ojcall

Monk and Coltrane on OJC is Bright, Compressed and Midrangey

Not long ago we dropped the needle on a copy of the album you see pictured (OJC-039) and thought the sound was not good enough to please the serious audiophiles we cater to, especially at the prices we charge.

As far as we can tell, based on this single pressing, this is not an album that would end up being worth the cost associated with finding, cleaning and playing enough copies for a shootout.

We can’t say that there aren’t good sounding pressings of the album though. If we happen to hear a good sounding one down the road, we would certainly consider spending the money to do a real shootout in order to make the better copies available to our customers.

Gary Hobish mastered the record so I suppose he deserves the blame, but who knows how good the tapes were that he had to work with?

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Jimmy Witherspoon / Evenin’ Blues

Hot Stamper Pressings of Soul, Blues, R&B, etc. Available Now

Not long ago we dropped the needle on a copy of the album you see pictured and thought the sound was good, but not really good enough to please the serious audiophiles we cater to, especially at the prices we charge.

As far as we can tell, based on this single pressing, Evenin’ Blues (OBC-511 ) is not an album that would end up being worth the cost associated with finding, cleaning and playing enough copies for a shootout.

We can’t say that there aren’t better sounding pressings of the album though. If we happen to hear a good one down the road, we would certainly consider spending the money to do a real shootout in order to make the better copies available to our customers.

Perhaps you have a pressing of the record you like. If so, please tell us more about it. You can email me at tom@better-records.com

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Kenny Dorham – Quiet Kenny

Hot Stamper Blue Note Albums Available Now

  • You’ll find solid Double Plus (A++) sound throughout this New Jazz recording pressed on exceptionally quiet OJC vinyl
  • It’s tubier, more transparent, more dynamic, with plenty of that “jumpin’ out of the speakers” quality that you won’t find on the average pressing
  • We guarantee there is dramatically more richness, fullness and presence on this copy than anything you have ever heard, and that’s especially true if you made the mistake of buying whatever godawful Heavy Vinyl pressing is currently on the market (which you can find discussed later on in the body of this listing)
  • 4 1/2 stars: “Cool and understated might be better watchwords for what the ultra-melodic Dorham achieves on this undeniably well crafted set of standards and originals that is close to containing his best work overall during a far too brief career.”

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Clifford Jordan – Starting Time

More Jazz Recordings Featuring the Saxophone

  • This vintage Jazzland recording pressed on remarkably quiet OJC vinyl boasts solid Double Plus (A++) sound or BETTER from first note to last
  • Both of these sides are remarkably rich, clear and transparent with sound that positively jumps out of the speakers
  • 4 stars: “A stirring set, to be sure, with good solo work all around and a rhythm section that, in addition to its flawless time-keeping, is all spunk and fire” – Down Beat

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Cannonball Adderley with Bill Evans – How Does the 80’s OJC Sound?

Hot Stamper Pressings of the Music of Cannonball Adderley Available Now

This is a very old commentary about a favorite record of ours here at Better Records, one I have been selling since the late 80s, first as a sealed, in-print title for about ten bucks, and later, after learning to how to clean records and do shootouts, as Hot Stampers.

After hearing nothing that could compete with the right OJC pressing for more than a decade, we recently discovered an even better sounding pressing of the same music.

Live and learn, we say. It’s what makes record collecting fun. The future is not yet written.

George Horn was doing brilliant work for Fantasy all through the ’80s. This album is proof that his sound is the right sound for this music.

The DCC Gold CD of the album is also excellent. As with many of the better DCC CDs, it’s proof that Steve Hoffman’s sound is also the right sound for this music. I recommended that Steve consider doing the title on Gold CD — you can see my credit below — and I am glad he found it to his liking. In general, I much prefer the sound of the DCC Gold CDs to the sound of the records they released.

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Paul Quinichette – On The Sunny Side, a Wonderful Pressing from the 80s

More Jazz Recordings Featuring the Saxophone

  • Both sides of this long out-of-print OJC title boast lively, big and clear Shootout Winning Triple Plus (A+++) MONO sound or close to it from first note to last
  • With three saxophones and a trombone, this is a fresh combination that really brings out the best in all the players during this Prestige jam session, a format for which they are justly famous
  • I raved about this album when it was in print many years ago – it’s solidly swinging jazz that belongs in your collection
  • 4 stars: “Waldron’s three originals (highlighted by ‘Cool-Lypso’) allow plenty of room for swinging, and Quinichette (who also performs ‘On the Sunny Side of the Street’) sounds comfortable interacting with the younger musicians. An enjoyable and underrated release.”

