Topic: Blind Lemon Jefferson LP

[misterjones]

Anyone have a Blind Lemon Jefferson LP preference?  I was thinking of getting the 1974 Milestone double LP, which I assume is a fairly exact copy of the earier volumes 1 and 2.

[Bunker Hill]

The content of the three BLJ Milestone LPs and double can be viewed at http://www.wirz.de/music/milstfrm.htm

The 1988 Yazoo double is worthy of consideration, King Of The Country Blues L 1069.

[Stuart]

I have the first two Milestone BLJ LPs, along with Biograph 12000 and 12015 and Olympic 7134, which was a budget label, IIRC. I usually listen to the Yazoo CDs or the JSP set, though. If you're looking to pick up vinyl, either the Milestone or Biograph releases are probably the place to start.

[Mr.OMuck]

I love the Milestone set. I marginally prefer its song picks over the Yazoo, but both are great to have.

[misterjones]

I may indeed get both eventually.  I did not realize the Yazoo double LP was 1988.  I thought it was closer to 1970 (unless there was more than one).

Are their any differences among the various Milestone issues in sound quality?  I know they remastered the living daylights out of the CD version, but I am assuming they used No Noise only for the CD issue.

[Bunker Hill]

I may indeed get both eventually.  I did not realize the Yazoo double LP was 1988.  I thought it was closer to 1970 (unless there was more than one).

Are their any differences among the various Milestone issues in sound quality?  I know they remastered the living daylights out of the CD version, but I am assuming they used No Noise only for the CD issue.

Never rely upon memory the Yazoo double Jefferson and Blind Blake were reviewed in Blues Unlimited Spring 1986. As for the Milestone LPs, the source for those came from the complete collection of Jefferson 78s in the possession of John Steiner. There should be something on the web concerning Steiner and his connection with Paramount.

Where's Gayle Dean Wardlow when one needs him? 

[jpeters609]

As for the Milestone LPs, the source for those came from the complete collection of Jefferson 78s in the possession of John Steiner. There should be something on the web concerning Steiner and his connection with Paramount.

For the sake of comparison, CDs released on the Black Swan label are sourced from 78s that seem (frequently) to be different from those heard on Yazoo, etc. Indeed, I believe they come largely from the John Steiner collection, which is owned by Black Swan's parent company. I know I have frequently returned to their complete Charley Patton Paramount set, which offers a different hearing of many of Patton's songs, as the source 78s are often (though I don't believe always) different. Black Swan also uses little or no noise-reduction, resulting in surface noise, of course, but also a great deal of musical detail. I haven't heard their Blind Lemon Jefferson collection, but I would bet it's worth a listen.

[misterjones]

For the sake of comparison, CDs released on the Black Swan label are sourced from 78s that seem (frequently) to be different from those heard on Yazoo, etc. Indeed, I believe they come largely from the John Steiner collection, which is owned by Black Swan's parent company. I know I have frequently returned to their complete Charley Patton Paramount set, which offers a different hearing of many of Patton's songs, as the source 78s are often (though I don't believe always) different. Black Swan also uses little or no noise-reduction, resulting in surface noise, of course, but also a great deal of musical detail. I haven't heard their Blind Lemon Jefferson collection, but I would bet it's worth a listen.

The Black Swan CD is excellent.  I did a track-by-track comparison with the most-recent Yazoos.  Black Swan was noticeably better on many tracks.  It's my CD of choice to pop into the CD player.

And all the above info is, as usual, most helpful.  Thanks.

[Rivers]

I know I have frequently returned to their complete Charley Patton Paramount set, which offers a different hearing of many of Patton's songs, as the source 78s are often (though I don't believe always) different. Black Swan also uses little or no noise-reduction, resulting in surface noise, of course, but also a great deal of musical detail. I haven't heard their Blind Lemon Jefferson collection, but I would bet it's worth a listen.

Thanks Jeff & mrjones, I have mentioned the Black Swan Patton release several times on the forum but very few people have this double CD. I found it in a 2nd hand bin. I'm not even sure why I prefer it for general listening, some kind of psycho acoustics going on in my brain I suppose. The liner notes are pretty good as I recall, but I don't have them handy to check.

Anyway, I must look for their BLJ release, I had no idea there was one, and have high hopes.

[misterjones]

This one?

http://www.amazon.com/The-Voice-Delta-Paramount-Recordings/dp/B00005Y8DL

I'm one of the few who doesn't have it.  I must get it and compare it to my four (five?) other Patton sets.  If it includes any tracks superior to Yazoo, I'll be forced to create a compilation (like I did with BLJ).

[Rivers]

That's the one. And you are definitely not the only one who doesn't have it. I've been giving it good reviews for years and people just say 'huh?' $30.90 seems expensive, I got mine used for under $10, I like to scour the used bins. I'd just go ahead and buy it if I were you. Psychoacoustics are a very individual thing, I like it, you may or may not. But you'll get something from it, I guarantee that much.

[Tom Rushen]

This one?

http://www.amazon.com/The-Voice-Delta-Paramount-Recordings/dp/B00005Y8DL

I'm one of the few who doesn't have it.  I must get it and compare it to my four (five?) other Patton sets.  If it includes any tracks superior to Yazoo, I'll be forced to create a compilation (like I did with BLJ).

I'll be damned. I passed on that Patton set a dozen times through most of this decade, figuring it was just another case of stealing from already existing transfers from other labels.

Now, I'm also surprised that Black Swan didn't use noise reduction on this. I bought a couple of piano blues compilations from them 20 years ago, and they are not very good sonically, NR all over them....such as this one:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-paramount-piano-blues-1928-32-vol-1/154548?ean=762247301127

[Rivers]

I passed on that Patton set a dozen times through most of this decade, figuring it was just another case of stealing from already existing transfers from other labels.

It does sound different to me. I'm not one to sit down and A-B discs though. I just like listening to it. Released November 1, 1994 according to Amazon.

[Rivers]

Since this came up I've been listening to the Black Swan Patton release and the reason I like it is, I think, speed control. There's so much wow and flutter going on in the other releases I get distracted from the music. There's plenty of surface noise on the Black Swan, but it's all at a consistent speed. I find it easy to ignore surface noise on a 78 transfer, just don't speed up on me at the end, it ruins the whole thing, I lose the song entirely. Particularly with Patton, his endings are stellar, in a subtle way.

Thanks for reminding me to listen to it again!

[Rivers]

BTW, I don't believe there's no noise reduction on the Black Swan Patton. Better pitch control, more NR than Yazoo. Heart Like Railroad Steel is a mess though, noise wise, but still very cool to listen to. In Green River Blues the volume drops in the middle and comes back before the end. So it isn't perfect by any means, but I like it a lot.

[Tom Rushen]

This thread has prompted me to purchase the Patton Black Swan compilation from a seller on amazon who had a used copy, should be here next week. I dunno how many Patton CDs I need, I have the 5 Yazoo CDs (or is it 4?), plus all the Wolf/Document CDs...but once I saw these might be different transfers, I was powerless to resist.

[Rivers]

Oh lawd I hope you like it... I do.