy and emotional. And the sound is as good as the music. With this new QRP pressing, the sound is so good it's tape-like. So solid and jet-black is the foundation from which the music just jumps. Ya gotta hear it to understand what we're trying to describe. It's one of those jaw-hit-the-floor, sit-in-stunned-silence, goose-bump-raising, tears-in-your-eyes records. You know, the kind we're all looking for as audiophiles?
When Chad decided to reissue this album, he knew that it wasn't going to be a top-seller. But it's one of his all-time favorites for music and sound, and we feel that whoever takes a chance on this one is going to be richly rewarded. We gotta figure this one is going to end up being one of the favorites of some of our customers, too. If you trust us at all, you can buy with great confidence.
"Homeade Ice Cream" was originally released in 1973 on Warner Bros. and was co-produced by White and legendary Atlantic producer Tom Dowd. It's White's sixth overall record and his third for Warner Bros. This is very much a back porch acoustic affair. The music has the space to breathe, one of the reasons for the life-like sound.

200g 2LP 45rpm

Get your motor runnin' baby — Steppenwolf's "Gold: Their Great Hits" took its title literally. The towering rock album success rang in at No. 24 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart and became certified gold for record sales in excess of 500,000 units by the Record Industry Association of America (riaa) in April 1971. AllMusic praised the production and engineering of most of the tracks and called it a »nearly perfect introduction« to the band. Acoustic Sounds and Analogue Productions want to introduce you to the most sonically perfect version of this historic album you've ever heard on vinyl. Our 200-gram reissue was remastered from the original analog tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Sound and plated and pressed by Gary Salstrom and his crew at Quality Record Pressings, makers of the world's finest-sounding LPs. And now — we've upped the ante even more for true audiophile bliss — the 45 RPM 2LP version reduces distortion and high frequency loss as the wider-spaced grooves let your stereo cartridge track more accurately. Natural tonalities, superb balances, pristine clarity and more are all revealed. The Canadian-American rock band, named for Hermann Hesse's mystical novel, rocketed to worldwide fame after their third single "Born To Be Wild" dropped in 1968. The song and Steppenwolf's version of Hoyt Axton's "The Pusher" figured prominently in the 1969 counterculture cult film "Easy Rider", and both show up on "Gold's" track list. Two other singles on this stunning album compilation also cracked the Top 10 on the charts: "Magic Carpet Ride" and "Rock Me". "Magic Carpet Ride" was released in 1968 on the album "The Second". It was written by band members John Kay and Rushton Moreve, peaked at No. 3 in the U.S. and stayed on the charts for 16 weeks, longer than any other Steppenwolf song. You also get the Don Covay soul cover "Sookie, Sookie", which got airplay on some soul stations nationwide, as well as rock 'n' roll radio. "Gold" also includes "Hey Lawdy Mama" the hit studio single from Steppenwolf Live. Steppenwolf enjoyed worldwide success from 1968 to 1972, when clashing personalities ultimately broke up the core group after a farewell concert in Los Angeles on Valentine's Day, 1972. Today, John Kay remains as the only original Steppenwolf member.

