AAA 100% Analogue This LP was Remastered using Pure Analogue Components Only from the Master Tapes through to the Cutting Head

Impex IMP6018 / Columbia CL 1040 -  180 Gram Virgin Vinyl - AAA 100% Analogue

Numbered  3,000 Copies Limited Edition -  All Valve Mastering

Cut from the Original Analog Mono Master Tapes by Kevin Gray and Robert Pincus

Mastering guru Kevin Gray along with Robert Pincus cut this LP with minimum EQ, unveiling the sound of the 30th Street studio and capturing all the nuance of the session. The timbre of brass horns, taut drum skins, plucked strings and felt hammers is well preserved. I do not have an original on hand, but I would be surprised if it sounded any better than this. The RTI pressing is as quiet as the proverbial church mouse and the packaging is beautiful -- from the tip-on jacket to the Rudy De Harak cover photo and facsimile six-eye label - theAudiobeat

Overlooked masterpiece with stunning sound Impex is one of the best small audiophile reissue labels out there, and they've put out a masterful pressing of Blakey's overlooked second lineup of Jazz Messengers 5/5 LPreview

Some of the greatest jazz musicians of all time have passed through Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers

 Horace Silver, Hank Mobley, Kenny Dorham, Wayne Shorter and Donald Byrd, among many others.

However brief their stay, working with the demanding and full-throttle drummer not only increased their visibility, but also their chops and interpretive capacity. Blakey's ability to drum up the best players in the game may have even eclipsed his superhuman ability to play drums.

Altoist Jackie McLean, trumpeter Bill Hardman, bassist Spanky deBrest, and pianist Sam Dockery join the fold here to along with Blakey deliver whole-bop goodness on five propulsive, fiery tracks. True to its title, this LP bops hard, with a ferocious swing, boundless energy and telepathic communication between players - especially Blakey and Hardman. Considering the rhythmic demands of Blakey's locomotive playing style, this was an incredible achievement.

The second edition of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, which features altoist Jackie McLean and trumpeter Bill Hardman, tends to get overlooked due to the original version having Horace Silver and the 1959 band featuring Lee Morgan, Benny Golson, and Bobby Timmons. Pianist Sam Dockery and bassist Spanky DeBrest, although destined to be obscure, handle their roles well behind the lead voices even if McLean, Hardman, and Blakey generally steal the show. An excellent hard bop set.

Impex Records has cut this gorgeous, limited edition (2,500 pressings) 180-gram LP with the original analog mono master tapes and without computer processing of any kind. You hear all the vivacious interplay that occurred on that weekend in 1957 when Blakey and crew forged a bold new vision of muscular, funky jazz.

This is music that still resonates over 50 years later.

Impex Records, a reincarnation of the well-respected Cisco Music label, has brought this mono recording out of the vaults in a limited edition of 2500 180-gram vinyl copies using ". . .first-generation original master tapes without computer processing of any kind."

Mastering guru Kevin Gray along with Robert Pincus cut this LP with minimum EQ, unveiling the sound of the 30th Street studio and capturing all the nuance of the session. The timbre of brass horns, taut drum skins, plucked strings and felt hammers is well preserved. I do not have an original on hand, but I would be surprised if it sounded any better than this. The RTI pressing is as quiet as the proverbial church mouse and the packaging is beautiful -- from the tip-on jacket to the Rudy De Harak cover photo and facsimile six-eye label

Art Blakey (drums)

Jackie McLean (alto saxophone)

Bill Hardman (trumpet)

Spanky deBrest (bass)

Sam Dockery (piano) 

Cut from the Original Analog Mono Master Tapes by Kevin Gray and Robert Pincus Numbered Limited Edition of Only 2500 Copies

Tracklisting:

1. Cranky Spanky.

2. Stella By Starlight.

3. My Heart Stood Still.

4. Little Melonae.

5. Stanley's Stiff Chickens

 

Impex Records is the exciting audiophile label from the team that brought you Cisco Music. With more than 20 years experience and 150 titles released, Cisco Music developed many of the techniques used by other labels to make higher quality 180-gram LPs, SACDs and Gold and aluminum CDs.

We brought definitive editions Jennifer Warnes' The Well, The Hunter and Famous Blue Raincoat in multiple formats, including a 45 rpm box set that Absolute Sound magazine declared "defines the state-of-the--art in vinyl playback." Other classic reissues we nurtured to fantastic rebirths include the jazz-rock perfection of Steely Dan's Aja, Joan Baez' Farewell Angelina, NathanMilstein's poetic interpretation of Dvorak's Violin Concerto and four exquisite 45-rpm Three Blind Mice LPs.

Even in our humbler origins we were trusted with the distribution and production of The Super Analogue Disc, the original audiophile 180-gram LPs. King Records recognized, from the very beginning, that Cisco Music brought unflinching passion to the music and unflailing dedication to the process of bringing that music to the most discerning listeners in the world.

Now as Impex Records some of the original Cisco staff (Abey Fonn, Robert Pincus and Robert Sliger), along with Robert Donnelly, will follow and expand our own high standards for a new generation of audiophile products. Analog products will always be cut using analog tapes and analog mastering at the finest mastering facilities like Sterling, Cohearent and Bernie Grundman--just as it should be. Gold CD's will always be cut with high-definition digital or analog tape transfers from original sources. We will introduce America to Sony's revolutionary Blu-Spec CD, which redefines production excellence in 16-bit digital playback.

With a singular vision for making the best records anywhere, Impex Records is poised to expand Cisco Music's peerless legacy well into the 21st century. It's going to be quite a journey and we look forward to your joining us. We have committed ourselves, with every new release, to your complete satisfaction.