Here’s the list of my favourite Reissues and Archival Recordings for 2015.
I can say right away that this is in no way a ‘balanced’ list in terms of genres featured. When it comes to reissued albums or old live recordings, two types of music dominate my purchases: this list of 20 albums includes 8 reggae/dub releases and 6 live albums by Jerry Garcia or the Grateful Dead. Then there are two jazz albums, two West African albums and two ‘others’.
I found it impossible to put them in a straight 20 down to 1 ranking order, so I’m presenting nos 6 to 20 in alphabetical order, followed by the top 5, also in alphabetical order. I hope Afterworders will find something that’s of interest …
The duco01 20 Favourite Reissues and Archival Recordings of 2015
Numbers 6 to 20, in Alphabetical order
Grateful Dead
30 Trips Around The Sun: The Definitive Live Story (1965-1995)
The full 80CD set was too pricey for me, so I had to settle for this. Inevitably it’s a rather disjointed set, but it gives a decent reflection of the band’s evolution over the 30 years. Rather surprisingly, Disc 3 is the highlight.
Grateful Dead
Dave’s Picks Volume 13: Winterland, San Francisco, CA, 24 Feb 1974
If you’re going to get just one Dead concert release from the first half of 74, get the universally acclaimed and absolutely stellar Dick’s Picks Vol. 12 (Providence & Boston – June 26 and 28). Almost as good is the Road Trips: Vol 2, Number 3: June 1974: Wall of Sound set (Des Moines, IA on June 16, 1974 and Louisville, KY on June 18, 1974). If you’ve got both of those sets, then get this.
Grateful Dead
Dave’s Picks Volume 14: Academy Of Music, New York City, 26 March 1972
This is a show from the week of warm-up New York City gigs before the Dead left for their famous tour of Europe in the spring of 72. It’s a perfectly OK show, but over the ensuing months the band would rise to much greater heights.
Grateful Dead
Orpheum, San Francisco, 18 July 1976
This is a reasonably priced CD release of an FM radio broadcast of a full show. There’s a really slow, mellow vibe pervading this concert, which is very typical of 1976, a year that’s sometimes unfairly neglected in the Dead’s canon. The music is a lot better than the sloppy presentation of the CD package: putting a photo from 1978 gig on the front cover of this 1976 release is just very amateurish indeed.
Keith Hudson
Rasta Communication in Dub
Nice to see VP records putting out a reasonably priced vinyl version of the dub companion set to Hudson’s “Rasta Communication.”
John Hulbert
Opus III
A forgotten private press release from 1972 that was unearthed and championed by Ryley Walker. Mainly acoustic guitar instrumentals, with a few vocal snippets thrown in.
Bunny Lee and Friends
Next Cut!
There have been a few so-so compilations from the Bunny Lee stable over the past few years, but Pressure Sounds hit the bullseye here, with a really consistent collection of dub plates and unreleased tracks.
Tommy McCook
The Sannic Sounds of
Short but high-quality album of instrumentals and dub cuts of early Glen Brown rhythms headed up by the great Tommy McCook on saxophone and remixed at King Tubby’s. Personally, I could do without “When I Fall in Love”, but the rest is very fine.
The New Jazz Orchestra
Le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe
This crept out unnoticed in early January. The first ever CD release of one of the defining works of UK jazz, first released in 1968. It boasts an all-star line-up of players: Ian Carr, Jack Bruce, Jon Hiseman, Neil Ardley, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Henry Lowther and Michael Gibbs.
Scientist
Heavyweight Dub Champion
The six classic Scientist titles on Greensleeves got (seemingly) official vinyl and CD re-releases this year on a Russan label called MiruMir. All your favourites are present and correct: “Space Invaders”, “Evil Curse of the Vampires”, etc.
Idrissa Soumaoro et L´Eclipse De L´I.J.A.
Ampsa (Le Tioko-Tioko)
A classic 1970s set from Mali that was originally given away by the Malian Association of the Blind. Four tracks have vocals by a very young Mariam Doumbia, who went on to international fame decades later as half of Amadou & Mariam.
Tangerine Dream
The Official Bootleg Series, Vol. 1: Reims, Dec 1974 & Mannheim, Oct 1976
Two vintage mid-70s concerts by the classic Froese/Franke/Baumann line-up.
Lobi Traoré
Bamako Nights: Live At Bar Bozo 1995
The marvellous cover photo and the slightly rough live sound put you right in the picture: a hot, crowded Bamako nightclub at 2 in the morning, and the late Lobi Traoré is working his intense Malian guitar magic.
Various Artists
Midnight Rock at King Tubby’s
These eleven tracks are all Jah Thomas productions from 1980-83 that were mixed by King Tubby and Scientist.
