Harry Nilsson, Nilsson Schmilsson. Mobile Fidelity
Originally released on RCA in 1971, this is a title that deserved an audiophile reissue long ago. Considered by many as the "American Beatle" (an opinion also shared by the Beatles), Nilsson was an innovative if not highly charged song writer and singer in the midst of many talented artists with the same during the 1970s. Despite the competition, Nilsson still stood out from the crowd and this album displays all of his immense skills.
Back in college, I remember walking through our quad with a big smile as this album was blaring from speakers out on the ledge of my third story dorm library. I remember thinking that the music was so unique and so much fun! I immediately ran down to the local record store to get a copy and I never looked back. It wasn't long before I had a room full of male and female dorm buddies checking out the tunes too. So many hooks. So many interesting characters and storylines.
Somehow, Nilsson was able to attract a superstar collection of musicians for these sessions. To only name a few, this included both Jim Gordon and Jim Keltner on drums, Klaus Voormann on bass, Caleb Quaye on guitar, Jim Webb on piano, and Bobby Keyes on Sax. The list is endless. No secret sauce here. You have to think that talent attracts talent!
Nilsson had several hit songs and several award nominations for this release. One result was a Grammy for the song "Without You," which was written by Pete Hamm of Badfinger fame (another of my favorite groups from that era). "Jump Into The Fire" and "Coconut" were the other two tracks that climbed the charts, and all three are sonic blockbusters via the Mobile Fidelity treatment.
Pressed at RTI and mastered by Krieg Wunderlich, my album was flat and extremely quiet. Spread over two LPs and at 45 RPM, the overly used expression "like hearing this for the first time" is very appropriate here. Compared to my 33 RPM original, the new found level of clarity and rhythmic drive will dazzle your senses. "Jump Into The Fire" is especially engaging, as the drum solo mid song will absolutely knock your socks off. Talk about depth charge like explosions into your listening room, the extreme weight and clarity on the bottom end will test your entire system. Take a trip down memory lane and enjoy! Highly recommended!
Oliver Nelson, The Blues And The Abstract Truth. Acoustic Sounds
Another superb release from the Acoustic Sounds Series of reissues for Verve/Universal Music Enterprises! Mastered by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound, supervised by Chad Kassem himself, and pressed at QRP, the results are simply breathtaking. Ryan is really on a roll with this entire series—his work has been exemplary! Along with the Gil Evans Out of the Cool release, this is my favorite reissue so far. Bravo to Chad and his entire team. Despite all the buzz concerning Music Matters, the Blue Note Tone Poet and the Blue Note Classic series, these pressings can compete with anything out there for both production and sound quality.
I always loved the title of this album. So appropriate. So descriptive. Originally released on the Impulse label in 1965, this is truly a jazz classic and without question this is Oliver Nelson's magnum opus. With Bill Evans on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Paul Chambers on bass, Roy Haynes on drums, and Eric Dolphy on flute and alto sax, we have one heck of an outstanding lineup supporting Mr. Nelson! Throw in Rudy Van Gelder at the helm for production, it seemed that the stars were truly aligned for this recording.
The depth and breadth of the sound stage and the level of detail and dynamics on this reissue is simply outstanding. Those who love jazz continue to pray for this kind of quality, but only rarely experience it for such an esteemed classic album. Perfectly flat and dead quiet, you have to be impressed with this new 33 RPM pressing. I have the 45 RPM reissue that was also released by Analogue Productions back in 2009. The 45 RPM was mastered/cut by the Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman team, but I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite between the two results. Maybe the current asking price for the 45 RPM at up to $350 on Discogs will help you decide.
I would say that the 45 RPM has slightly more bloom and weight, but again, the 33 RPM is almost shocking in the level of musical information and the many layers of expressive timbre and tone. This is a must have for the any serious jazz collector. I would also recommend this to the newbies out there who are just beginning to explore the jazz classics. BTW, Kevin Gray has stated on several occasions that this was one of his favorite reissue projects and jazz releases. That says a bunch considering all the incredible recordings that he has worked on.
John Prine, Live At The Other End December 1975. Rhino Records
Speaking of Kevin Gray, he is up to his old tricks again. Does this man have any personal time for himself these days? He seems to be here, there and everywhere on dozens of outstanding reissues every month if not each week! This is another!
Live At The Other End Dec 1975 is a 2021 Record Store Day (RSD) release from Rhino. I was uncertain if I wanted to add it to my already growing list for the day, but I am glad that I did. With a limited edition of 12,500 pressings, it still seems to be generally available at most of my local record stores and on-line for reasonable prices at Discogs. This might be my favorite RSD release of all time. It certainly is a top five for performance and sound. Very satisfying but also very collectable.
Mastered by Dan Hersch and cut by Kevin Gray, this is a 180 gram four LP release that includes two complete stage sets and 39 songs. The packaging is well done with a simple design and interesting graphics. There are some excellent inserts that includes a variety of detailed background information and notes.
The vinyl was flat and fairly quiet on all four discs. Unfortunately, LP 4 had some scuffing—the other three were pristine. Feedback on Discogs seems to indicate the same on a few comments, but all remarked that the sound is unaffected. Most who posted did not experience any vinyl issues at all. Despite the caveat, is it worth pulling the trigger? I would say absolutely—especially for serious Prine fans!
This is one of those eerie releases that places the artist dead center and virtually in the room with a tangible, three dimensional locked-in image. Intimate and detailed, you can almost sense Prine's five o'clock shadow as it continues to grow between songs. The sound easily passed the goose bump test for myself and my wife. This recording was made just a few years after his first album (John Prine), so many of his early classics are included here like "Sam Stone," "Angel From Montgomery," "Dear Abby," "Hello There," and many more.
These might just be the best renditions of all these titles on vinyl including the original release. If you include the banter between songs, you will easily be singing along, shedding a few tears and even laughing out loud with his many jokes and comments about life. Grab it while you can!
Postscript
Just a few more comments about John Prine. As one of my favorite all time performing artists, I was lucky to see him in Madison Wisconsin during his last tour in 2019. This was in support of his last studio album entitled The Tree of Forgiveness. As a Chicago guy myself, I always felt a special connection to this former Chicagoan and US Post Office mailman who made himself into a beloved musical icon. I will never forget his little jig as he danced his way off the stage to end the show during "Lake Marie"— another John Prine classic. Still very sick at the time and physically compromised, you could tell that he wanted to send a special message to the crowd. The audience was on their feet and going crazy as the emotion radiated throughout the venue. You can check out the many videos of this on the Internet including the following link. Please click HERE. He will be sorely missed.
