Topic: JSP Records re-issues

[TenBrook]

My apologies if this has been discussed previously but a bit of searching here and other places on the net hasn't brought a clear answer.

Does anyone know what sources JSP uses for it's early blues, old time & world music re-issues (particularly I'm wondering if they are making brand new transfers directly from the original 78s)? I've read a lot of recommendations from board members for the JSP collections of certain artists over other labels collections. That got me curious as to how JSP is able to amass seemingly new transfers of countless old 78s (since, presumably if they are just re-issuing the same transfer that other labels used the difference wouldn't be that great).

I read a couple interviews with owner John Stedman but unfortunately they didn't ask the one question I would have asked.

Anyway, any input or links to other references on the topic would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Lew

[jpeters609]

JSP is notorious for using already existing compilations as their source material. Except for a couple of their earliest releases (Sleepy John Estes' "First Recordings" and perhaps an early "Memphis Jug Band" collection, both mastered by John R.T. Davies from original 78s), most if not all JSP releases now use songs from other labels' CD's (almost certainly without permission) which they then tout as being newly remastered. The legality and ethics of this approach is worth debating (if I'm not mistaken the Bear Family label out of Germany successfully sued JSP some years ago), but many people are happy to purchase JSP products because they are cheap. Labels that have actually put the considerable investment into sourcing and remastering the original 78s are probably less happy about it.

[TenBrook]

Jeff,
Thanks for the info. I had caught some hints that they'd 'borrowed' the majority of their source material but I didn't see it pop up as much as you'd think it would. I guess I'll take any recommendations for their releases being 'better' with a grain of salt then.

Lew

[TonyGilroy]

I certainly don't know anything about JSP's policies and practices but some of their OTM boxes include stuff that I can't trace as ever having been available on CD or vinyl and their Django sets do appear to be expertly remastered.

I'd guess that with pre war blues they take their stuff from already reissued sources but these days who doesn't apart from Blues Images.

[TenBrook]

Tony,
In the interview I read it did sound like they may have used original sources for the Django sets, but they didn't go too into detail. There are a few labels these days still putting in the leg work to source from the original 78s (Tompkins Square, Angry Mom, Revenant and Dust to Digital being the first to come to mind), but it does sadly seem like the practice is dying out. With the advances in technology for transferring 78s it would be pretty amazing if someone were to take on the job of re-transferring the bulk of the 78s that were transferred years ago, but, unless someone as dedicated and selfless (and perhaps foolhardy) as the early re-issue labels comes along that probably won't happen.

Lew

[Blues Vintage]

A couple a months ago I was looking for the best sounding recordings of Jelly Roll Morton. I compared the RCA Victor box set 'Centennial' and the JSP 'Jelly Roll Morton: 1926-1930'.  The JSP set is far superior sound quality wise. I know Davies worked on that project too (and did use some rare 78s from private collections).

Personally I don't like the cheap cartoonish packaging on JSP Sets but that's another movie.