Top Artists – The Modern Jazz Quartet

Modern Jazz Quartet – European Concert, Volume 1

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  • The Modern Jazz Quartet’s superb live 1960 release returns on the rare Blue and Green Atlantic label
  • With two nearly Triple Plus (A++ to A+++) sides, this copy is close to the BEST we have ever heard, right up there with our Shootout Winner
  • Exceptionally spacious and three-dimensional, as well as relaxed and full-bodied – this early stereo pressing was a noticeable step up over every other copy but one
  • Recorded live in Sweden, this is the first of two volumes and widely considered among the group’s greatest performances
  • 5 stars: “Long considered one of, if not the classic album from the Modern Jazz Quartet, European Concert defines them simultaneously as a recording entity as well as a working band. MJQ presented jazz in the context of a formally structured environment, much like a chamber group in the classical context.”

A nearly impossible record to find on the original label in audiophile playing condition, especially in stereo. (more…)

The Original Jazz Classics Series Got Off to a Bad Start with Concorde

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The copy or copies we’ve auditioned in the past did not impress us sonically, so don’t expect to see Hot Stampers of this title on OJC coming to the Better Records website any time soon.

The music might be wonderful — we unreservedly follow the maxim  de gustibus non est disputandum — but the sound of this pressing is not likely to be of audiophile quality.

There may be great sounding pressings of the album – how could we possibly know there aren’t without playing every version ever pressed — but we’re pretty sure the OJC pictured here will always fall short of the mark.

If you know of a great sounding pressing of the album, feel free to let us in on what pressing you have and we might just pick one up and give it a listen.

We’ve auditioned countless pressings like this one in the 33 years we’ve been in business — buying, cleaning and playing them by the thousands. This is how we find the best sounding vinyl pressings ever made.  Not the ones that should sound the best. The ones that actually do sound the best.

If you’re an audiophile looking for top quality sound on vintage vinyl, we’d be happy to send you the Hot Stamper pressing guaranteed to beat anything and everything you’ve heard, especially if you have any pressing marketed to you as an audiophile.

And if we can’t beat whatever LP you own or have heard, you get your money back.  It’s as simple as that.

Tom Port

Better Records

TRACK LISTING

A1 Ralph’s New Blues 7:09
A2 All Of You 4:26
A3 I’ll Remember April 5:07
B1 Gershwin Medley: Soon / For You, For Me, Forevermore / Love Walked In / Our Love Is Here To Stay 7:55
B2 Softly, As In Morning Sunrise 7:57
B3 Concorde

Credits

Bass – Percy Heath
Design [Cover] – Bob Parent
Drums – Connie Kay
Engineer – Van Gelder*
Liner Notes – Ira Gitler
Photography [Cover] – Courtesy Of French Government Tourist Bureau
Piano – John Lewis (2)
Supervised By – Bob Weinstock
Vibraphone – Milt Jackson

Notes

Recorded in 1955.