Various Artists
Augustus Pablo Presents Rockers International
This is a combination of two original Rockers International albums. Lovely collection of vocal tracks, DJ cuts, dubs, and, of course, melodica-based instrumentals led by Pablo himself
Numbers 1 to 5, in Alphabetical order
Jerry Garcia
On Broadway: Act One – October 28th 1987
Some Garcia/Dead releases come out with a big fanfare but are rather disappointing. This one just crept out unnoticed and is an absolute cracker. Garcia and his band play two acoustic sets and one electric set during one day at a NYC theatre. Probably my favourite Jerry Garcia Band live album from the 80s.
Grateful Dead
Dave’s Picks Volume 16: Springfield Civic Center, Springfield, MA, 28 March 1973
The Deadhead community are a nerdish, pernickety, hard-to-please bunch. But this release was met with universal acclaim and sold out in around 18 hours. Even by the high standards of Spring 1973 this is a quite exceptional show: a long, strong setlist, exceptionally well played. The band finish with a real tour-de-force: 63 uninterrupted minutes of inspired improvisation through Weather Report Suite Prelude > Dark Star > Eyes Of The World > Playing In The Band. It’s a show I’ll return to often.
Inturns
Consider Yourself
“The Inturns” (sometimes called The Interns) was a pseudonym for the Jamaican vocal trio the Viceroys. This is their Phil Pratt-produced debut album, given a marvelous re-release by Pressure Sounds. Contains the irresistibly catchy “Jah Ho.”
Carsten Meinert Kvartet
To You
A long-awaited first-ever CD release for a forgotten 1968 classic of Danish jazz. Unreservedly recommended for all Coltrane fans.
Niney the Observer
Sledge Hammer Dub In The Street Of Jamaica
Nice to see Burning Sounds reissuing this quality dub set, originally released in minute quantities as a sort of white label in early 1977. You get 14 rhythms from Niney productions, including 10 from Dennis Brown’s “Deep Down” album. The musicians used include Soul Syndicate and, on two terrific cuts, the Cimarons. All remixed at King Tubby’s. All dub fans should purchase with confidence.
Normal service resumed! Not one of these in my collection, but then I don’t get the G Dead at all. Have tried but they are just not for me.
But will give the rest a go, the Dub ones especially.
Many thanks.
The Scientist titles from Greensleeves are some of the crispest, most spatially blessed dub albums ever released.
Noted the two jazz albums from 1968 but, if you don’t mind, I’ll go for the elephant in the room!
‘Bob Dylan ’65-’66’.
Congratulations if you went for the 6 CD or the ‘every breath Dylan took in the mid-60s’ versions, but the raw 2-CD job did me just fine, and I saw it for just £9.99 in HMV on Christmas Eve.
Fantastic value and a lesson to others how to do reissues.
May I also give my Annual Award, now in its 35th year, for the inability, and complete incompetence, in not having available the first two Rolling Stones’ British LPs on CD.
Yes, Mick, yes, Keith, you’ve won it again!
Still, there are always Charles Saatchi exhibitions and T-shirts and baseball caps and way past their sell by date concerts from 1982 and 1990 to put out,, eh…..
As regards the first two Stones albums, is that not the fault of ABKO?
I’ll be checking the dub out for sure.
In the meantime a few bits of old from me.
Karin Krog – Don’t Just Sing.
An Anthology : 1963 – 1999
Various Artists – Back To The River.
More Southern Soul Stories : 1961 – 1978
Georgie Fame – The Whole World’s Shaking.
Complete Recordings : 1963 – 1966
Georgie Fame boxset duly ordered – thanks PS for the modtastic tip!
You won’t be disappointed ruff. It may well be my favourite release of 2015.
Foxy get on to them. You need this in your life stat!
The dodgers have it showing as ‘out of stock’ and have had it like that for a while. I ordered it back in November, but they still haven’t delivered it or updated the stock statement.
Castigate them with rough hewn verbiage.
I’m still waiting for the Georgie box to show up – ordered it ages back, but no sign so far. Grrrr.
All of the dub I haven’t got I’ll explore.
The Scientist is third in my re-release list, behind Cowboy Junkies Notes Falling Slow and Sticky Fingers.
The Dylan rehash has only made me go back to the original issues. Blood On The Tracks and Young Americans missed a fortieth anniversary celebration.
If we are doing recommendations,
Savant – Artificial Dance A band put together by experimental producer Kerry Leimer in the 80s, I guarantee that won’t work on first listen but keep going and it will after a few listens. For fans of Brian Eno/David Byrne and Jon Hassel
Robin Gibb – Saved by the Bell A fantastic collection of solo Robin Gibb’s albums, Robin’s Reign, the almost mythical Sing Slowly Sisters (only available on rubbish bootlegs for ages) and a disc of rarities. With that wonderful overwrought singing style and brilliant song writing this is as good as everything the Bee Gees did. And only £9,99 on Amazon at the moment.