To meet the standards of Analogue Productions, our Beach Boys album reissues had a mission to achieve: Present the band's music the way that Brian Wilson — famed co-founder, songwriter and arranger — intended. Mono mixes created under Wilson’s supervision were how the surf rockin’ California crew rose to fame! And we’ve got ‘em!
For the early part of the Beach Boys' career, all of their singles were mixed and mastered and released only in the mono format — they didn't release a single in stereo until 1968. In those days, hits were made on AM radio in mono. And the mono of those times worked well for Wilson, who suffers from partial deafness. In fact, for their first 13 albums, Wilson originally turned in all the final mixed Beach Boy albums to Capitol Records only in mono. The mono mixes were where Wilson paid intense attention, and the dedication paid off!
We’ve taken 10 of the most classic, best-sounding Beach Boy titles ever and restored them to their mono glory!
But there’s no disputing that the close harmonies and one-of-a-kind rhythms of hits like “Surfer Girl”, “In My Room”, “Little Deuce Coupe” and more lend themselves naturally to stereo. So we’ve got your 2-channel needs covered with prime stereo mix versions as well.
Mastered by Kevin Gray, most from the original master tapes, and plated and pressed by Quality Record Pressings, the finest LP pressing facility in the world, these are awesome recordings to experience. And the look of each album befits its sonic superiority! Presented in 'old school' Stoughton tip-on jackets, these time honored favorites shine brighter than the originals!
"Pet Sounds" is famous for its use of multiple layers of unorthodox instrumentation as well as other cutting edge audio techniques for its time. It's considered the best Beach Boys album, and one of the best of the 1960s. The group here reached a whole new level in terms of both composition and production, layering tracks upon tracks of vocals and instruments to create a richly symphonic sound.
Conventional keyboards and guitars were combined with exotic touches of orchestrated strings, bicycle bells, buzzing organs, harpsichords, flutes, Theremin, Hawaiian-sounding string instruments, Coca-Cola cans, barking dogs, and more. It wouldn't have been a classic without great songs, and this has some of the group's most stunning melodies, as well as lyrical themes which evoke both the intensity of newly born love affairs and the disappointment of failed romance (add in some general statements about loss of innocence and modern-day confusion as well). The spiritual quality of the material is enhanced by some of the most gorgeous upper-register male vocals (especially by Brian and Carl Wilson) ever heard on a rock record. "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "God Only Knows", "Caroline No", and "Sloop John B" (the last of which wasn't originally intended to go on the album) are the well-known hits, but equally worthy are such cuts as "You Still Believe in Me", "Don't Talk", "I Know There's an Answer", and "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times". It's often said that this is more of a Brian Wilson album than a Beach Boys recording (session musicians played most of the parts), but it should be noted that the harmonies are pure Beach Boys (and some of their best).
VH-1 named "Pet Sounds" as the No. 3 album in the Top 100 Albums in Rock 'n' Roll History, as judged in a poll of musicians, executives and journalists. It's been ranked No. 1 in several music magazines' lists of the greatest albums of all time, including NME, The Times and Mojo Magazine. It was ranked No. 2 in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.

Recording: in mono

What would American southern rock be without the scorching sounds of Lynyrd Skynyrd? Analogue Productions and Quality Record Pressings have already brought you exceptional reissues of "Second Helping“ and "Nuthin' Fancy“. Back to the well then, we go, for two more Skynyrd favorites — the epic "Gimme Back My Bullets“ and the band's bluesy, hard-rocking 1973 debut "Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd“.
Remastered from the original analog tapes by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound, our Analogue Productions reissue of "Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd“ is the ultimate in luxurious reproduction and unbeatable sound. 200-gram plating and pressing by Quality Record Pressings, and a tip-on Stoughton Printing jacket round out the package.
The undeniable youthful hunger of "Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd“ pumps through the subtly witty songs, all strongly rooted in Southern heritage and working-class values. Independent of the most-requested tune in history, "Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd“ bleeds red, white, and blue and encapsulates the wondrous dichotomies of Southern rock.
Months before Lynyrd Skynyrd enjoyed the privilege of recording its debut, the band entered its seventh year of playing juke joints and assorted dives in a bootstraps effort to land a deal. During a residency at a hardscrabble Georgian club, the group's rambunctious rock, swaggering attitude, blue-collar determination, and country-reared cadence caught the ear of producer/musician Al Kooper. The rest is history. Kooper inked the ensemble to his new imprint and hustled everyone into a Georgia studio for sessions that occurred March through April 1973.
It's at the Studio One space that Lynyrd Skynyrd flashed scampering tempos, cutting give-and-take riffs, loose barroom lines, and off-the-cuff vocalese that entirely separated its approach from that of the more jazz-styled affairs of the Allman Brothers Band. Confederate flags, empty whiskey bottles, cocked pistols, rotgut habits, scorned women, and prodigal drifters populate the songs, nearly all written from first-person perspectives that add to their genuineness. Prophetic touches - twinkling piano notes, soaring mellotrons, a one-off harmonica - provide ideal complements to the intertwined guitar melodies and singer Ronnie Van Zant's comfortable gruffness and way of expressing local customs.

In 1960, the free jazz pioneered by Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, Horace Tapscott and a very few others was rejected by many musicians and most listeners. For the visionary saxophonist, clarinetist and flutist Eric Dolphy, it was simply new music fed by the mainstream, a logical extension of the jazz tradition. In "Far Cry" without leaving form behind, he incorporated the spirit of adventure and abandon with which free jazz at its best infused freshness into jazz. Recording with a pianoless quartet that used Ron Carter’s cello as the other melody instrument, Dolphy worked from chord patterns developed within structures that depart from ordinary 32-bar jazz and popular song forms. He used 30-bar, 35-bar and 18-bar structures, but he also observed standard practice with 12-bar blues, “Serene”. Dolphy’s speech-like improvisations and Carter’s bowed or plucked cello solos soar over the impeccable and responsive accompaniments of bassist George Duvivier and drummer Roy Haynes.

