Blue Note Records Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissues. Joe Harley co-founder of the acclaimed Music Matters Jazz audiophile vinyl label is the producer of this new series, handpicked titles mastered from the original master tapes on 180g Vinyl in deluxe covers. Mastering is done by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and vinyl is pressed at Record Technology Incorporated, RTI in the USA.

• 3LP Complete Masters Edition
• Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series
• All Analog Mastering
• Cut by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio
• Cut From Original Analog Master Tapes (mono)
• Reissue supervised by Joe Harley (Music Matters)
• 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl Pressed at RTI USA
• Deluxe Trifold Cover + Booklet

The Blue Note Tone Poet Series was born out of Blue Note President Don Was’ admiration for the exceptional audiophile Blue Note LP reissues presented by Music Matters. Was brought Joe Harley (from Music Matters), a.k.a. the “Tone Poet,” on board to curate and supervise a series of reissues from the Blue Note family of labels.

Extreme attention to detail has been paid to getting these right in every conceivable way, from the jacket graphics and printing quality to superior LP mastering (direct from the master tapes) by Kevin Gray to superb 180-gram audiophile LP pressings by Record Technology Inc. Every aspect of these Blue Note/Tone Poet releases is done to the highest possible standard. It means that you will never find a superior version. This is it!

"Per Don Was's direction, everything about this reissue series closely mirrors the Music Matters releases that so impressed Was..." - Michael Fremer, Analogplanet

The Saxophone Colossus Sonny Rollins had already recorded three Blue Note studio dates for Alfred Lion—Sonny Rollins, Sonny Rollins, Vol. 2, and Newk’s Time—by the time he walked down the stairs of the Village Vanguard on November 3, 1957 to record his first-ever live album, as well as the first-ever live album to be recorded at the iconic New York City jazz club: A Night at the Village Vanguard. Rollins’ tour-de-force live trio album was predominantly captured at the evening set featuring Wilbur Ware on bass and Elvin Jones on drums with two pieces coming from the afternoon set featuring Donald Bailey on bass and Pete La Roca on drums.

This expanded 3-LP Tone Poet Vinyl Edition of A Night at the Village Vanguard: The Complete Masters marks the first time Rollins’ complete recorded performances from the Vanguard are available in a single vinyl package. Produced for release by Joe Harley, the vinyl is all-analog and cut directly from Rudy Van Gelder’s never-before-used original 7.5ips master tapes by Kevin Gray. Pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, the three LPs come packaged in a deluxe tip-on trifold jacket which includes a booklet with never-before-seen photos by Francis Wolff; insightful essays by esteemed critics Nate Chinen and Bob Blumenthal; an excerpt from Aidan Levy’s authoritative Rollins biography Saxophone Colossus which provides a riveting behind-the-scenes account of the volatile circumstances surrounding the recording; and a fascinating new interview with Rollins himself reflecting upon the album in conversation with Blue Note President Don Was.

Musicians:

Sonny Rollins - tenor sax
Wilbur Ware - bass
Elvin Jones - drums
Donald Bailey - bass on Side 2, Track 2 & Side 3, Track 2
Pete La Roca - drums on Side 2, Track 2 & Side 3, Track 2

Track Listing:

A1: Introduction
A2: Old Devil Moon
A3: Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
A4: Striver’s Row

B1: Sonnymoon For Two
B2: A Night In Tunisia
B3: I Can’t Get Started

C1: A Night In Tunisia (Evening Take)
C2: I’ve Got You Under My Skin

D1: Softly As In A Morning Sunrise (Alternate Take)
D2: What Is This Thing Called Love

E1: All The Things You Are
E2: Introduction
E3: Woody ‘N You
E4: Four

F1: I’ll Remember April
F2: Get Happy
F3: Get Happy (Short Version)

Click here to listen to samples on YouTube.com ♫