Collecting Blue Note Jazz

Well, I just received and played my first two reissues, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messenger and Tina Brooks / True Blue. Well, so far, these are the best sounding two sounding of my modest blue note collection...also quiet, and the LP covers are great, especially Tina Brooks. I'll experiment a little more with some earlier pressings, but so far looks like these reissues are a sensible way to go. Too bad, some great titles Andrew Hill/Point of Departure, Herbie Nichols, and Jutta Hipp don't seem to be available in these recent reissue series...oops...I have to stop writing and change sides on the record player...

Mcmprov,
Mono albums sound better with a mono cartridge,IMHO. IF you have enough mono it is well worth the cost and work involved.
Mono albums that sound bad with a stereo cartridge can and will sound great with a mono cartridge.
I know that the Beatles are mot jazz but I purchased the White Album origial UK release for $90.00 vg condition, a near mint version of this would be in the $500.00 range. With my stereo cartridge it sounded like Sh.. and it was not even a vg record. With my mono cartridge it played VG++.
I have some original BN and reissues pressings. I will be getting all 25 AP & MM reissues. If I were you and they are stereo I would try the reissues first then originals if you like the recording, it will cost more than any reissue, If mono I would try affordable originals first then reissues if you want the stereo version. Origial mono albums even if scratch on the surface will not effect play with a mono cartridge, for the most part only groove error will effect play with a mono cartridge.

As always, note that those who dismiss hot stampers are those same individuals who have never heard one. You can always argue that they are overpriced but not if you haven't tried one. I like those rationalizations; it helps keep the hot stamper prices down.

"Keeping the hot stamper prices down". Isn't that a bit of an oxymoronic statement?

Seems I missed this thread completely as I was away for a few days around New Years (ironically, listening to Donald Harrison, who used to play with Art Blakey, at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago).

My advice with respect to Blue Notes would be to adopt a "two pronged" strategy that would involve purchasing re-issues such as the Kings and Music Matters with titles that fetch outrageous prices with respect to originals (when I say originals I'm talking Lexington, West 63rd or New York, New York addresses) and then either seeking out originals (if you have the stomach and $$ for it) or Liberty or solid blue label Blue Note re-issues of more obscure titles that might be of interest.

Originals can be very pricey, and that is if you happen on to one that is in good shape. Factor in that you might have to buy 3 or 4 or more copies to get a great one and you are looking at a lot of money. A King for $25-$50 or a Music Matters for $50-$60 can look pretty cheap.

The Kings IMO sound very close to originals as someone else has posted above. The Music Matters series also sound very good, but they definitely sound different than the Kings or originals. I find that the MM series sounds particularly good with respect to high frequencies (more natural and realistic than original Blue Notes which do, by the way, sound a bit more aggressive and less natural-maybe "relaxed" is a better word-than their Contemporary competitors from the same era, at least on my system) and they are smoother, definitely more "relaxed". The Kings, originals and even Liberty/solid blue label re-issues in many cases (at least with my ears and my system) do certain things very well compared to the Music Matters; among them are front to back "depth" in terms of imaging, separation and deliniation of instruments and a subjective "drive" or PRAT thing with the music. When it gets right down to it, I can live happily and enjoy either product; ultimately, for me, it becomes a value for $$ decision.

But I wouldn't sell the Liberty's or solid blue label Blue Note re-issues short. For $10-$20 in mint condition they represent excellent value and probably get you 80-90% there compared to the original, King or MM.

after over 40 years in the biz,and 50 years as a collector, i've never bumped into a hot stamper. i have however bought 2 identical records which 'over time' did sound different(one better than the other). 'time' doesn't treat all records equally.