More of the Music of Dexter Gordon

Hot Stamper Pressings of Blue Note Albums Available Now

This Blue Note LP is without a doubt ONE OF THE BEST SOUNDING JAZZ RECORDS WE’VE EVER HEARD. We were auditioning a bunch of jazz records today (4/25/07), and when the needle hit the grooves on this one we were ABSOLUTELY BLOWN AWAY.

I can’t think of one jazz record we’ve ever played here at Better Records with this kind of WHOMP. Everything here is so rich and full — nothing like a typical Blue Note album.

Both the sax and the trumpet sound UNBELIEVABLY GOOD — airy and breathy with lots of body and clearly audible leading edge transients. It’s hard to find a Blue Note where the horns aren’t either too smooth or too edgy, but here they have just the right amount of bite. The overall sound is open, spacious, tonally correct from top to bottom and totally free from distortion. We’ve heard good copies of this album before, but this one is MAGICAL.

The presence and immediacy on this copy are STUNNING. Just listen to the snare drum at the beginning of Coppin’ The Haven — it sounds like someone is bangin’ that thing in your living room.

We’ve never heard a Blue Note with this kind of clarity, this kind of transparency, and this much life. We rate it an A+++ on both sides — Master Tape Sound, As Good As It Gets.

This copy has the power of live music. When we turned it up loud, it was as if we were right up front at one of the best jazz concerts imaginable. The music is every bit as good — soulful hard bop played superbly and passionately. Just listen to Donald Byrd blowing his lungs out on his own Tanya, or Gordon’s lyrical solo on Darn That Dream — these guys are pros at the top of their game.