$30 Audiophile Re-Press without the Note

[jrhymeammo]

-Lee Morgan - The Cooker:
I basically got this album for the last note of the first track. If you own a copy then I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.

Is what I wrote last night in the What's Spinning? thread.



This great album was recorded in 1957, and has that RVG sound I like. As I stated, I love the opening track A Night in Tunisia. It's a Dizzy's tune, and I can really here how energetic Lee is. He's 18 or 19 of the time of this recording. His performance is far from finess. I hear Philly Joe helping this young buck stay in beat. Lee gets everyone else off from time to time. But that's okay for me as a Jazz lover. I love this album ,especailly the first track, cuz he sounds fearless and doing what he knows best.
Anyhow, this album gets my juices going. And to top it off, there is this last exclaimation note(3rd from Last actually) in the end. If he doesnt hit it well, the track goes down the drain.

That's why I love it so much.

So, I got this album last night and got done listening to it. This track sounds different....
First I thought needle skipped cuz it's alot different than what I've been used to. Lee didnt nail that note I was craving all day. He didnt hit that note Grado* can't reproduce. He didnt play the note that requires much more headroom from amps. Well, he simply did not play that note on this track for some reason....

On CD re-release, there are usually alternate tracks and what have ya. I guess that is a bonus for some fans.

Anyhow, I'm 100% positive that engineers decided to use one of the alternate takes instead of the one I'm familiar with.

My love for this album stays with my first copy which is a white label from Liberty records, so that makes it what, one of the 1966 pressings?
The original pressings are in Mono and so is the copy I received this week. My Liberty pressing is in Stereo, but that shouldnt be the reason why I'm stuck in this situation.

Is it possible the master tape wasnt in a great condition, so they used the other take without letting the public/buyers know about it? Is this the reason why I'm not hearing the note?

Anyone here experienced something like this on reissues?

Maybe I should write a useless angry letter, and demand a special copy just for me.
For now, I will be listening to my older/noiser copy.

JRA

*I only have experience with Grado Green and Silver. Maybe the Reference series can play the note.

[bobsticks]

Well Jay-la-di-da, welcome to the world of alternate takes. Of course it is possible, nay even probable that they used a different version...happens relatively frequently with Miles and Coltrane.If you compose a letter make sure to include an audio tape of yourself singing the missing passage in falsetto so the record company execs know which to replace in subsequent reissues.

[basite]

RVG is Rudy Van Gelder eh? if so, both my Grant Green albums, my Horace silver, Donald Byrd and bobby hutcherson (and probably some others too) album were recorded and remasterd at the RVG studio
and yes, that's a sound we like, very much
And yes, it does happen that some notes are on an album that are on another album...

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

[jrhymeammo]

RVG is Rudy Van Gelder eh? if so, both my Grant Green albums, my Horace silver, Donald Byrd and bobby hutcherson (and probably some others too) album were recorded and remasterd at the RVG studio
and yes, that's a sound we like, very much
And yes, it does happen that some notes are on an album that are on another album...

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

Yeah, I like that boxy sound Rudy creates. Dont care too much for the albums on Creed Taylor(CTI) though.

The alternate take they decided to use still is a great recording. But I prefer the track they originally released much more. I'm waiting for Grant Green's Idle Moment to be re-released, and I would snatch up 2 copies when they do. But I'm worried that Classic Records Company wont be staying true to the original materials. Then again, I would also be complaining if they used master tapes that have been damaged.

btw, I've been told from a recording engineer that Rudy is a paranoid A-Hole. He tapes up all the model numbers on his equipments inorder to protect his "asset". I think I'll tape all the logos on my gears when I post my pics so no one can mimick JRA's signature sound.

[jrhymeammo]

I listened to the RVG edition on CD this weekend over my friend's place. Rudy decided to use the same lame take on A Night in Tunisia.

I can't believe some listeners are stuck listening to that less exceptional track.