Virtually all serious and even casual music lovers ought to be familiar with, or at least are likely to have heard The Dave Brubeck Quartet, even without realizing it — for the quartet's best-known hit "Take Five" has graced the soundtracks of multiple films, including "Mighty Aphrodite," "Pleasantville" and "Constantine." The piece is famous for its distinctive, catchy saxophone melody, as well as its use of unusual 5/4 time — so distinctive, it's a rare jazz track that became a pop hit.
Including the monster hit "Take Five", the Brubeck Quartet's "Time Out" is a jazz and audiophile classic. Every album collection needs a copy. And now, cut at 33 1/3 RPM on 200-gram premium vinyl, pressed at Quality Record Pressings (Acoustic Sounds' own industry-lauded LP manufacturer), Analogue Productions brings you "Time Out" renewed.
Like its 45 RPM sibling, "Time Out" is presented here packaged in a deluxe gatefold jacket. Inside are eight fantastic black and white images shot during the recording session at Columbia's famous 30th Street Studios. Sony Music supplied the images for use in our SACD reissue, and gave us persmission to use them in our LP reissue as well.
The jacket is also special — very heavy-duty. It's produced for us by Stoughton Printing featuring a printed wrap mounted to a heavyweight chipboard shell, producing an authentic ‚old school‘ look and feel. This jacket is a beauty! Never has "Time Out's" colorful iconic cover art looked so vibrant.
The record label's sales executives didn't want a painting on the cover when "Time Out" debuted in 1959 on Columbia Records, Brubeck told an interviewer. An entire album of originals? That wouldn't work either, he was told. Some standards and some show tunes were needed in the mix. Fortunately, Brubeck ignored the conventional wisdom and "Time Out" became the original classic we know it as today. Brubeck became proof that creative jazz and popular success can go together.
The album was intended as an experiment using musical styles Brubeck discovered abroad while on a United States Department of State-sponsored tour of Eurasia. In Turkey, he observed a group of street musicians performing a traditional Turkish folk song that was played in 9/8 time, a rare meter for Western music. Paul Desmond, who was Brubeck's alto saxophonist, wrote "Take Five“, at Brubeck's urging to try and write a song in quintuple (5/4) time.
"Time Out" peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard pop albums chart and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. "Take Five" became a mainstream hit, reaching No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100, and No. 5 on Billboard's Easy Listening survey, the precursor to today's Adult Contemporary charts. The song was included in countless movies and television soundtracks and still receives significant radio play.

“Masterpieces By Ellington“ shines from an astonishingly brief period of history that gave the recording industry two of its greatest achievements — the introduction of magnetic tape recording and the 33 1/3 LP, or long-playing record.
Four years. That's all it took to go from the discovery by Americans, of German advancements in the field of sound recording, to the marketing of tape decks in the U.S. by the Ampex company, to Columbia's unveiling of its 12” LP, and the first long-playing record to be sold to consumers.
The four selections contained here catapulted the Maestro Ellington into the LP era, as the great composer/arranger/pianist and his matchless orchestra took full advantage of the possibilities afforded by magnetic tape recording and the still-new 33 1/3 RPM LP to, for the first time, capture uncut concert arrangements of their signature songs.
Suddenly, for the first time in his career, Ellington was able to forgo the 3 minutes-and-change restrictions afforded by the short running time of the 78 RPM disc. He and his band rose to the occasion with extended (11-minute plus) 'uncut concert arrangements' of three of his signature songs — “Mood Indigo”, “Sophisticated Lady”, with evocative vocals by Yvonne Lanauze, as well as “Solitude”. “Masterpieces“ was also notable for the debut of the full-bodied, surprise-laden “The Tattooed Bride”, and for the swansongs of three Ellintonian giants of longstanding: drummer Sonny Greer, trombonist Lawrence Brown and alto saxist Johnny Hodges (the latter two would eventually return to the fold).
“Masterpieces“ is a revelation and a throwback to a golden recording age. So much history and so much luck combined make this album truly special.