Vinyl is back! Each month on “Vinyl Watch,” we list some of the most noteworthy new vinyl releases — including new albums, reissues, special-edition box sets and more. At JAZZIZ, we share the vinyl community’s appreciation of the experience of collecting and playing vinyl records. As an increasing number of music fans discover the joy of vinyl, we hope these lists will serve as a starting point for new musical discoveries.
Various Artists, Strata Records – The Sound of Detroit – Volume 1 (BBE/180 Proof)
BBE Music has released Strata Records – The Sound of Detroit – Volume 1, in association with 180 Proof Records. The new compilation was curated by DJ Amir and includes recordings by Kenny Cox, Sam Sanders, The Contemporary Jazz Quintet, Ursula Walker and The Lyman Woodard Organization, among others. Featuring highlights from the short-lived but hugely influential jazz imprint, the compilation serves as an essential introduction to the uninitiated. Release date: March 1.
Herbie Hancock, Empyrean Isles (Blue Note)
Empyrean Isles, Herbie Hancock’s fourth release as a leader for Blue Note Records, was reissued as part of the label’s Blue Note Classic vinyl series. Showcasing the full breadth of the pianist/composer’s artistry and originally recorded in 1964, the album presented four diverse original compositions including the hit song “Cantaloupe Island.” It also features a stellar quartet with Freddie Hubbard, Ron Carter and Tony Williams. Release date: March 17.
Alice Coltrane, Journey in Satchidananda (Verve)
Alice Coltrane’s Journey in Satchidananda, originally released on Impulse! in 1971, now stands as one of the most celebrated spiritual jazz recordings of all time. Drawing from multiple cultures, Coltrane creates her own otherworldly language, playing piano and harp alongside saxophonist Pharoah Sanders. This is one of the year’s first reissues of Verve’s Acoustic Sounds reissue series, transferred from analog tapes and remastered 180-gram vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging. Release date: March 31.
Various Artists, Multiple Releases (Candid)
The new phase from Candid Records’ jazz catalog continues with four remastered reissued titles from the Alan Bates years (the veteran British producer who relaunched the iconic label in the late 1980s) as well as one earlier classic. The reissues are: Jamie Cullum’s Pointless Nostalgic (2002), Stacey Kent’s The Boy Next Door (2003), Kenny Barron’s Lemuria-Seascape (1991), Shirley Scott’s A Walkin Thing (1992), as well as Joanne Brackeen’s Snooze (1975) will all be reissued for streaming, on CD and on 180-gram vinyl. Release date: March 31
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