HELP! Mysterious Blue Note Reissues?

I am frustrated...really...

Nowadays, I have these Blue Note reissues but even if I try to find a proper info, I don't get it.
I assume...these are 2000's reissues in the US, but I am not quite sure...

Please watch me talking here and in case you know, please share it with us!

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8 Comments

  1. Hi Takeshita, I think the mystery records might be a Scorpion music from New Jersey . Should have 304 Park Ave South on label or back cover and in etched should have S- xxxx. Hope that help you. Thanks Richard.

  2. o again Takashi

    Thank you for that interesting discussion!
    Hloo again Takashi

    Thank you for that interesting presentation!
    In my opinion, the Blue Note Sonny Clark 1588 Cool Struttin’ LP, that you showed us, is a US Scorpio reissue.

    To the best of my knowledge, Scorpio LP’s are produced legitimately in the USA , the company pays a fee to the owner of the label. They use CD stereo masters which explains why the supposedly MONO record to which you were listening is in fact STEREO.

    By way of identification, Scorpio Blue notes do not have any indication on the back of the sleeve such as ‘licensed by Manhattan Records, a division of Capitol Records’ or similar statement.

    Then again, the centre label of the Sonny Clark 1588 that you showed us is evidently of poor quality and has no reference such as ‘Manhattan Records, a division of Capitol Records’ or similar. Also, the use of a BN code is unusual and probably an error. ‘BN’ was not used on Blue Note’s 12”LP sleeves nor on their centre labels – it was used for all 78 rpm releases. ‘BN-XW’ code was used for some United Artists (UA) manufactured 45 rpm’s.

    As no doubt all serious collectors know, US Blue Note 12”LP codes were either BLP (Mono) or BST (Stereo) or, in later years, BN-LA (UA Series), B1 (US special issues, BT (New Series). Blue Note 12”LP reissues manufactured outside the USA had many different codes (but not ‘BN’) – for instance, BNS (England) BLJ (Canada), for Japan BNJ, LNJ (Toshiba/EMI) GXF (King), GXK (King) and other codes.

    Finally, the address on the label 304 Park Avenue South is used only by Scorpio Records. Scorpio Records have since 2000 licensed and manufactured in New Jersey many Blue Note and other collectible LP’s such as Prestige etc. For instshce, the Hank Mobley LP Dippin’ you held up in your video was produced by Scorpio in 2002. Also, if I recall rightly, Blue Note/Manhattan Records operations are no longer based in New York – as part of Capitol Music Group, its offices are in Hollywood California.

    Enough said. In my opinion Scorpios are in effect ‘fake’ Blue Notes that I would not wish to purchase. On the other hand, others – say, newcomers to our jazz vinyl scene – may choose to take a different view, namely that Scorpios sound OK and they are cheap, giving them the possibility of starting their own Blue Note collection at low cost.

    Hope this helps!

    Kind regards

    Eric

    1. Eric
      Right, I agree with you.
      I might not recommend this Scorpio series to the serious Jazz lovers but as a starter, maybe good to go.
      Thank you for your great info!
      Regards,
      Takashi

  3. Hi Takashi! Looking at discogs there’s only 5 US pressing for the Dippin’ album. None of them are from the early 2000, the only one from the 2000 is 45rpm 2LP. In my opinion, this record will not be a US pressing. Could you give us the matrix?
    Take into account that there are a lot of labels in Europe that are pressing these albums with no author right infringement, of course without the master tapes, and years after they had to change the covers. As you say: is not that bad, but not that good…

    1. Fernando
      Thank you very much for your contribution!
      It seems that this pressing was from Scorpio in the US as Eric stated.
      I really appreciate for your time and effort!
      Regards,
      Takashi

  4. Hello again Takashi

    Please note: this is my second sending – edited to include Blue Note 5000 Series which did use the BN code.

    Thank you for that interesting discussion!

    In my opinion, the Blue Note Sonny Clark 1588 Cool Struttin’ LP, that you showed us, is a US Scorpio reissue.

    To the best of my knowledge, Scorpio LP’s are produced legitimately in the USA , the company pays a fee to the owner of the label. They use CD stereo masters which explains why the supposedly MONO record to which you were listening is in fact STEREO.

    By way of identification, Scorpio Blue notes do not have any indication on the back of the sleeve such as ‘licensed by Manhattan Records, a division of Capitol Records’ or similar statement.

    Then again, the centre label of the Sonny Clark 1588 that you showed us is evidently of poor quality and has no reference such as ‘Manhattan Records, a division of Capitol Records’ or similar. Also, the use of a BN code is unusual and probably an error. ‘BN’ was not used on Blue Note’s 12”LP sleeves nor on their centre labels – it was used for all 78 rpm and for all 5000 Series LP’s. ‘BN-XW’ code was used for some United Artists (UA) manufactured 45 rpm’s.

    As no doubt all serious collectors know, US Blue Note 12”LP codes were either BLP (Mono) or BST (Stereo) or, in later years, BN-LA (UA Series), B1 (US special issues, BT (New Series). Blue Note 12”LP reissues manufactured outside the USA had many different codes (but not ‘BN’) – for instance, BNS (England) BLJ (Canada), for Japan BNJ, LNJ (Toshiba/EMI) GXF (King), GXK (King) and other codes.

    Finally, the address on the label 304 Park Avenue South is used only by Scorpio Records. Scorpio Records have since 2000 licensed and manufactured in New Jersey many Blue Note and other collectible LP’s such as Prestige etc. For instance, the Hank Mobley LP Dippin’ you held up in your video was produced by Scorpio in 2002. Also, if I recall rightly, Blue Note/Manhattan Records operations are no longer based in New York – as part of Capitol Music Group, its offices are in Hollywood California.

    Enough said. In my opinion Scorpios are in effect ‘fake’ Blue Notes that I would not wish to purchase. On the other hand, others – say, newcomers to our jazz vinyl scene – may choose to take a different view, namely that Scorpios sound OK and they are cheap, giving them the possibility of starting their own Blue Note collection at low cost.

    Hope this helps!

    Kind regards, Eric Robinson

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