Prestige New Jazz Catalogue
Scans courtesy of Matty
LondonJazzCollector
Adventures in collecting "modern jazz": the classical music of America from the Fifties and Sixties, and a little Seventies, on original vinyl, on a budget, from England. And writing about it, since 2011. Travelling a little more widely nowadays, and at lower cost, but still 100% vinyl
LondonJazzCollector 
Does anyone out there have a first U.S. pressing (NJLP 8207) of George Wallington’s The New York Scene?
If so, how’s the audio quality? Are there any issues?
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I don’t have the US original, but I do have the Esquire, which is pressed from the same RVG US metal.
It’s a very fine sounding recording, and early enough (1958 release?) to date from before the issues of New Jazz and the use of recycled vinyl. As well to check though.
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New Jazz 8201 to 8276 are all DG.
New Jazz 8277, Curtis Fuller with Red Garland, no DG
New Jazz 8282, Ahmed Abdul Malik, Sounds of Africa, DG
all others no DG
corrections wellcome
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thank you very much
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Of perhaps more concern is the number of New Jazz pressings that are contaminated with recycled vinyl, which Bob Weinstock probably thought was merely “cutting cost, good business”
I have two Walt Dickerson New Jazz original pressings that are near unlistenable due to continuous hiss, and a Roy Haynes title which is only borderline listenable, and I have heard and rejected several other titles for this reason. Some later Prestige pressings have the same issue, but have found New Jazz particularly troubled by this dreadful practice. I wont buy either label without auditioning the vinyl personally.
Sellers just go blank on you. Eh? That’s just normal vinyl sound, sir.
Like hell it is.
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The problem of hissing vinyl is all too real for later NJ issues, say post 8270, and 2nd issues of pre 8270 albums. The latter would be without DG and the colour of the violet labels would be darker than the first issues. I have had numerous copies of 8217, The Cats, in second editions, sealed, no inners, no DG, thin spine, with text though, which were awful to listen to.
Some of the very last NJ issues, with blue trident labels, the Garland trio sets, are very good though.
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I have a DG copy of 8252 that is plagued with this hissy vinyl but once the music starts it’s gets pushed to the background. My copy of 8217, on the blue trident label, is also quite hissy but looks pristine (unlike 8252 which you can see the rough surface in the deadwax). I wonder if for The Cats there was a problem with the stampers vs. the typical recycled vinyl issue?
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I played my 8252. Judging after the Amsterdam retail shop stamp (not Amsterdam Ave, but Lange Leidsedwarsstraat), I must have bought this one ard 1965 and, although DG, it may not be a 1st pressing. The dead wax looks a bit grumpy, but the audio is fantastic. A great joy, I just played the whole disc.
8217 is a special case: it took me years to find a good pressing. You should go for one which has the original retail price of $ 3.98 printed on the rear of the sleeve, top right. These came in onion skin inners and have a broad spine. The sound is great, no stamper problems for this album, just the abominable recycled vinyl. The 1st pressing may have been in low numbers, thereafter (1960 on) Bob flooded the market with crap. I find the audio of my 1st pressing even better than the corresponding Esquire.
To further examine NJ I played a later 1st pressing, 8275, Walt Dickerson. The sound is very good, no hissing.
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I have had two copies of the same New Jazz title, one was hissy but near mint, the other was only G+ condition but no sign of hiss. Both were ostensible original pressings, so the missing link must have been a rogue vinylite supplier to the pressing plant. From one day to the next, possibly some batches were cut with recycled crap, others were not. I have a variety of hissy New Jazz, some where it is minor and background, others which are well to the fore. Somebody in the supply chain was making a fast buck supplying tainted vinyl, but smart enough to spike some batches only, so it wasn’t obvious. I am not sure Weinstock knew or cared. Never had this problem with any other label so I don’t think the practice was widespread, others may know different.
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Were there any New Jazz originally issued without a deep groove? What numbers would that be?
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