Tijuana Brass: The Ideal Reissues (by Rudy)
In a perfect world, we would get everything we wanted. But with record label economics and attitudes being what they are, we usually have to separate the good from the bad, and pick out those reissues we feel do the original recordings justice, both sonically and in packaging.
Nevertheless, we can dream about the ideal reissues. And what better catalog than to dream about than the Tijuana Brass catalog! There are rumors flying that Herb Alpert has control over the masters, and that some archival work is being done with some type of release imminent in the future. For the purpose of my article, I will only concentrate on album reissues. Here, then, are some ideas that have been kicking around in my head, and on our A&M Corner forums:
1. We'd like the best sound possible. Finding the original masters is important, eliminating generations of backup and production copies that tend to multiply like rabbits in the record company vaults. There are two schools of thought--if original multitrack tapes exist, some engineers might choose to do a faithful remix. This would sonically be the best, but some sharp-eared listeners may hear minor differences. The finished two-tracks (or mono master) are theoretically only one generation away from whatever passed for multitrack on the original tapes. Getting as close to the microphone as possible is the ultimate goal, while still maintaining the integrity of the original mix.
Should the finished product be transfered as is? Or should it use noise reduction? Should any dropouts or technical glitches be corrected digitally, or left alone? Should EQ be used? My own opinion is mixed. Transfer most of it as-is (since some cleaning techniques tend to make the recordings too sterile), but at least tweak the EQ a bit to give it some life, and to compensate slightly for the effects of aging on the tape. I've EQ'ed my own CD transfers to account for upper- and lower-end rolloffs, and it has made a lot of difference in the finished product. And most of all, keep the compression at bay! Too many new remasters are compressed these days.
2. If someone is going to the trouble of remastering these albums, I would strongly suggest they be presented to us as hybrid SACD/CD discs. Those with SACD players will appreciate the brand new transfers, while those with CD players could still enjoy them...with the anticipation of getting an SACD player in the future to hear them even better.
3. Should the new remasters be in stereo, or in both mono and stereo? A&M's mono albums were all mixed separately from the stereo; these are not just "fold-downs". There are a few instances where I'd want a mono version, but for the most part, I'd listen to the stereo version. There is plenty of capacity on a CD to include both the mono and stereo versions of the full albums. (And for that matter, I actually prefer the mono version of the Lonely Bull album.)
4. Singles: include them? I say yes. If the mono mix matches the mono album mix, it's not really necessary. But as many sharp-eared TJB collectors know, there are some variations between the mono album mix and a mono single. Most notorious is the compressed single of "Tijuana Taxi" and the "Zorba" with compression and fake crowd noises. There's also the different mix of "The Great Manolette", and the different vocal mix and longer timing of "To Wait For Love". Singles, in fact, are even more important to preserve than the LP equivalents--consider the plastic they're pressed on, which is not known for its longevity.
5. Bonus tracks: unreleased B-sides of singles are a natural. They should be included with the album that is in closest proximity, date-wise. We wouldn't expect "Mexican Drummer Man" to pop up as a bonus track to Warm. There could be other unreleased studio tracks that have never made it to an album. In this case, I would be more interested in complete songs that were never on an album. I'm not a big fan of alternate takes unless that take has an arrangement that was strikingly different from the one we're most familiar with. Works in progress or studio talk are interesting, but they would almost be better relegated to a separate CD.
6. Live tracks are a possibility, but again, live presentations would probably be best served on their own discs.
7. Liner notes: these are often the clincher for my purchases. I like reading an essay by the original artists, or a track-by-track explanation of the song, its origins, any trivia from the recording session, etc. Original newspaper or magazine reviews are an interesting addition, and a list of the session musicians used on each recording, along with dates, really adds value to the package.
8. Pricing: it goes without saying that the lower the price, the better chance more people will buy them. I am not at all encouraged by Universal's recent policy of reissuing half-hour albums in a flimsy LP-style sleeve for a list price of $18.98. But while I don't want to pay top-shelf pricing, if these were to be hybrid discs with decent liner notes, in a nice sturdy jewel case, I would not mind paying a few dollars more. If these are going to be the final reissues for a long time coming, they'll be an investment more than anything.
Sure, these are all just wishes, but hopefully whatever is in the works will address some of the items I've listed. New CDs from a favorite artist are always exciting, but there's nothing like a well-done reissue to bring back memories of the first time you heard the album, with enough historical background to help you appreciate all the fine points that went into its creation, and bonus materials that make you feel like you've purchased something of archival quality that is an investment and a keepsake for the future.
Posted on Mar 7, 2003 at 10:57 am by Rudy.
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