Mississippi John Hurt: 1928 sessions

[shutdown]

First there was 1928 Sessions (1988), then Avalon Blues: The Complete 1928 Okeh Recordings (1996), and now The Best of Mississippi John Hurt: Columbia Original Masters, released just last year. A review by Allmusic's Bruce Eder states the following about this newer compilation:

Musically The Best of Mississippi John Hurt is identical to Avalon Blues and 1928 Sessions. The main difference between this and the earlier Sony release is the packaging, with the cover art here made to resemble what a Mississippi John Hurt commercial 78 rpm album or early Columbia LP might've looked like. There are also some concise and informative notes from Arthur Levy, which state that this CD is the first collection of this material to be mastered off of original metal parts. The Avalon Blues CD made use of Sonic Solutions' "NoNoise" processing, which is not indicated here, suggesting that while the results are similar in fidelity -- and excellent -- this CD may have a more natural, less heavily processed sound; you'll be hard put to tell the difference in a blind listening test between the two.

Have any of you heard this, and if so, does it sound better than either of the previous two compilations? General discussion of these amazing sessions is also welcome.

[Greg1954]

Thanks for bringing this up, hadn't heard of it.

It's time for an updated re-mastering of this music.
'1928 Sessions' is a little dated sonically for what could be achieved now, while the 'Avalon' overuses NoNoise.
If this is indeed from metal parts, I would hope that it would be significantly better than than 'Avalon Blues.'

From what I've heard, this was really 'session.' Hurt sat down and recorded all the songs in one day.

[J.A.W.]

I haven't heard the new Sony CD, but Yazoo's 1928 Sessions is good enough for me. Sony's Avalon Blues sounded awful to my ears, heavily no-noised.

[boyfromnowhere]

I didn't know this was out, either. I only have the old Sony disc, so if this sounds better, maybe I'll pick it up at some point!

[lschwart]

Haven't heard the newer one. The "Avalon Blues" set does not sound good. The old Yazoo 1928 Sessions is lovely.

L.

[Evan L]

The Complete 1928 sessions disc is heavily NR'd.

Evan

[J.A.W.]

Originally Posted by Evan L

The Complete 1928 sessions disc is heavily NR'd.

Evan

The earlier Sony release (Avalon Blues: The Complete 1928 OKeh recordings) is no-noised, not the Yazoo.

[lschwart]

Originally Posted by Evan L

The Complete 1928 sessions disc is heavily NR'd.

Evan

You mean this one (Sony):

http://www.amazon.com/Avalon-Blues-C...9000429&sr=1-2


Not this one (Yazoo), yes?

http://www.amazon.com/1928-Sessions-...9000346&sr=1-1


L.

[shutdown]

There is also this 2004 compilation, Candy Man Blues, but it looks like it's just a UK reissue of the NoNoise'd Avalon Blues.

[EC3970]

Originally Posted by shutdown

First there was 1928 Sessions (1988), then Avalon Blues: The Complete 1928 Okeh Recordings (1996), and now The Best of Mississippi John Hurt: Columbia Original Masters, released just last year. A review by Allmusic's Bruce Eder states the following about this newer compilation:





Have any of you heard this, and if so, does it sound better than either of the previous two compilations? General discussion of these amazing sessions is also welcome.

I picked this up and compared it to the other versions.
To me it sounds exactly like the Avalon Blues collection, only a bit louder.

The reviewer is misleading by claiming that this was the first to be transferred off metal parts, although he’s quoting the insert.
“This collection, the first to be remastered from original metal parts...and pristine 78 sources”, may be true because it is actually a repackaging of the earlier version.

The 1996 Avalon Blues collection had, "these transfers from metal or shellac parts contain imperfections..."

I still think this version sounds good and wasn’t no-noised to death, when I want to hear Mississippi John Hurt and his guitar I play this, when I want to hear a 78 spinning around I play the Yazoo.

[RSharpe]

If this version sounds the same as Avalon Blues, only louder, what is the difference? If Avalon Blues was no-noised (forum supposition), it sounds like this one was as well. Or am I missing something here?

