"Thelonious Himself" CD comparison

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Wie Gehts?, Sep 17, 2008.

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  1. Wie Gehts?

    Wie Gehts? New Member Thread Starter

    The Keepnews Collection version of this title was released yesterday with the usual 24-bit mastering by Joe Tarantino and retrospective notes by Orrin Keepnews. I had to order a copy online as my local Borders won't be selling it so I can't comment on the sonics yet but if past Monk reissues in this series are any indication, it should at least sound better than the OJC version.

    Does anybody own the JVC XRCD version? If so, was it mastered by Alan Yoshida at A&M in Hollywood? He did a fantastic job on the Bill Evans XRCDs.
     
  2. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Alan did a nice job. Sounds like a flat transfer.

    Many engineers have a tendency to boost top frequencies on piano recordings because the instrument sounds "dull" to them. Of course this is terrible for us because it makes the instrument sound unnatural and brings out tape hiss, distortion, etc. that was not really highlighted before.

    Have not heard the new version though, probably will be OK.

    Not a fan of this album but I remember it was recorded nicely. In some hall up north or something, right? San Francisco?
     
  3. Wie Gehts?

    Wie Gehts? New Member Thread Starter

    Are you thinking of Thelonious Alone in San Francisco, perhaps? That album was recorded at Fugazi Hall in 1959 and was Monk's second solo LP.
     
  4. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Yeah, sorry.
     
  5. il pleut

    il pleut New Member

    probably at reeves in nyc.
     
  6. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Gotta show me the cover for me to remember. I mastered them both..
     
  7. Claude

    Claude Senior Member

    Location:
    Luxembourg
    Maybe the second solo *LP*, but already the third solo recording session, the first being the one recorded for the Vogue label in Paris 1954

    http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fxfrxqegldhe
     
  8. il pleut

    il pleut New Member

  9. Wie Gehts?

    Wie Gehts? New Member Thread Starter

    Thelonious Himself was recorded at Reeves.
     
  10. Wie Gehts?

    Wie Gehts? New Member Thread Starter

    Here you go.
     

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  11. Wie Gehts?

    Wie Gehts? New Member Thread Starter

    I didn't know that Monk recorded for any label other than Blue Note, Prestige, Riverside and Columbia. Thanks.
     
  12. JHC3

    JHC3 Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago
    Recorded for Black Lion too (London Collection volumes).
     
  13. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    To answer one of the questions in your first post, yes, the first XRCD version of Thelonious Himself was mastered by Alan Yoshida at A&M Mastering Studios, Hollywood. The catalogue number is JVC VICJ-60170. Great album.

    Monk recorded for Blue Note (1947-1948, 1951-1952), Prestige (1952-1954), Vogue (1954), Riverside (1955-1961), Columbia (1962-1968) and Black Lion (1971, his last recordings). The Vogue and Black Lion recordings were reissued by Mosaic on a now long OOP set. They might still be available on separate CDs.
     
  14. Wie Gehts?

    Wie Gehts? New Member Thread Starter

    Hans,

    In your opinion, is the Yoshida XRCD the best-sounding version extant of Himself (realizing that you probably haven't heard the new Keepnews Collection CD)?
     
  15. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    To my ears it is, at least of the versions I've heard - which include the OJC and a few later Japanese 20-bit K2 remasters.
     
  16. Wie Gehts?

    Wie Gehts? New Member Thread Starter

    To expand the scope of this thread a bit, do you feel that the Analogue Productions Riverside Tenor Sessions collection of gold CDs represents the best-sounding versions of those seven Monk combo albums?
     
  17. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    I compared most of the discs in that set to their OJC equivalents a long time ago and preferred the box versions, which were mastered by Kevin Gray. Pity they don't have the extra tracks that are on the OJCs. I still have the box, the OJCs and also the Japanese Complete Riverside Recordings box from 1988 (I'm a big Monk fan :)).
     
  18. Murphy13

    Murphy13 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland
    I just picked up a pristine XRCD version on the cheap and it sounds fantastic. I'm a sucker for solo piano. This is one album I have not seen much in the used bins
     
  19. Murphy13

    Murphy13 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland
    My version must be a japan import. The booklet has both Japanese and English wording. My othe XRCD's only has English
     
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