In a reissue market besieged with inferior “grey market” (i.e., unofficial) albums of often poor sound, weak pressings and lackluster — and quite inaccurate — cover design, it is good to pause periodically to fully appreciate the officially-sanctioned high quality reissues out these days from the likes of Concord’s Craft Recordings line as well as Acoustic Sounds and Tone Poet reissues from Universal Music. A collector friend who deals in rare records considers this something of a “golden age” as far as quality reissues go. I agree with him.
For example, the latest releases in Craft Recordings’ Original Jazz Classics series continue to offer collectors a chance to own great-sounding rarities at relatively accessible prices—reissues that show genuine respect for both the artists and their fans.
A quick look at the official press materials reinforces the level of quality behind this series:
“Continuing OJC’s commitment to quality, each reissue features all-analog lacquers cut from the original stereo tapes (AAA) by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio, pressed on 180-gram vinyl at RTI, and housed in tip-on jackets that faithfully reproduce the original artwork. All titles are also available in 192/24 hi-res digital audio, released alongside their physical editions.”
Up next: a spotlight on one hard-to-find gem from legendary trumpeter Lee Morgan—a fiery hard bop session brought back to life in spectacular form. This reissue is more than a rarity—it’s a revelation.
Here’s Lee Morgan, Lee Morgan (Vee Jay)
These are great sounding, hard bopping Lee Morgan performances supported by a fine band which includes Art Blakey, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers and Cliff Jordan. One of a trio of releases from trumpeter Morgan on the Chicago-based Vee Jay label, this is a fine session released a few years before his 1963 Blue Note classic The Sidewinder.
This true stereo recording is super discrete yet doesn’t feel gimmicky. The OJC pressing is super quiet and perfectly centered. I’m especially impressed that the reissue producers even recreated not only the period accurate Vee Jay label but also the particular font layout as found on original editions (with extra large STEREO printed where you can’t miss it!)
Rare to find, especially in good condition and in stereo, “OG” copies of Here’s Lee Morgan sell online for upwards of $200. For $37.99 via Amazon, this reissue a total winner.
Mark Smotroff is a deep music enthusiast / collector who has also worked in entertainment oriented marketing communications for decades supporting the likes of DTS, Sega and many others. He reviews vinyl for Analog Planet and has written for Audiophile Review, Sound+Vision, Mix, EQ, etc. You can learn more about him at LinkedIn.
Related Reading:
- Vinyl Prices Skyrocket — Have We Lost Our Minds, Or Is This Just The New Normal For The Vinyl-Obsessed?
- Review: Looking Ahead – Ken McIntyre & Eric Dolphy’s Boundary-Pushing OJC/Craft Recordings Reissue on 180g Vinyl
- Craft Recordings’ OJC Series Reissues Kenny Burrell, Sonny Criss, Coltrane & More
- Mal/2 & Eastern Sounds OJC Reissue Reviews: Craft Recordings Resurrects Two Jazz Staples For The Vinyl Faithful
- Thelonious Himself Shines In Craft OJC Reissue — A Must-Have For Jazz Vinyl Collectors
ORT
August 1, 2025 at 11:58 pm
Ahhhhhhh…Jazz. REAL Jazz! I like the so called West Coast Cool Jazz the most but a bit o’ Hard Bop an BeBop is just fine with me.
I shall give this a listen! Huzzah indeed!
mORT Flowvious
Anton
August 2, 2025 at 1:17 am
Indeed. Lee Morgan was a beast and vastly underrated compared to Davis.
He was rather young when he became a star and there are so many of his recordings worth owning.
ORT
August 2, 2025 at 3:18 am
Thank you, Anton!
ORT