"Original Jazz Classics"


I picked up a handful of "OJC" 33 RPM pressings from a major online retailer last week. The short version is three are very good recordings and the other two just stink - tinny and compressed. I'm sure it's the recording/mastering and not the particular pressing. The two I'm not happy with are Getz's "The Brothers" and "In the Bag" by Adderly. Labels are Prestige and Jazzland, respectively.

What is the best way to learn to avoid "bad" recordings? I don't think either of these cases are exactly indicative of the labels themselves - I don't think avoiding the labels is the answer.

I suppose I just really need to research the specific recording I'm interested in before buying if I want to avoid this in the future? Or are there some guidelines I might be aware of?
paulfolbrecht

Showing 1 response by lewm

Agree on the merit of OJCs.  About 20 years ago, I purchased a slew of them because there was "a guy" who could get them cheap. Every one of those LPs has proven to be excellent.  I also place the Milestone and Fantasy label even a bit above the OJCs, but that may be because they are often re-issues of Riverside and Contemporary LPs, which were fantastic in their day.  I have all the Art Pepper on Contemporary and love those LPs.  I also have some OJCs that seem to be from Scorpio, and they are decidedly inferior to the ones I purchased en masse 20 years ago, but most are tolerable.  I don't quite agree that Atlantic and Blue Notes (real, original BN) are so superb. I find the bass to be muffled or muddy in some cases and the mids and treble can lack ultimate clarity, but the artists and the music on ATL and BN are so excellent that the SQ is secondary.  I hauled out all my Yusef Lateef on ATL, a few weeks ago when he passed. The MJQ stuff on ATL is good maybe because there isn't much extreme low bass needed. Best jazz LPs ever, IMO, are from ECM.  Verve/Contemporary/Riverside second.