As I wrote years ago, back in the days when we regularly sent out catalog mailings:

When we discover a record like this, a record with no reputation either in the jazz world or the audiophile world, we try to bring it to people’s attention, usually with some success. Some of my customers called me up to tell me what a great record this is.

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Smooth Sailing Didn’t Make the Cut

Hot Stamper Pressings of Top Quality Jazz Albums Available Now

Not long ago we dropped the needle on a copy of OJC 323 and thought the sound was not good enough to please the serious audiophiles we cater to, especially at the prices we charge.

As far as we can tell, based on this single pressing, Smooth Sailing from 1988 on OJC is not an album that would end up being worth the cost associated with finding, cleaning and playing enough copies for a shootout.

We can’t say that there aren’t good sounding pressings of the album though. If we happen to hear a good sounding one down the road, we would certainly consider spending the money to do a real shootout in order to make the best sounding copies available to our customers.

As I’m sure you know, 1961, the year in which Smooth Sailing was first released, happens to be a great year for top quality analog recordings, as can be seen from this illustrious group of albums.

Rudy Van Gelder is an extremely talented engineer, one of the greatest of all time. I suspect that the problems with the sound of this OJC pressing were caused by poor quality remastering, something that does not surprise us in the least.

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Bill Evans – Everybody Digs Bill Evans

More of the Music of Bill Evans

  • This vintage Riverside recording pressed on OJC vinyl boasts STUNNING Shootout Winning Triple Plus (A+++) sound or close to it from start to finish
  • Some of you may have discovered that the original Bill Evans records on Riverside are mostly awful sounding – I can’t recall ever hearing one sound better than mediocre – so we are not the least bit worried that this Hot Stamper pressing won’t beat the pants off of the original, along with any reissue you may have, and of course the no doubt awful Analogue Productions 45
  • Marks in the vinyl are sometimes the nature of the beast with these vintage LPs – there simply is no way around them if the superior sound of vintage analog is important to you
  • “With the unmatched pair of former Miles Davis drummer Philly Joe Jones and bassist Sam Jones (no relation), Evans was emerging not only as an ultra-sensitive player, but as an interpreter of standards second to none.”

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Red Garland Trio – Bright And Breezy

More of the Music of Red Garland

  • Boasting two solid Double Plus (A++) sides or close to them, this Stereo Jazzland recording pressed on OJC vinyl will be very hard to beat
  • The sound is clear, spacious, relaxed, and full-bodied, with Tubey Magical richness and analog smoothness that only the better copies can offer (particularly on side two)
  • The typical copies are thin, lean, and lifeless, but we managed to unearth some that really get it right, and here is an excellent one (also particularly on side two)
  • “During 1961-1962… pianist Red Garland recorded four LPs for the Jazzland label. [T]his trio set with bassist Sam Jones and drummer Charlie Persip… is very much up to par. An enjoyable straight-ahead session.” (more…)

Coop! The Music Of Bob Cooper – Killer on the Right OJC Pressing

More Contemporary Label Jazz

  • You’ll find solid Double Plus (A++) grades throughout this vintage Contemporary recording pressed on fairly OJC vinyl
  • Both of these sides are Tubey Magical, rich, open, spacious and tonally correct
  • These guys are playing live in the studio and you can really feel their presence on every track — assuming you have a copy that sounds like this one
  • An amazing 1958 All Tube Live-in-the-Studio Jazz recording by the legendary Roy DuNann

Another undiscovered gem, brought to you by the folks at Better Records who know a good sounding record when they hear one.

This is a superb Contemporary recording from 1958. Cooper is joined by top West Coast musicians like trombonist Frank Rosolino, vibraphonist Victor Feldman, pianist Lou Levy, bassist Max Bennett, and drummer Mel Lewis. On some parts of the Jazz Theme the group grows to be ten pieces. Normally this might present a problem for a recording engineer, but Roy DuNann is up to the task! If you want to hear the sound of brass recorded properly, Roy is your man.

Both sides are Tubey Magical, rich, open, spacious and tonally correct. These guys are playing live in the studio and you can really feel their presence on every track — assuming you have a copy that sounds like this one.

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