Originally Posted by EC3970

I picked this up and compared it to the other versions.
To me it sounds exactly like the Avalon Blues collection, only a bit louder.

The reviewer is misleading by claiming that this was the first to be transferred off metal parts, although he’s quoting the insert.
“This collection, the first to be remastered from original metal parts...and pristine 78 sources”, may be true because it is actually a repackaging of the earlier version.

The 1996 Avalon Blues collection had, "these transfers from metal or shellac parts contain imperfections..."

I still think this version sounds good and wasn’t no-noised to death, when I want to hear Mississippi John Hurt and his guitar I play this, when I want to hear a 78 spinning around I play the Yazoo.

[EC3970]

Originally Posted by RSharpe

If this version sounds the same as Avalon Blues, only louder, what is the difference? If Avalon Blues was no-noised (forum supposition), it sounds like this one was as well. Or am I missing something here?

Avalon Blues was no-noised, that's not a forum supposition it's proudly stated in the liner notes, if forum members can actually hear it is another subject...

My assumption was that this is the no-noised 1996 transfer but that it was possibly compressed to make it louder. I didn't do wave form comparisons - it didn’t sound squashed just louder.

[RSharpe]

So why do you prefer the new version, if they are both no-noised, and this one has more compression?

Originally Posted by EC3970

Avalon Blues was no-noised, that's not a forum supposition it's proudly stated in the liner notes, if forum members can actually hear it is another subject...

My assumption was that this is the no-noised 1996 transfer but that it was possibly compressed to make it louder. I didn't do wave form comparisons - it didn’t sound squashed just louder.

[EC3970]

Originally Posted by RSharpe

So why do you prefer the new version, if they are both no-noised, and this one has more compression?

I guess my post does read that way. I'm not recommending this new version – I think the Avalon Blues CD is a better buy with complete notes about the recording sessions.

And I would also recommend the Yazoo, especially since it could be out-of-print soon, and because they are transfers from a different source.

[J.A.W.]

Originally Posted by EC3970

I guess my post does read that way. I'm not recommending this new version – I think the Avalon Blues CD is a better buy with complete notes about the recording sessions.

And I would also recommend the Yazoo, especially since it could be out-of-print soon, and because they are transfers from a different source.

The sources used by Yazoo are original 78s.

[RSharpe]

Ok, gotcha now. I have the Avalon Blues and wondered if the new one was a substantial upgrade. The Avalon Blues sounds ok to me. I'll just stick with that one

Originally Posted by EC3970

I guess my post does read that way. I'm not recommending this new version – I think the Avalon Blues CD is a better buy with complete notes about the recording sessions.

And I would also recommend the Yazoo, especially since it could be out-of-print soon, and because they are transfers from a different source.

[Laservampire]

The Yazoo would be perfect if it wasn't for the added reverb (OOPs it and have a listen!)

I wish they had gotten around to re-doing this title before they stopped making new CDs

[bodine]

The paucity of songs always bugged me about these Columbia retreads; I've stuck with my old Document "Greatest Songsters" disc, which neatly combines the Hurt sides with 5 Rabbitt Brown classics and two from Hambone Willie Newbern.

[Greg1954]

Originally Posted by Laservampire

The Yazoo would be perfect if it wasn't for the added reverb (OOPs it and have a listen!)

I wish they had gotten around to re-doing this title before they stopped making new CDs

The Yazoo approach, minus the (minor) reverb and with the kind of better de-clicking that could be accomplished now would be ideal.

Though, lest I seem too critical, I've happily listened to the Yazoo many times and likely will many times more. It's still a pretty good disc.

[shutdown]

Thanks for the insight about the 2009 "Best of" guys, sounds like it's just a louder version of the 1996 release. In any case I'll probably get all 3 releases, if only because it creates variety for these amazing sides.

I just wrote a review for the Yazoo release. Thought you guys might want to read it:

http://www.amazon.com/review/R3T3OBT...cm_cr_rdp_perm