Sherwood at the Controls Volume 1 (1979-1984) A collection of early Sherwood productions and remixes. A great set of obscure Mutant Disco.
Hi, ip33,
Yes, I saw that the Savant album made No.2 in the Wire Archive Releases of the Year, and that made me interested in it.
I have and enjoy the K. Leimer “Period of Review” compilation that came out about 18 months ago, and so I may well investigate “Artificial Dance”.
Anyway, cheers for the tip.
I have the Sledge Hammer Dub record already, but I didn’t know about the Keith Hudson reissue. I’m a big KH fan, and I’ll be tracking this one down.
Word of warning to anyone else tempted by this Keith Hudson reissue – all but two tracks were on the Brand LP, which was reissued by Pressure Sounds a decade or so ago. And which I already had. Bugger.
Some total belters in here that I already know (eg the Garcia is just brilliant) so look forward to some early-year explorations – thanks!
Thanks for another inspiring list.
Rather interested in the Garcia solo stuff. I’m no expert but I feel his more low-key collaborations deserve more attention.
Thanks, duco01 – got me right in the wallet again.
Think I might have a winner for 2016 already.
Esoteric are releasing a 2-CD version, mono and stereo, of ‘McGough & McGear’ on 29th January. That’s February sorted.
Any extras? I bought the Real Gone label reissue of that a few years ago; is it worth shelling out again?
Some superb Dead Stuff there and will be checking out the Tangerine Dream.
A mention for the Tull reissues this year – beautifully put together packages of Minstrel and Too Old.
Reissue of Roger Waters’ Amused To Death in 5.1 is also excellent.
A good few worth checking out in the O.P. and in the comments. I am currently rather Deficient in Dub
and must rectify this, I feel. Both the jazz selections in the O.P. look like winners.
For myself, I’ll throw Jah Wobble’s “Redux” 6-disc anthology into the ring.
Hardly any overlaps with the excellent “I Could Have Been a Contender” previously-issued 3-disc set.
Yeah, I think you’ll like the New Jazz Orchestra re-release, Mike. They do a lovely version of “Ballad” by the doomed Engliah pianist/composer Mike Taylor.
Sold!
Sledgehammer Dub is one of my favourite dub reggae albums, but it’s compiled in the second box of The Evolution Of Dub series, so you can get that plus four other classic dub reggae albums for around a tenner. It’s a great series actually. Loads of Revolutionaries stuff in it.
http://www.discogs.com/Various-Evolution-Of-Dub-Volume-1-The-Origin-Of-The-Species/release/1730421
shout out for volume 7, which includes Winston Edwards & Blackbeard’s fantastic Dub Conference At 10 Downing Street!
Yep – and you get Winston Edwards’ “Natty Locks Dub” in the same box.
Marvellous.
My favourite dub release in 2015 is The Revolutionaries Musical Dub Attack, the template for I-Roy’s Musical Shark Attack. Without his toasting, the music seems deeper and more rounded.
Oh yes – there was a CD reissue of that in 2015, wasn’t there? I suppose I didn’t include “Musical Dub Attack” in my list as I bought the DKR vinyl version that came out in 2014. But whichever version one has of the album, it is, as you say a top quality set. It also contains my favourite cricket-related reggae title: “Dub For Michael Holding”. A dub track with the spirit of ‘Whispering Death’. Oh yes!
And speaking of cricket, England are doing rather well at the moment. Fingers crossed.
Here are – apart from the obvious Dead titles – some reissues from my own list:
Slim Harpo | Buzzin’ The Blues (The complete recordings, on Bear Family)
Faces | 1970-1975 (The studio albums plus singles and lots of outtakes)
Lush | Chorus (Nearly everything from the 4AD popstars – brilliant stuff)
King Crimson | Thrakbox (no, it’s not overkill. There could’ve been more live concerts IMO)
The 2 Sun Ra Compilations from Strut Records (One compiled by Marshal Allen, the other a mix by Giles Peterson)
The Life And Times Of Jutta Hipp (Not only everything the Blue Note pianist recorded, but a fat coffee table book with her paintings and cartoons, too)
Jerry Lee Lewis | What The Hell Else Do You Need? (18 CDs with his complete Sun recordings – heaven!)
Not exactly sure if it’s been released outside your local Eel Market by Ry Cooder’s 50 Years is quite simply the best album of 2015
You are a very naughty boy.
By = but
I too ordered the Georgie Fame box over a month ago (was advertised at 18 quid) & it turned up yesterday-can’t wait to give it a spin. Also looking forward to the John Cooper Clarke box….