Davywhizz
Wholenote
"Still Alive and Well"
Posts: 443
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Post by Davywhizz on Jan 14, 2020 14:22:42 GMT -5
I refer, of course, to the album Mingus Ah Um, a jazz classic from 1959. I've been listening to it this week and have a question about the track Goodbye Pork Pie Hat, where I'm hearing what sounds like a hum, or distortion, on top of one of the saxes. It's on the right stereo channel. A quick search confirms that others have heard it over the years, but there's no definitive explanation of what the cause might be. Spit in the sax (seems unlikely it would have made it onto the final mix?) and deterioration in the original tapes have both been suggested. Can the wisdom of Moe's shed any light?
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Post by NoSoapRadio on Jan 14, 2020 14:41:09 GMT -5
Interesting post. Vinyl or one of them shiny things?
I'll have to do some digging to see if I have it.
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Post by jazzguy on Jan 14, 2020 14:42:35 GMT -5
never noticed it before and can't hear it on my phone.
I'll check on my stereo when I get home
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Davywhizz
Wholenote
"Still Alive and Well"
Posts: 443
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Post by Davywhizz on Jan 14, 2020 15:37:35 GMT -5
NSR: I've only listened to it on Spotify. One of the internet posts I found describing the same problem was from 2002, so I'd guess that was most likely a CD.
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Post by oldtelehacker on Jan 14, 2020 15:55:06 GMT -5
Just gave it a listen on vinyl reissue LP by Jazz Images from the E.U. Don't have an original Columbia copy. There is a noticeable noise artifact from the sax on right channel, like you describe.
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Bopper
Wholenote
Motor City USA
Posts: 504
Age: 72
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Post by Bopper on Jan 15, 2020 10:24:50 GMT -5
Great thread title!
I just listened to it from "The Complete 1959 Columbia Recordings" 3 CD set released in 1998 - "digitally remixed and remastered from the original 3-track tapes using an original Presto tube tape recorder..."
In the last 30 seconds or so there was some static-y noise on the right, not really hum. That's all I heard.
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Davywhizz
Wholenote
"Still Alive and Well"
Posts: 443
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Post by Davywhizz on Jan 15, 2020 12:06:27 GMT -5
That's it! (I know it's not really hum but couldn't resist the pun). It sounds like your version may have taken out some of it, or it wasn't as bad on the old tapes back in 1998.
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Post by NoSoapRadio on Jan 15, 2020 13:23:04 GMT -5
Well -- if I have a copy of that record I can't find it. I streamed it on Amazon and I hear what you are talking about. It kinda does sound like spit in the horn -- but not quite. It's weird that it hasn't been fixed after all this time.
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Post by oldtelehacker on Jan 15, 2020 23:31:03 GMT -5
I wonder if the master tape from 1959 had this anomaly? The opportunity to fix it and re-issue may be lost at any rate. Apparently Charles Mingus is one of the hundreds of artists who lost material, possibly his master tapes, not necessarily this album . The 2008 fire at the Universal lot which burned down the vault where UMG kept tape masters has deprived a number of artists the opportunity to remaster or reissue any of their work, sadly.
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Post by jazzguy on Jan 16, 2020 0:44:33 GMT -5
I'm only hearing it when he's blowing so it must have to do w/his horn, either spit or the reed.
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